Filters: Hydraulic Filter Replacement

By Brett Wolfe 1993 U240 5/10

As stated it may be the hydraulic filters, if they are “wire mesh” on the outside then it is probably the hyd filters. The large canister houses them. They are 4-6 inches long and about 3-4 inches in diameter. It’s a mess to replace them, but my best advice is to put on double “diamond grip” latex gloves and have a trash bag handy for the filters, reach in up to your elbow and pluck out the filters. Make sure that you get the old gaskets off the filter support rod and then just drop in the new filters, add a little oil and you should be good to go. Greg 1995 280 SE

The hydraulic pump for your cooling fan takes 30+ HP at high engine speed/high fan speed.

Filter elements degrade with age as well as use.

They are not expensive, nor is it a difficult job.

  1. Remove the reservoir canister lid.
  2. Siphon out the oil so you don’t mix unfiltered oil “clean/filtered” oil.
  3. Remove the wing nut holding the washer and filters in place.
  4. Install new filter(s), the washer and wing nut
  5. Fill with the proper oil and replace the lid.

It is better to siphon off the old oil in the hydraulic reservoir before replacing the filter element(s). That way, dirty fluid and dirt at the bottom of the reservoir do not go to the middle (filtered fluid area). It also makes filter replacement a LOT less messy.

Be sure to use the correct fluid. Ours uses Delo 400 15-40 per the label on the reservoir.

Nelson 83101B Hydraulic Filters