YM3 Series Tractor Oil Change

How to Change the Oil on Your YM3 Series Tractor

Changing the engine oil in your tractor is a critical piece of regular maintenance. Your YM3 Series tractor operator’s manual recommends oil and filter service be performed every 250 hours of operation, or annually, whichever comes first. Fortunately, this maintenance is fairly easy to accomplish on your own. Read on for a step-by-step walkthrough.

Tools Needed for YM3 Series Tractor Oil Change

An oil change on your YM3 Series tractor can be completed with the loader attached or removed, depending on your preference. After you’ve made that decision, these are the tools you will need to gather:

Yanmar Maintenance Kit specific to your tractor model
Funnel
Oil filter wrench
Shop rags
10 mm & 17 mm socket with ratchet
Wheel chocks
Oil drain pan

When changing your engine oil, also make sure you’re utilizing safety equipment such as gloves and safety glasses.

Steps for Changing the Oil on Your YM3 Series Tractor

Once you’ve collected all of the necessary tools, it’s time to get started. These are the steps to follow to change the oil on your YM3 Series tractor:

Park your tractor on a flat, level surface. Turn off the engine, set the parking brake, and chock all four tires.
Next, start your tractor and allow the engine to run until operating temperature has been reached. This should take approximately five minutes. Taking this step helps suspend contaminants in the oil and aids in their removal. When the necessary temperature has been reached, turn off the engine.
Lower the grill guard by pulling the spring-loaded pin. Move the grill guard forward and lock it in position. Pull down the hood release and raise the hood.
To access the fill port, the side cover needs to be removed. Use your 10 mm socket to loosen and remove the bolts.
For faster draining and to prevent a vacuum from forming, pull the dipstick out and then set it back in.
Depending on your tractor model, you may have one or two oil drain plugs. The YM359 has two plugs, while the YM342 and YM347 only have one. Place the oil drain pan under the drain plugs. Always be cautious if the components are hot.
Position yourself under the tractor and use the 17 mm socket and ratchet to remove the necessary engine oil drain plugs, turning them counterclockwise. Allow the oil to drain completely into the pan.
After the oil has finished draining, use your shop rags to clean up any excess. Then, reinstall the drain plugs making sure not to over tighten.
Use your oil filter wrench to remove the oil filter. Once removed, use your rags to clean up any excess oil and debris from the oil filter mounting base. Also ensure the old oil filter gasket has been removed and is not adhered to the mounting base.
Get the new oil filter from your Yanmar Maintenance Kit. Apply a small amount of engine oil onto the gasket and pour ? to ½ of the oil into the filter. Install the new filter by turning clockwise until the gasket seats against the filter base. Then, use the oil filter wrench to tighten an additional half turn.
With the drain plugs reinstalled and the filter replaced, remove the oil filler cap and use the funnel to pour the appropriate amount of oil into your tractor. For reference, the YM359 requires 9.2 quarts of oil, while the YM342 and YM347 require 5.1 quarts.
Now that the tractor has been filled with the required amount of engine oil, reinstall the oil filler cap and clean up any spills.
Start the engine and run it at idle. While the engine runs, check for any leaks at the filter and drain plugs, repairing as necessary. If no leaks are present, shut the engine off, and remove the drain pan from underneath the tractor.
Finally, verify the engine oil level is between the upper and lower hash marks on the dipstick. If the level is low, add oil as necessary.
Reinstall the engine side cover, lower the tractor hood, and your oil change is complete!

Connect With Yanmar

At Yanmar, we’re dedicated to helping every owner get the most out of their UTV, tractor, and attachments. Our expert Customer Experience Team is standing by, ready to answer your questions and provide helpful resources. Please don’t hesitate to connect with us online or give us a call at 678-551-7369.