Deere 1 series and 2025r Oil and Hydro Change intervals
Initial and Subsequent Fluid and or Filter Change Intervals
For the Yanmar Engine and Hydrostatic Drive Assemblies
For Deere 1 series and Gen 2, 2025r Tractors.
Written by Bruce Aungst
June 29,2025
This Tech Article is being written for new tractor owners to help answer the questions about the initial and subsequent service of the new tractors. This information will be useful in dispelling myths, providing helpful, specific answers, and also the reason behind the answers. To keep this succinct, lets get started.
Tractors that use the Yanmar 3TNV80F Diesel engines, including the 1 Series 1025R and the Gen 2, 2025R tractors. These same intervals apply to the Yanmar 3TNM72 diesel engine used in the 1023e tractor models
Initial Fluid Change and subsequent service intervals for the following tractor components
Yanmar Diesel Engine. – Initial oil change at 100+ to 200 engine hours. The filter should be changed with every fluid change.
Subsequent fluid and filter change for Yanmar engine
If the tractor is lubricated with traditional petroleum-based motor oil, subsequent oil changes should be performed either at 150 hours of tractor use or annually.
If the tractor is lubricated with a full synthetic motor oil specifically designed for diesel engine use, the subsequent oil change should occur at 200 hours of use or every other year.
Hydrostatic Fluid System on the tractor
Initial Fluid and subsequent filter change – 200 hours or every other year. Only HyGard Fluid should be used, either Low Viscosity HyGard or regular HyGard.
Do not use BioHygard product due to increased risk of fluid developing mold, bacteria or other organic growth which can infect the “renewable sourced” transmission fluids.
Front Axle Assembly on the tractor
Initial Fluid change at 50 hours.
Subsequent fluid change – 200 hours or every other year. 100 Hours or annually is even better is time permits. Only HyGard Fluid should be used, either Low Viscosity HyGard or regular HyGard.
Small Underfloor Fuel Pre-Filter service
Initial change at 50 hours of machine use. Subsequent service at 100 hours of use if filter conditions permit, otherwise replace as often as needed for clean fuel supply. It often makes sense to service the small fuel filter and the front axle simultaneously as both tend to accumulate debris, facilitating replacement more frequently than suggested in owners manual. Also, servicing both assemblies requires being under the tractor, which is another reason why it makes sense to service them together.
Air Filter Assembly
Remove and inspect air cleaner canister every 10 hours for machines used for regular mowing or otherwise operated in very dusty conditions. Clean the “prefilter,” which is the outer filter in the housing, as needed with low-volume compressed air blowing from the center of the filter outward. Do not blow dirt into the filter, as it only restricts airflow. Replace every 200 hours. Replace inner filter every 400 hours.
Primary Fuel Filter in the Separator Canister
Replace every 200 hours if during this same time frame, you have had to replace 4 or more small prefilters under the operating platform. If the prefilters are kept clean and need to be replaced every 100 hours, then you can extend the primary filter to 300 hours before replacement. Clean fuel flow is very important to a properly running diesel engine.
Exceptional circumstances that will accelerate separator canister fuel filter replacement include
· Red ring floats at any time due to the presence in the filter canister of water.
· Small prefilters require replacement more often than once every 50 hours
· Or there is any presence of mold, bacteria or any organic growth within either fuel filter assembly.
· Anytime the small pre-filter or the main fuel filter in the separator canister appear dark in color, they should be replaced immediately. Carefully inspect the filter when removed. If there is any sign of the growth of mold or bacteria in the fuel filters,the fuel system should be treated with a Biocide product designed to stop the spread of this very damaging fuel system infection.
· Tractor loses power or struggles to run while under load of the PTO or on grades.
Initial Oil Change Interval Questions and Answers.
Question 1. Should I change the engine oil at 50 hours of use to remove the new engine wear debris from the engine and help protect the engine against the accumulation of break in debris within the engine oil and filter?
Answer 1. An engine oil change at 50 hours is not necessary and not recommended by Yanmar or Deere and could even be harmful to the new Yanmar engine. It’s best to allow the engine to reach 100 hours or more of use before its first oil change.
Question 2. What if I want to change the engine oil at 50 hours of use or less, regardless of Yanmar and Deere’s recommendation?
Answer 2. If you insist on changing the engine motor oil for reasons of removing engine wear debris from the engine oil, make sure to replace the motor oil with Deere Break In Motor Oil ONLY. This special oil is used in new and remanufactured diesel engines to assure the engines are properly broken in for best long term results.
Question 3. How would replacing the engine oil in my new tractor which has 50 hours of use on it, with a premium diesel motor oil, such as Shell Rotella possibly be harmful to the new engine? Isn’t this just fear mongering?
Answer 3. Yanmar and John Deere use extensive engine wear and use data on new and remanufactured engines to determine the proper break-in period. The minimum use hours for a proper break-in is 100 hours on this engine. This 100 hour time period is also mentioned in the tractor owners manual. The break in period on other larger tractor diesel engines is much higher than the 100 hour interval.
Suppose you change the engine oil to a non-break-in motor oil. In that case, you are removing crucial concentrations of the Zinc ZDDP additive, which helps break in engine bearings, cylinder wall cross etching, and piston ring and piston skirt wear to assure maximum internal compression ratios. The result is the engine may not be fully broken in and the result can be oil consumption by the new engine, reduced engine power and an engine which is harder to start, due to potentially lower cylinder compression ratio.
Question 4. – So are you saying its better to NOT change the oil at 50 hours or on an engine with less than 100 hours on it in these machines?
Answer 4. – Given the choice of not changing the engine oil at less than 100 hours of use or changing the motor oil to an oil that is not specifically formulated for engine break in, its in the engines best interest to leave the break in oil in the engine until it has reached 100+ hours of use.
Question 5.- Help me understand then why John Deere was suggesting the oil change be made at 50 hours of use on some 1 series and Gen 2 2025r tractors which were built between 2017 and 2020? This doesn’t make any sense.
Answer 5. – This is where the confusion comes into the equation, which causes this very common misconception. The oil change at 50 hours for Deere 1 series and Gen 2 20205r machines was the HYDRO FLUID ONLY, not the engine's motor oil. The engines motor oil was to remain unchanged, where the hydro fluid on impacted tractors, which were exposed to the porosity sealant in the hydro case, were the subject of the 50 hour Hygard fluid change. The oil change interval in the small Yanmar diesel engines hasn’t changed in well over 10 years and the minimum engine break-in period has long been 100 hours or longer on these small Yanmar diesel engines.
Question 6.- Why would changing the Hygard Hydro fluid at 50 hours be suggested where the Yanmar engine oil should be left unchanged until the engine is 100+ hours of use?
Answer 6.- The engine break in is vastly different than the Hydro case break-in process. The engine is a compression combustion engine, which means it relies on internal heat and pressure within the cylinder to ignite the diesel fuel. Diesel engines do not have spark plugs and they use the higher compression ratio (23.5 to 1 in the Yanmar verses 9. to 1 in the gas engines) to ignite the fuel. When the engine isn’t broken in fully and properly, the engine's compression ratio may be reduced, which will make the engine harder to start and run rougher when it does start until it warms up. The engine is also more likely to consume motor oil and other negative consequences as a result of not being properly broken in.
The Hydro unit in the tractor is pump-driven and uses hydraulic pressure for operation. While a proper break in of any component is important, the break-in of the hydro unit is vastly different than the diesel engine. The hydro unit doesn’t have the same wear components as the Yanmar engine. Comparing the Yanmar engine and Hydro case is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. Their functions are so vastly different they are more unlike than alike.
Question 7. Why do so many tractor owners change their engine oil at the 50 hour time frame when they have their Hydro fluid changed?
Answer 7.- Often when the tractor is presented for the 50-hour hydro change, the owners request the engine oil also be changed at the same time. This coordinates the fluid changes between the two components and also prevents having to change the engine oil in another 50 hours. Changing the engine oil at 50 hours is fine as long as the John Deere break-in oil is used in the engine oil for another 50+ hours. So whether the oil changes took place and the break in oil was replaced with new break-in oil is really unknown. That would be the best way to continue the engine break in process with clean oil and a new oil filter, if that is important to the tractor owner. If the oil change replaced the original break-in oil with new break-in oil, the engine oil change was not harmful to the tractor in any way.
However, if the break in oil was replaced at 50 hours with a new synthetic motor oil, that could result in the engine not properly breaking in and the engine not running as strong or as well as it should.
Question 8. What happens to the engine if the break in oil was replaced before the engine reached the 100 hour+ break in point and the oil which was put into the engine is a full synthetic motor oil?
Answer 8. Full synthetic motor oil is so slippery, it dramatically reduces the internal friction and wear of the engines components. On an engine which has been properly broken in, you want to reduce the engines wear and friction. But when the engine hasn‘t been fully broken in, the consequence of the lower internal friction is the engine won’t fully break in because the friction is so low. This means the engine might not properly seat the piston rings, which will cause the engine to burn motor oil. Also , the cylinder walls won’t be properly broken in which will cause the engines compression ratio to be lower.
When a diesel engine has a lower compression ratio than it should, it's harder for the diesel engine to initiate the fuel combustion process. Remember, diesel engines don’t have spark plugs and rely on the internal heat and pressure to ignite the diesel and get it burn. The long-term consequences will be an engine with less power than it should have, and it will also start harder and run less smoothly when cold. It will likely consume motor oil where the properly broken in engine shouldn’t. The long-term results are compromised performance as a result of failing to break in the engine properly.
Question 9- Would it be better to replace the break-in oil with a petroleum oil which isn’t synthetic and has a higher friction level than a synthetic motor oil?
Answer 9.- The best solution is to allow the engine to fully and properly break in. Otherwise there will be performance compromises in the diesel engine as a result of the failure to complete the break in process. Not completing the break in process is similar to not allowing a human broken bone to fully heal before returning to using it.
Let’s say you broke your foot metatarsal bones and your foot was in a cast for 8 weeks. The physician told you to take it easy on the foot once out of the cast and don’t resume your normal activities until a period of 3 months after you exited the cast had passed. Yet, you disregard this advice and start to immediately use your foot for snowmobiling, skiing, etc.
In reality, the foot's long-term strength and stability were compromised because you didn’t allow the foot to fully and properly heal. I use this specific example as I broke my right foot three different times and by not following the proper healing process after the first break, the foot was susceptible to injury and ended up broken twice more. Now its full of arthritis has restricted movement and is a source of constant pain. Now I wish I had listened and followed the advice but that ship has sailed and can’t be returned to port for another chance.
Question 10,- What is the ideal new tractor diesel engine oil change interval for these specific machines, the 1023e, 1025r and Gen 2, 2025r in this discussion?
Answer 10. – The diesel engine motor oil should be allowed to remain in the engine until the engine has surpassed 100 hours of use. You could leave the diesel engine break-in oil in the engine until the engine reaches 200 hours of use, if desired, and change the engine oil and the hydro oil for the first time at the 200-hour threshold. This assures proper diesel engine break in and also allows the hydro fluid to be changed at the same time, placing these in sync for having completed the new fluid changed and filter replacement.
A 50 Hour Service should be performed on these new machines, including the following;
Front Axle Fluid Service
Small Underfloor fuel Pre-Filter
Question 11. I am really confused now. The owners manual says the front axle doesn’t need to be serviced until the 400 hr use level has been reached. Why would I want to service the front axle at 50 hours?
Answer 11. The front axle uses the Hygard fluid, but it is not connected to the tractor main hydro drive sump system in the Hydrostatic rear end assembly. As a result, the fluid in the tractors front axle is not filtered and is not under pressure. The axle contains a fixed amount of fluid and it doesn’t circulate in the axle housing, The axle fluid simply remains In the front axle until changed.
The front axle uses spider gears and other drive components to operate in 4WD and power the front wheels, producing a surprising amount of metallic wear debris in the front fluid when changed. When most owners see the extent of the wear debris, it concerns them greatly. The wear debris is disproportionate for fluid volume and the axles engagement and use. You will very likely see more wear, dust, and small metallic fragments in the base of the drain pan when you empty the fluid than you will see in all of the filters from the entire hydro system over the first 1,500 hours of tractor use.
Let me repeat that so it's clear. The amount of wear dust and metallic debris which is typically found in the front axle fluid after 50 hours of use exceeds the metallic wear debris which would be found in opening and inspecting all of the hydro and engine oil filter comb ined over the first 1,500 hours of tractor use.
Question 12. - What about the small under floor fuel filter? Why should that also be replaced at the 50 hour time frame?
Answer 12. – You are going to be under the tractor servicing the front axle, so it's logical to also address the most common filter, which gives tractor owners trouble, the small under-floor in-line “pre-filter” which is just outside of the fuel tank and under the left side of the tractor's operator platform.
Question 13.- Why does this filter require replacement after only 50 hours of use?
Answer 13.- This small fuel filter is intended to serve as a “pre-filter” and catch any debris in the fuel system as it exits the fuel tank and before the debris can reach the 12v fuel push/pull pump which is mounted on the tractors firewall at the top rear of the engine.
This small filter has a small size and it doesn’t take much debris to plug this filter. Depending upon how diligent the tractor owner is with the handling and transportation of their diesel fuel supplies, this filter may be a frequent source of required service.
When this small fuel filter is even partially restricted due to any debris or undesirable diesel fuel content, the tractors power will be reduced and the machine may struggle to climb even modest hills. Also, the power demand of operating the tractors PTO will also bring the engine power shortage front and center. Often the tractor will stall when the mower is engaged and it may be very difficult to restart, or it may not restart at all due to the fuel flow being restricted.
Question 14.- How often do owners of these tractors typically replace their tractors' small under-floor “pre-filter” fuel filter?
Answer 14.- It varies widely depending upon the tractor owners fuel purchase, storage, handling and transport procedures. Some owners have had to replace this filter as often as every 25 to 30 hours where others, such as myself, was able to get 400 hours of use out of the pre-filter before replacement. The problem is, this filter can strand you and leave you performing the “walk of shame”.
In case some are unfamiliar, the “Walk of Shame” refers to the situation where you must walk from the tractor’s disabled position to obtain the diesel fuel jug and a replacement filter. Then you return to the tractor, replace the small fuel filter and refill the tractors fuel tank with clean, fresh fuel.
When you are forced to perform the under-floor small filter change in the field, you can almost be assured it will result in you lying in an undesirable environment, whether it's full of poison ivy, the weeds are taller than the floorboards, or perhaps it’s a muddy, swampy environment. The point is you want to avoid putting yourself in this position.
Having to walk and carry the diesel fuel jug is known as the “walk of shame” because if you properly maintain the tractor, are diligent in your fuel handling process and also always refill the tractor after each use, you will be far less likely to make the “walk of shame”.
In my 30 years of small diesel tractor ownership, I have made the walk one time, about 8 years ago. I make sure to avoid having to make the walk again due to fuel system issues.
Question 15.- How difficult is the proper servicing of the front axle fluid and how much time does it take?
Answer 15. – The process isn’t difficult, its just paramount that you follow very specific steps to make sure to properly drain the Hygard fluid from the front axle and that you can add Hygard in the proper amounts. This requires removal of the front axle spindle housings vent plugs which are small allen head plugs at the top of each front axle spindle housing. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to properly service the front axle. I will detail the replacement process below.
Question 16.- What about the small underfloor prefilter in the fuel line? Is it difficult to replace? How long does it take and what are the challenges in its replacement, which cause it to be a topic of many threads in online forums?
Answer 16. – The placement of the prefilter under the floorboard requires you to lay on your back and work with the fuel filter above you. Also, the floor board is low to the ground so the clearance is limited if you are larger or it requires you to work in unusual positions. The fuel lines are short, and its helpful to follow the specific steps I will outline below. Some can change the small under floor fuel filter in a matter of a few minutes, others require much more time. You also have to be able to stop the fuel tank from emptying through the fuel line onto the ground, when you remove the filter and disconnect the fuel line. Plan on 20 to 30 minutes and collect the needed special tools in advance and the entire process is much easier and less messy.
Question 17.- How often should the front axle be serviced after the initial fluid change?
Answer 17. – Once again, this is where the service interval schedule in the tractor owners manual is vastly different than the interval at which the axle should be serviced. When the axle has been serviced properly, it should experience follow-up fluid servicing every 200 hours or less. I change my front axle with each engine and hydro fluid oil and filter change, which occurs every 200 hours. The Deere service interval indicates a 400 hour initial service interval and subsequent 400 hour intervals.
It’s important the owner see the debris volume in the drain pan and take some special steps to help reduce this wear going forward. I will detail the special steps one can take below.
Question 18.- Why do I feel the service interval should be much less than the recommended service frequency of 400 hours for the tractor's front axle as outlined in the owner's manual?
Answer 18.- The Hygard fluid in the front axle is limited to a total volume of just .74 gallons which is 3 quarts of Hygard fluid. For our metric friends, its 2.8liters. The fluid does not circulate within the axle housing other than the mechanical agitation the fluid experiences from the movement of the tractor.
As I also mentioned, the front axle fluid is not connected to the tractors other Hygard fluid in the tractors hydrostatic drive assembly. In many ways, this segregation of the front axle fluid is positive for the tractors overall hydro drive system as the wear debris produced by the front axle is so disproportionate to the use and size of the axle components, that if this debris was circulated through the entire tractor system as the other Hygard fluid is, the metallic debris would likely result in increased wear in the hydrostatic and hydraulic components elsewhere in the machine. Plus, the metallic debris would be present in all of the Hygard fluid in the rear sump of the tractor, which totals 3.3 gallons or 12.3 liters for out metric friends. Its in the tractors best interest to keep the wear debris segregated from the tractors main sump and Hygard fluid volume.
The wear debris settles at the bottom of the front axle, and when the tractor moves, the mechanical agitation of the front axle Hygard fluid with this movement places the wear debris in suspension in the Hygard fluid. This means that as the fluid lubricates the axle components as the tractor is driven, the fluid contains this metallic debris, which isn’t an ideal situation for lubricating the front axle components.
This is why it's important to change the fluid at 50 hours and again at each 200 hour interval or even sooner. I try to change the fluid at 100 hours if time permits.
Please see the Technical Article titled “Front Axle and Pre-Filter Service Guide” for specific details and tips on how to complete these procedures.