| I have a JD L118. It had a K46 trans that failed at 177 hrs. It was replaced under warranty with a T40 which is apparently the same as the K46 whith a couple of small changes. I don't know what those are though. Anyway, I now have 295 hrs on it and I decided at 175 hrs to change the trans oil. JD says that it is a sealed unit and can't be serviced. Tuff Torque says that periodic servicing would extend the life of the unit. The factory recommends 10W30 motor oil. I use mine 8 hrs at a time so it has plenty of opportunity to heat up. With this in mind I used Mobil 1 15W50 synthetic. I realize that this is not what is recommended, but I think it was a good choice for me. As you can see I have 20 hrs on it so far and have had nothing but good results. Here is a step by step of the precess.
1. Raise the rear of the mower.
2. Remove the rear wheels.
3. Disconnect the brake rod on the left side of the trans.
4. Set the parking brake. This takes tension off the belt.
5. Support the trans and remove the six bolts holding it to the frame.
6. As you lower the trans remove the belt from the pulley and unhook the reverse switch, the forward/reverse rod, and guide teh freewheel rod out of the hole in the frame.
7. Now that the trans is on the ground, clean in very well. You don't want any dirt to get in.
8. On the top of the trans, on the left side, is the Fill/vent cap. Pry this cap out with a screwdriver.
9. Turn the trans upside down to pour out the oil. You may have to tilt it back and forth to get it all. There sould be 2 quarts.
10. Now slowly pour the new oil in. If you pour too fast, an air bubble will form and push the oil back out. You will need to tilt the trans back and forth to get the air out as you fill it. you should be able to get nearly 2 quarts in.
11. Reinstall the trans, but leave the wheels jacked off the ground.
12. Pull out the freewheel rod. Start the engine and release the parking brake. At this point quickly make sure that the belt is tracking properly.
13. Push the forward/reverse pedal back and forth a few times slowly.
14. Push the freewheel rod back in. Push the forward/reverse pedal again and make sure the the rear wheels turn smoothly and the trans is not making any unusual noise.
15. Shut off the engine, lower the rear end, and test drive the tractor.
Some people have suggested adding a drain plug. I don't feel that this would be a goo idea in this application, as even if you could drain the oil, there is no access to refill it.
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