Bought an older John Deere 350 crawler loader. Wanting to change the oil and hydraulic/transmission oils on it.

I bought a copy of the operators manual, but seems most of the fluids they recommend are John deere and are no longer made. It recommends a 30 weight strait grade oil, not to used mixed weight oils and John Deere type 303 special purpose trans/hydraulic oil.

Was wondering if the no mixed grade oils was due to the timing in the 60's when oils weren't all that good? Was originally going to dump rotella 15w40 in it till I read that.

On the trans/hydraulic oil seems like 1/2 say deere only and the others say any 303 compliant fluid will work just as good.

What say the THF?

My Komatsu dozer is a 1986 model and it gets Delo 400 engine oil and 303 hydraulic oil from wherever I can find it the cheapest.

The manual recommends 30w for temps over 32 degrees F so I think mixed grades are probably ok.

Call JD house

I am awaiting feedback from local JD house and considering others opinions.

The specific oil and fluid recommended in the manual are no longer made.

The trans/hydraulic fluid deere makes now is suppose to be compliant but I have read it has been changed to be a one size fits all for several of their forestry/construction/and ag applications and I may find a different fluid that will serve this piece of equipment better.

Green Tractor Talk forum would be a good place to ask

Once they give you compatible specs won't you have other options then?

Have talked with several and with deere.

They of course recommend their new hyguard fluid for hydraulic, I have read that they made that fluid as a once size fits all to run in all their lines of equipment but it is much thinner than standard 303 (which is recommended in my manual) and is supposed to be more prone to leaking on older machines.

For the oil they actually still have the recommended oil, but its only named the same its not the same oil they used back then, they also said their 15w40 oil will work in the application as well, which carries about all the same specs as most diesel engine oils. We run rotella 15w40 in our newer tractor and rotella in our diesel trucks so for simplicity its gonna get rotella 15w40. I'm going to stick with using a 303 or equivalent fluid, its whats in it now, its what it was designed to run on, and it cost less and is more widely available than hygaurd.

Also did some reading on the green tractor talk forum... lots of stuff goes on like here. People recommend their opinions which isn't always based upon sound reasoning or fact. But it was a good read, thanks for posting.

On a side note, its insane how much fluid/oil is in all the various reservoirs.

Very true. That is one good reason to keep it in a shed or at least covered up when not using it.

Rotella or Delo 400 in the engine should be fine, that was all we ever used on our older diesel tractors, dozers, loaders and never had any issues.

similar with any type of 303 in the hydraulics.

You can call Taylor oil in ft worth and they can get you the equivalent of the the fluids.