Which fluids for 48" Ferris mower???

[mike49623]

I'm a non-professional who just purchased a used 48" Ferris M12T walk-behind mower with the variable speed hydrostatic transmission. I drained all the fluids but now I need to know what to put back into it. I drained the oil and I also drained the fluid from two other places--the transmission that attaches directly to the wheel shaft, and the transmission control chamber directly above this--it has a plastic cooling fan attached to it as well as a plastic reservoir above it. It has a Kohler 12 hp motor. P.S. It is for sale for $600. Here are three pictures: http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/774030/ferris01.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/774030/ferris02.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/774030/ferris03.jpg

Thanks.

[mike49623]

Here is a picture of the entire mower. I bought it to resell. It mows fantastic. I mowed my lawn three times; my neighbors once; my friends once; and my cousins once.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/774030/ferris00.jpg

[rander]

Check the Ferris Industries mower web site technical section for copies of the operators and parts manuals. They will have the information you are seeking.

Go to the link below and pick your mower model number from the list and click on operators manual. The information you want will come up in pdf (Acrobat Reader) format. You can download and print them if you wish.

http://www.ferrisindustries.com/t_manuals.php

Russ A

[mike49623]

Thank you, but I've been to that site already and they do not supply (fluid/lubrication) info for the M12T--or for any Ferris mower (in regards to lubrication fluids). I'm guessing that I need to use 90w for the transmission and Mobile 1 synthetic 30W for the oil--but I'd like to hear from someone who is familiar with the machine that I have so that I don't put the wrong stuff into this great mower.

[rander]

A couple of thoughts. On the Ferris site check under the tab for contacting the company and send the service department an email asking about the information you need. I have never delt with Ferris but several other equipment manufacurers,( eXmark and Echo among others) have been very good about replying to questions. Most Kohler engines do well on SAE 30W oil.

Good luck finding the info you need. Sometimes it is a maddening process.

RussA

[mike49623]

An authorized dealer told me to use 30W in all three reservoirs. Now I have a problem with the plastic reservoir--it doesn't seem to drain into the hydrostatic transmission chamber. Any suggestions? http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/774030/ferris02.jpg http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/774030/ferris03.jpg

[mowerman52]

I have a 2000 52" Dual Drive and a 01' 36" Single Drive. Both reservoirs are filled to the line with Vavaline SAE 30 oil. They both have kaw. engines on them and I use the same oil in both.

[mowerman52]

Are you sure the oil is not ciculating and you just don't realize it? I can't tell that the oil is moving except for the fact that it expands in the resevoirs as I use the machine.

[mike49623]

I drained the oil again out of the the top transmission chamber, just to make sure there was movement out of the the plastic reservoir (there was). So I filled it to the "cold level line"and started the mower---no transmission movement at all!!! The mower won't go forward or in reverse. I shut down the mower immediately--let it set for 15 minutes--and tried it again without any forward or reverse.
I hope I am doing something wrong as I cannot believe the transmission is bad (although, it would be my luck). I have used the mower several times since I bought it and I felt the mower was slowing down (thus the reason that I decided to change the fluids).
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.