ATF for flushing water-contaminated hydro fluid?

[Crashcup]

Hi, I've got to try again to flush out the milky oil in the hydraulics.

I've read good info here on how to approach this. One suggestion included using a ATF/diesel/alcohol flush.

Is there something about ATF that makes it good for that, as opposed to hydraulic fluid? I can't seem to find ATF for less than around $3/qt. The trans/hyd fluid I get from tractor supply is $32 for 5 gallons, or $1.60/qt.

Rather go with the cheaper option unless ATF does a better job with the flush

TIA,
Keith

 

[J_J]

What you purchased should work OK.

You are just trying to remove all the water you can, so with all the flushes, and the heat, you should be alright.

 

[RoMad]

How are you going to flush it?

 

[Crashcup]

I'm just talking about filling with hyd fluid, kerosene, rubbing alcohol mix, then wrking it to get fluid as hot as possible, drain immediately.

Not like a power flsh.

 

[glastron23]

instead of going through all the problems of draining the system and adding the mixture of atf,diesel and alcohol (real waste of good alcohol by the way LOL)draining the tank/system again then refilling with hydraulic oil (which will now be contaminated with atf/deisel/alcohol) why not just drain the tank and then add an temporary external filter system with a water absorbing filter. 10.7 in. Long 10 Micron Water Absorbing Filter Element | Princess Auto just add this to the tank port of the valve body and refill the tank with hydraulic oil and run the machine. the small amount of oil left in the system will soon be filtered out.. a lot less messy and safer for the hydraulic system Jim

 

[Crashcup]

Thanks, Glastron. That sounds like a good idea, but I'm not sure where to hook up the filter. I have to go out and look... You're saying somewhere on the valve body for the FEL controls, connect it from the port that goes to tank? I'd have to buy a filter mount also and a few fittings to connect it.

Do those filter out emulsified water? Ya know, the milky oil.

 

[Crashcup]

Jim, have you used that method with that filter? Wondering what your experience was with it.

I did some searching and found that some water-absorbing filters state that they absorb free and emulsified water, and some say they remove free water. Since the latter isn't specific about emulsified water, I'd assume they don't absorb it. The Donaldson filter from Princess Auto falls in that group - says it absorbs free water.

Parker's website shows filters that absorb free and emulsified water, but also says this:
"When using FW or Spin-0n Cartridges to remove water from hydraulic fluids, the reservoir should be drained and refilled with clean dry fluid before the new cartridge is installed. A milky color indicates the hydraulic fluid has a high water PPM count and has exceeded the water removal capabilities of industry-available, water-removing filters."

That makes me doubt whether a filter would do what I need. Of course, this is just from reading, not from any experience.

 

[hosspuller]

I would not use anything but hydraulic fluid to flush. diesel/alcohol will not provide proper lubrication to the pump or seals as you work the system. Drain the free water out of the tank, leave the tank open to vent moisture as you heat the oil.

What was the cause of the water contamination? Did you fix the cause ?

 

[Crashcup]

Hey Hoss, previous owner stored it outside for years. I'm guessing water was able to get in around the shift boot. (Not that he offered any info about water in the oil). I have it in a shed now.

There seem to be strong opinions about this topic, and maybe the "best" way is multiple iterations of drain and refill with hydraulic fluid. BUT... the cheapest fluid I can get is $32 for 5 gallons, and at 20 gal / change, that's over $120 each time. For a $3400 tractor, I'm willing to try the ATF/diesel/alcohol flush.

 

[Soundguy]

not a waste of alcohol...

alcohol is a polar solvent. water is polar. adding alcohol to a wet sump will disolve the water so that it can be flushed out ( drained ) in SOLOUTION not suspension, as with regular detergents.. or simply mechanical expulsion.

here's why the atf= solvent=alcohol mix works decently.

1, aft is a good light weight oil that is pretty universally compatible and won't damage anything in a hyds system. it has detergents too.. so some debris will be carried out during the flush in suspension.

2, diesel/mineral spirits / kerosene is a good mild petro solvent. it will thin the mix and makie draining easier and faster and have a better chance of getting stuff out of a sump.. including thick stable emulsified oil/water slime that may be sticking to walls of the sump. the diesel or kerosene shouldn't be a problem.. if it is, then millions of dollars in heavy equipment and tractors at my day job ( general contractor ) and my home farm, have been lieing these past decades we've been doing it.

3, when you add alcohol to water you get something new. an azeotrope. an azeotrope will actually flash off FASTER than either of it's constituants will. thus adding alcohol to a wet sump will help it dewater FASTER than just running it and waiting for it to flass off via heat alone.

look at commercialproductgs that do this. transtune seafoam. read the MSDS.

to the op. do whatever you want. not my machine.

running water in a hyd system will lead to cavitation . cavitation will lead to degredation of all the parts in the system that costs lots of money. like PUMPS.

instead of going through all the problems of draining the system and adding the mixture of atf,diesel and alcohol (real waste of good alcohol by the way LOL)draining the tank/system again then refilling with hydraulic oil (which will now be contaminated with atf/deisel/alcohol) why not just drain the tank and then add an temporary external filter system with a water absorbing filter. 10.7 in. Long 10 Micron Water Absorbing Filter Element | Princess Auto just add this to the tank port of the valve body and refill the tank with hydraulic oil and run the machine. the small amount of oil left in the system will soon be filtered out.. a lot less messy and safer for the hydraulic system Jim