caplock50 this from the web site i gave the link too..
If we go shopping at TSC, for example, we will find two types of fluid for our “N”-series transmission/hydraulic application on sale. One is marked “Ford Tractor Transmission Fluid – High quality oil for use in older Ford tractors”. This is the original stuff, almost. It has an SAE viscosity number of 80W90. It is not “straight mineral oil”. The sniff test tells us that it has sulphur additives, so it is at least an API GL3 gear oil. Most likely, it is an API GL5 gear oil, because that’s the universal automobile standard for gear oil these days. It is exactly the same type of oil that would be used in a conventional automobile or truck differential, although it may not be up to the latest standard. Our other choice is “Universal Tractor Hydraulic Fluid”. This is a pig of a different grunt. It is a 10W20 oil (much thinner, and multigrade) which is “recommended” for use in place of the Ford M2C134D, as well as a whole list of other manufacturers specifications. Note that it does NOT say “Meets Ford M2C134D specification” – it can’t do that, just based on the stated viscosity alone. This oil does have an additive package which is intended to make it work reasonably well as both a gear lubricant and a hydraulic fluid. We may also see “Hydraulic fluid” on sale. This is something else again. It is not intended for use in transmissions or final drive applications, and indeed it says so in big letters on the jug. This is for hydraulic systems ONLY. As it happens, it is marked with an “equivalent” SAE viscosity number of 20. It should be noted that there are no such designations as “EP” or “mild EP” for hydraulic fluid, and indeed, API and SAE don’t really get into specifying hydraulic fluids at all – some of their tests and standards are sometimes used for hydraulic fluid, but the full specifications are typically originated by the makers of hydraulic equipment. To use this in an N transmission would be quick and sure death for the transmission and differential - it simply lacks both the viscosity and the additives required to do that work. The hydraulics would probably work quite well using this, though. TSC is not the only game in town, but broadly the same choices are available at your local ag supply store. The “universal” transmission/hydraulic fluid is perhaps the least best choice. It attempts to meet fifty different manufacturers specifications in one fluid. Some of those specifications are mutually exclusive – as will be seen in the example of viscosity noted above. It would, however, be a good hydraulic fluid for a hydraulic lift system in good working order. The originally-specified 80 or 90 weight gear oil is probably a better transmission and final-drive lubricant – the downside is that it is not so good as a hydraulic fluid, especially in cold weather. For those reasons, a combination transmission/hydraulic fluid which does conform to the Ford M2C134D spec is probably a better compromise between hydraulic system performance and gear lubrication.
hope this helps you out byron KB9NNT
