PT 1430 Hydraulic Trouble

[Gravy]

I'd like to run a hydraulic specific fluid/oil (if I can afford it), But I haven't yet seen one with a wide enough viscosity range. Here in southwestern Virginia, summer temps are in the upper 90's or above, while snowplowing temps are usually in the teens to thirties. The synthetic 5W50 motor oils are just marginally acceptable for that range, and even they are overly thick when cold and thin when hot. I have yet to see a hydraulic fluid that seems suitable for that range.

I'm aware that "multi-viscosity" motor oils aren't really technically multi-viscosity, they just sort of act like it. However, I haven't yet seen evidence that there are readily available hydraulic oil/fluids that perform better over a wide temperature range.

Changing out 10 gallons of fluid seasonally doesn't appeal to me, especially given the "unseasonable" temperatures that seem to show up so frequently.

Do you know of a product that will handle these conditions?

Gravy

 

[MossRoad]

...

Do you know of a product that will handle these conditions?

Gears!

 

[DieselPower]

Gears!

That's just to funny.

Gravy - Do you know about what temp your hydraulic system is running on the hottest day in the summer?

 

[KentT]

Nowhere did I say one size fit's all.

Then what exactly is the intent of this statement, in a discussion of hydraulic systems?

Engine oil has one place, a engine.

Seems to me that you are categorically making a statement that oil should not be used in hydraulic drive systems -- we're not talking just hydraulic lift systems. This, despite it being pointed out quite a few times that OEMs such as Caterpillar recommend it for some applications, and that manufacturers of the components such as Parker also recommend it for their products...

I'm not trying to start a argument.

Perhaps not, but what does seem to clearly come across is that you are in here trying to "peddle your wares." I suggest that you take a clue from the tractor dealers that use these forums -- they don't go around saying that the answer to any related problem is their color of tractor...

Don't forget that hydraulic oils can be had in many more viscosity's than engine oils.

You can get anywhere from a ISO 10 (lower than SAE 0W engine oil) all the way up to a ISO 1000 (about SAE 250 gear oil) and can also get them in the multi-viscosity variety.

Perhaps, but if so why have you frequently tried to peddle your brand of UDT, which is 10W30 as I recall, to replace the 10W40 that the manufacturer puts in there... As Gravy points out above, as I have before, some of us need the higher viscosity.

BTW, are you a chemical engineer with experience in the petroleum industry -- if so, may I suggest you try basing your recommendations upon that experience rather than try to push specific products that do not meet the specifications of the manufacturer or the mechanical engineers who've designed them...

Sorry if this comes off as overly harsh, but you come in here, with no experience with the PT, and seemingly recommend your products as the solution to virtually any hydraulic-related issue.

Why don't you take your debates about oils to forum designed for that, where they seem to get their kicks arguing "Ford vs Chevy"...

Sorry for this T/J, folks, but his constant sales pitches just get tiresome...

 

[cqaigy2]

I have yet to see a hydraulic fluid that seems suitable for that range.

Changing out 10 gallons of fluid seasonally doesn't appeal to me, especially given the "unseasonable" temperatures that seem to show up so frequently.

Do you know of a product that will handle these conditions?
Gravy

Have you thought of a oil heater? Maybe one of those magnetic ones, stick it on the reservoir and put it on a thermostat. I have a line voltage thermostat that will go down to -20F up to 60F. I don't know offhand how much juice it will switch on or off but i think its enough for a oil heater.

 

[Gravy]

DieselPower,

I haven't checked the temperature. I'll try to remember to do that. Finding a practical, effective way to substantially lower the peak oil temp would be great, if I knew it would work and I could afford it. Between the space limitations, electrical system limitations, and $ limitations, it might be tricky

cqaigy2,

I already use a magnetic block heater that has an internal thermostatic switch. It helps somewhat. This year, I managed to park the PT in the garage when I expected snow. That also helped, but on a windy, subfreezing day, the hydraulics are still sluggish until I've been plowing for a while. Simply letting the machine idle outside doesn't seem to do a lot to warm the oil under those conditions.

Gravy

 

[MossRoad]

DieselPower,

I haven't checked the temperature. I'll try to remember to do that. Finding a practical, effective way to substantially lower the peak oil temp would be great, if I knew it would work and I could afford it. Between the space limitations, electrical system limitations, and $ limitations, it might be tricky

cqaigy2,

I already use a magnetic block heater that has an internal thermostatic switch. It helps somewhat. This year, I managed to park the PT in the garage when I expected snow. That also helped, but on a windy, subfreezing day, the hydraulics are still sluggish until I've been plowing for a while. Simply letting the machine idle outside doesn't seem to do a lot to warm the oil under those conditions.

Gravy

Hmmm. I fire up my PT425 and let it run at about 1/3 throttle while I hand shovel about 20 feet of sidewalk int he back and another 20 in the front and the front and back steps. By the time I get back it has usually been about 8 to 10 minutes. I run it up to full throttle, raise the FEL arms with plow all the way up and down a couple times, swing the plow side to side a couple times and off I go. This seems to work well, even down to 15 below.

 

[Gravy]

The cold weather warmup time isn't really more than an annoyance. I've just found that running with no load doesn't heat the hydraulic oil very much, so it's sluggish for a minute or two when I start working. By the time I make one pass down the driveway and partway back up the hill, it's fully up to temperature.

Gravy

 

[DieselPower]

So you don't have problems on cold day's after a warm up? If you want 0 running warm up time and still be able to run the same oil in the summer you may want to install a heater on a timer on the hydraulic sump. I thought you were having problems after in the winter after warm up.

 

[Gravy]

Once I've been working the machine for a few minutes there is no more sluggishness. Within 15 minutes of plowing, the fan will kick on. I'm just hard to satisfy - I'd really like a machine that doesn't notice the weather conditions. I'd also like to be independently wealthy and devilishly handsome...

Here in the real world, I LOVE my PT. I don't know of anything else that can do what it does, at least without spending several times the money.

Gravy