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Difference between hy-trans fluid and 303

O

Orangegroveguy

New User
Greetings all: Basic question, what is the difference between "hy-trans" fluid and "303" fluid? For years, I've used a 1950 Case model "D" tractor to do all my tractor work. Recently, I purchased a 1975 Deutz 6806. It has a power steering system which runs off fluid from the transmission. The previous owner owned the tractor for about five years and when he got it, changed the transmission fluid replacing it with 80W90 gear oil. I've learned through research that this is the wrong type of fluid. While I've done a lot of reading on the Hy-trans and 303, I have yet to discover the difference between the two, (other than price). My plan for the tractor is to drain the 80W90 this coming Monday and replace the fluid, what I'm wondering is, can I use the 303 or do I have to use the Hy-tran? Additionally, I would like to do a "flush" to get all the 80W90 out, so can I use the 303 as a flush and then replace that with the hy-tran. This is a first for me and this has been a learning process, so any and all help, guidance and wisdom will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance - Glenn.
 

My opinion, so take it for what it's worth. The 303 was the designation used by John Deere for many years. Maybe still do, but the 303 seems to have become more or less generic for hydraulic fluid. I am using 303 in the live hydraulics system I installed on my M, and it performs just fine. My opinion again, but I really don't think there is much difference at all between 303 and Hy-Tran. If I owned a newer tractor still under warranty, and it called for Hy-Tran, then that is definitely what I would use. A tractor built in 1975? I think I would use the 303.
 
At Tractor Supply they sell 303 and Premium Hydraulic fluid,on the bucket the Premium says it meets a lot of different quality standards.The 303 says Its used in some older tractors.
Now which one would you think is better? Cheap motor oil,grease and hydraulic oil are probably the most expensive things you can use in the long run.
 
I read somewhere, I think on the pail of the 303 carried by TSC, that 303 is for systems with brakes running in the fluid. Makes sense to me because the old Trac-Loc differentials in IH Scouts required a small bottle of friction modifier with the fluid change. Same reason the old Ford automatics took Type F fluid.
 
Hytran was developed by IH for the 06 series tractors with the hydraulic TAs it had special anti water properties not
to absorb water. 303 was designed for the new generation john deeres with the wet brakes . during the 60s and 70s the
rumor was that putting hytran in the deeres would ruin the brakes because of not having the wet brake additive and
using 303 would make the IH TAs slip and fail. I believe the hytran has better cold weather flowing properties. we had
IH so our dealer put hytran in everything that had hydraulic drivers it was in the bobcat and feed mixer two things
that had to work in the Minnesota winters we never had any problems with thick oil. some of the neighbors did complain
about the 303 being stiff in the winter. one last thing my dad lent his plow to his cousin it was an onland hitch with
two hydraulic cylinders they pulled it with a JD 4840 and those two cylinders leaked oil after he used it for years but
finally quit when the JD oil got flushed out.
 
303 oil does not have high levels of extreme-pressure anti-wear additives, nor does it have the friction modifiers for wet and
clutches like Hy-Tran or Hy-Gard does.
 

I have gotten the impression that Hy-tran has become a generic term like aspirin did. It is used loosely to refer to any SPECIAL oil that is appropriate for wet brakes and clutch packs, as opposed to the plain old hydraulic or gear oil that pretty much all tractors used to use. Now there are all kind of specs for all kinds of different makes and models of equipment, but you look at pretty much any good quality Hy-Tran or Tractor-Hydraulic and it will list on the label about 40 specs that it is rated for. But then New Holland will tell you that you have to use there's or your brakes will disintegrate.
 
a while back, I read the fine-fine print on some cheaper fluid. bold letters showed a list of machines it was approved for-about everything] than recommended 'light duty' no high temps' for most, except old stuff.
 
I have a bucket that says J20-C tractor hydraulics. Where does this fit into the mix.
 
Hy-Tran Ultraction is a premium Case product not to be confused with lesser quality trans-draulic fluids such as the 303 sold by farm supply stores. 303 was the JD fluid until hygard replaced it. I would bet most of the 303 knock offs are not made to the specs jd 303 was. The old dc can use about any hyd. oil but I would use good oil in the deutz such as CASE Hy-Tran,JD Hy-Gard or Cenex Quick lift. Pay now or pay later.
 
Power steering runs from transmission or
hydraulic system? We have 7206,6206 and 2 dx
modles all run off the hydraulic system.
Acording to the book the hydraulic system
uses the same grade engine oil as engine for
our climate here in austraila carnt tell you
the break down with out looking in bookwhich
i dont have with me at moment. Fill point
for this should be under back of seat on
right side on top of rockshalf cover.
Transmission should be seprate fill point
around front of back wheel on right side on
the side of transmission which we ryn 80 90
gear oil in.
 
I'd say you're right and a good way to figure out what is the better of the two hydraulic fluids they offer at TSC is one is about $10 more per bucket so it figures the cheap oil
must not be as good or better because if it was they'd never sell the higher priced stuff.
 
"Peace of mind" is what sells the more expensive fluids.

You justify spending the big money on real Hytran or Hygard because there's always that little bit of doubt in the back of your mind using the cheaper stuff.

By extension, using the more expensive "compatible" fluid vs. the 303, you're justifying it to yourself because the bucket says it meets the standards of the real stuff, so it must be okay.

All that said, on a 1975 Deutz, if indeed it calls for a hydraulic fluid it is probably the "compatible" product.
 
I have no idea where the number "303" comes from, but I believe it started with the John Deere J-14 oil that needed to
combine oil for hydraulics and gears from one common sump. 303 oil typically has the same gear protection as GL4 gear oil
and tends to have less then 1% ZDDP anti-wear additives that protect gears and bearings. In fact, many blends of 303 oil
have less then 1/4 % ZDDP. Modern combo trans and hydraulic oil like Deere Hygard has 3 % to 5 % ZDDP. HUGE difference.

That said, I have come across many off-brands of so-called Hygard equivalents with less then 1 % ZDDP which is kind of a bad
joke.

Many old tractors used pure mineral oil with no zinc additives - so when compared to that - 303 is an improvement. But
modern oils like Deere Hygard offer a huge improvement over 303 oil.

My 1960 John Deere has a power-shift wet-clutch transmission and in 1960, Deere called for automatic transmission oil. I
guess at that time Deere had not come up with its own specs yet.
 
J20C is the "premium" oil like you find at TSC and is the spec I use as my pass-fail criteria for my newer tractors with all the current day amenities......lots of JDs out there, not many Bransons. Usually you'll find the Kubota spec on there too...TDN or something like that.

303 is an old JD spec and similar to 134a that Ford specs which is the fluid used when hydraulic and differential sumps were first combined by OEMs. Doesn't have the other additives to keep wet brakes from chattering and such since the tractors into which it goes don't have them.
 
Agreed. 303 runs about $1 a quart, you can't even buy nondetergent 30W for that price. My understanding 303 is basically 20W oil with a very limited additive package.
 
The original 303 oil was made from sperm whales. The Deere Bio-Hy Guard will probably eventually replace Hy Guard since Hy Guard has zinc (ZDDP) in it. Bio-Hy Guard uses tricresyl phosphate (TCP) which doesn't contaminate water like zinc (ZDDP). If you put "the new 303" oil in your tractor you will know it doesn't have the right additives when the wet brakes starts chattering when you use them.
 
Just something I'd like to reiterate, that someone has already pointed out. Hy-Gard is a Deere product. Hy-Tran is a
CNH product (more so a Case IH product). I assume when you ask about Hy-Tran, you're asking about the generic product
and not the Case IH Hy-Tran Ultraction. In my personal opinion, Hy-Gard and Hy-Tran are the two best oils on the
market. I'd give a slight edge to Hy-Tran due to it's ability to absorb water with no side effects. I also think AGCO
821XL, or whatever they call it now is a very good product. It's good enough to be used in Fendt and Massey CVT
transmissions, so it can't be too bad a product. If you're not going to buy one of those 3 oils, buy something from
Shell or Mobil. Those cheaper oils are not worth the stress. BTDT. Just drain the oil best you can. Don't worry about
flushing it all out. It won't hurt anything.
 
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