Hi all, I have a ~'70s vintage Dayton garden tractor, I want to change the fluid in the hydrostat transaxle, but don't know what to put in. The fluid on the dipstick is a more or less clear oil, so it's not ATF as far as I can tell. I guess it's some kind of hydraulic fluid but don't know. On the end of the dipstick it says "trans oil only". I have no documentation for this beast, but it runs good and does a great job cutting the lawn with it's 50" deck. It also has a pto in the front and a 3 pt hitch on the back. The motor is a 16hp briggs twin. Since Dayton went out of business a long time ago, I don't know where to go for specs. The model # is 3Z678 K22D and the serial # is 41-0072651. It takes a Napa 1084 oil filter if that helps. Here's a pic.

[img]http://user.ntplx.net/~cduarte/dayton1.jpg[/img]

I had the local John Deere dealer do some work on my International Cub Cadet, it was made in 1968.

Unless you think it is contaminated with water or dirt do not change. This is what John Deer say on its large tractors.  If so you can pickup hydrostatic fluid at any tractor store.

Pretty much plain old hydraulic oil as used in large tractors in their hydrostatic and hydraulic units.  Chances are the oil that was speced for your tractor is obsolete and off the market anyway.

Do a search for garden tractor and old iron forums - someone their probably has a manual for your machine.

What would I do without ar15.com? You guys rock!
[banana]
I guess I'll be heading over to the local John Deere dealership tomorrow. The cool part is that my favorite gun shop is in the same building.

I am gonna make your day - it's a Simplicity, with Daytons name on it.  Any Simplicity dealer can help you with the manual, and it runs SAE 10W hydraulic oil in the hydro.  Its a REALLY good machine, let me know if you wanna trade up in the future.  Ops

yeah baby, yeah!  [banana]

thanks.