Another hydraulic issue

Tractor is a 3340 and this just started a couple days ago when I was raking hay. I use one hydraulic line to raise / lower the rake. After a about two hours of raking, I started to smell oil every time lowered the rake. (I allow the rake to 'float' down.) I can't find any leaks and the bottom of the tractor is dry. However, when I disconnected the hydraulic line after finishing raking, the oil in the quick disconnect looked to be the color of coffee with cream and seems to be aerated (bubbles in it). I checked the oil level and it was at the middle mark, so it was ok. I'm concerned about the possibility of water mixing in with the hydraulic oil. Is there any way this could be happening internal to the tractor? Does the transmission / hydraulic oil go to the radiator for cooling?

I guess I should check the radiator to see what the coolant looks like! Maybe it looks like coffee with cream also!

Hi BigDoug, smelling the oil is normal, it is just the oil returning into the gearbox, and displacing air out as a result. To check if you have water in your gearbox, let the tractor sit overnight and check the oil in the morning, if it still milky, you have water in there, if not, it is ok. It is quite normal for the oil in the couplers to be aerated though, as air is introduced everytime you connect / disconnect them. Leaking cylinders etc can pull air in too.

Cheers, Aaron.

Thanks Aaron, Everything seems to be ok. Oil level is the same, oil looks good in both the tractor and the rake. I just got nervous because I hadn't ever noticed the oil smell before. Then things got out of control when the oil looked aerated.

Getting good news every now and again is a good thing!