Continue with 10w-30 or switch to Hydraulic Oil

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Nov 22, 2013
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Location
York, Pa
I have a wood chipper that calls for a quality 10w-30 motor oil as hydraulic fluid. I have Rotella T5 in it now but will hydraulic oil work as good or better and last longer? I know hydraulic oils can be had for a lot less money and so can different 10-30's. My reason to try something different is the high heat this system generates and why I chose the T5. This system has only a small Vickers pump and a White motor with no clutches or gears so I only looked at hydraulic fluid skipping over tractor fluid because I don't need the formula for gears and clutches.

I have been looking at some hydraulic oils :

MAG 1 Hydraulic Fluid R&O AW ISO 68

Sinopec L-HV Low-Temperature Antiwear Hydraulic Oil ISO 46 or 68

Super Tech Heavy Duty Rust and Oxidation Anti Wear Hydraulic Oil


It's not broke but I'm afraid it will break because of 170 degrees + heat when it works more than a few hours straight. Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.
 
This is an EXTREMELY "low-stress" environment.... no special or exotic fluids needed or required.

You'll never have to change that fluid. Just keep it topped off and fix any leaks when they happen.
 
Originally Posted by fozzdesy2001

It's not broke but I'm afraid it will break because of 170 degrees + heat when it works more than a few hours straight. Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.


If you are worried about 170 oil temps - you have a lot of education to receive.
 
Originally Posted by salesrep
ISO 100

Agreed that this would be your best choice. It's equivalent to a SAE 30.
Finding a small package at a reasonable price could be challenging. That could be why the manufacturer specc'd available everywhere 10W-30.
 
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by fozzdesy2001

It's not broke but I'm afraid it will break because of 170 degrees + heat when it works more than a few hours straight. Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.


If you are worried about 170 oil temps - you have a lot of education to receive.

You are right about getting educated on hydraulics. I had to take the super crash course because this thing was not working the way it should and after buying a pressure gauge and a few fittings I found out the variable flow control valve was bad. I had no idea what a normal "Hot" temp should be and still don't, so is 170 degrees in the normal operating range?
 
Originally Posted by Jackson_Slugger
LOL is it a "chuck-and-duck" old gas model?

In any case I'd use the 10W-30...

Without a working variable flow control valve it certainly was "chuck-and-duck" it was scary. It has a Kohler K58 opposed twin that runs like a top. When I bypassed the valve to confirm it was bad it went from barely pulling anything in, to sucking in whatever branch you chucked in so fast I couldn't duck fast enough and have the scratches to prove it. A new flow control valve tamed the beast! With the reduced flow I might be generating too much heat for the 10W-30 long term but I will leave it for now and just keep monitoring the oil condition.
 
170 is not a hot system by any means, if you were seeing 250+ I would say you're getting hot. At 170 you're still in range to have a moisture buildup problem if the system is vented to outside air.
 
Originally Posted by ironman_gq
170 is not a hot system by any means, if you were seeing 250+ I would say you're getting hot. At 170 you're still in range to have a moisture buildup problem if the system is vented to outside air.

It is vented to outside with a cheapo cap but I am going to install a better cap and neck that is supposed to hold 3 to 5 psi air pressure in the tank before it vents to the outside. I don't know if it will make any difference but it is made a lot better than what's on it now. Good to know 170 is not considered too hot and will look at that temp as a normal working temp.
 
Originally Posted by CT8
Motor oil protects better that hydraulic fluid.


Yes, motor oil protects ENGINES better than hydraulic fluid protect engines.

But hydraulic fluid ... good quality ... protects pumps, valves, and hydraulic motors better than engine oil. One particular weakness of engine oil is that they have emulsifiers to mix condensed water and keep it in solution. That's good in an engine, but bad in a hydraulic system. Soot is better kept in solution. Filters are USUALLY better for hydraulics.

We want our water to settle and get drained out from the bottom of the reservoir. We want EP additives that are not ideal in an engine.

Have I used engine oil, or automatic transmission oil in hydraulics? Yes, but it needs to be changes more frequently (time, day/night temperature swings) than hydraulic oil. For a VERY FEW applications, I actually prefer Dexron III to hydraulic oils that are commonly available (where a VI of over 200 is good).

But in general, not a good idea.
 
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