Purging milky oil from system

[Labrador Coaster]

I am having trouble getting the water contaminated oil out of my Winch\log splitter. I did as JJ suggested and drained the hoses, ( there are a lot), cylinder, changed the filter etc. I drained the reservoir and put about 20 litres\4 gals. of new oil back. ( 45 liter capacity)

It all turned milky very quickly. I have 2 new buckets ready to go for another try..

I was wondering...How much water does it take to turn the oil white?. And how serious is this.

Temperatures are down below freezing here, will the oil freeze at some point, does it cause damage to pump, motor components if I run it like this?

thanks fellows

BTW JJ, I hooked the 2 units up with quick connects and a pressure gauge,

 

[J_J]

It would depend on how clean you got the tank and cyl..

I would not fill the tank full until the fluid started to look good.

As far as how much water, it does not take much for the fluid to become emulsified, or mixed well.

Yes, frozen oil/water mix could freeze, and cause much damage.

 

[BrianinMichigan]

You know this might be a stupid response but what would happen if you were to wrap heat tape on all of the hydraulic system and let it heat up and then run the system? Not that you would leave this on but might it help to separate the water from the oil? A magnetic heater under the reservoir?

 

[Soundguy]

add alcohol to the oil.. circulate it well, exercising the cyl.. then drain it..

refill with clean cheap oil. you can get cheap utf and hyd oil for 20-25$ per 5g.. flush till clean.

soundguy

 

[J_J]

Soundguy,

What kind of alcohol do you use to clean or get rid of water?

I found this.


MIL-PRF-6083 Cleaning agents

Isopropyl alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol should not be used as a cleaning agent on components containing any parts which may have come in contact with hydraulic fluid. A sticky acrylic resin is formed which may be detrimental to the proper operation of hydraulic components.
If isopropyl alcohol must be used as part of a cleaning sequence, it is essential that the components be thoroughly dried to remove all traces of the alcohol.

Another article.

As a solvent, isopropyl alcohol dissolves petroleum or oil-based products, as well as many non-polar compounds. Since the chemical makeup of isopropyl alcohol is a simple carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen combination, it is typically non-toxic and thus safe in many environments. Quick evaporation is also a beneficial feature, making isopropyl alcohol a favored cleanser for sensitive electronic or robotic equipment in manufacturing facilities. Removing hydraulic fluid, motor oil, and bearing grease are just a few of the industrial uses of isopropyl alcohol.

 

[Soundguy]

propanol usually works good.

in cases where i use iso.. I usually am letting it drain and drip / dry.

soudnguy

 

[Fixemall]

I don't know why but, I had a vision of some guy running his splitter filled with Jack Daniels.

Back on topic, if I were faced with this splitter dilemma I would unhook the tank and run a feed line directly to a bucket of fresh fluid and flush the lines and cylinder as a separate circuit, then use a solvent based cleaner on the tank for a complete cleaning.
I am curious as to how this volume of water got in in the first place.

 

[Soundguy]

vent cap? rain?

 

[MikeD74T]

I don't know why but, I had a vision of some guy running his splitter filled with Jack Daniels.....

I don't often get involved with the safety police, but, you should NEVER fill with Jack Daniels until you're done running splitter!!! MikeD74t

 

[J_J]

I don't often get involved with the safety police, but, you should NEVER fill with Jack Daniels until you're done running splitter!!! MikeD74t

Well, consider this, the Soviet Air Force used alcohol as the hyd's for the MIG-25's aircraft brakes, had trouble keep enough supply as a lot of the maintenance people were often seen staggering around the base.


The MIG-25 fighter-bomber which needed 14 tons of jet fuel and a half ton of alcohol for its braking systems, was for this reasons known in the Soviet air force as the flying restaurant.

Fighter aircraft up to the MiG-29 and Su-27 had a braking system that used 99% pure grain alcohol as hydraulic fluid. .

The ground crews would steal the stockpiles of alcohol - imagine that - and that often the planes were grounded