When to change Hyd Oil

[woodlandfarms]

So I just realized I have hit around 300 hours on my PT (on the engine and in its life with me, probably 550 hours on chasis). I have broken so many hoses that I would guess I have replaced at least half the oil in the tank.

But now the leaks are down to dribbles, and I was wondering when everyone changes their oil (assuming no contamination).

And given the nature of the oil tanks on PT, how do you guys know if the oil is contaminated? do you make a point of looking everytime you check the level with a flashlight to see if you got water in the oil or??? I have looked in the tank with a flashlight, then collected oil when replacing larger hoses and the color difference is striking.

Finally, what is the poll in here of how many people have switched 10-40 street oil to either Hydraulic or Synthetic? I can't / won't buy synth for the Hyd system, but Hyd oil itself sounds interesting.

Carl

 

[Gravy]

IIRC, Terry told me that visible contamination is the only real reason to replace the oil. Personally, I might be inclined to change it every couple thousand hours just because.

 

[Bob999]

The widest viscosity range I have found in hydraulic oils is 10W 30. Based on personal experience plus many posts here I think a wider range is desirable so I would not chose an hydraulic oil unless a wider viscosity range becomes available. (There are many posts about loss of power at higher temperatures that seem to be solved by higher viscosity hydraulic oil. On the other hand the use of a suction line filter for the hydraulic circuit makes a very low viscosity oil desirable to minimize/eliminate cavitation on cold start.)

I use a Case (brand name) additive that provides a form a zinc. Case recommends its use in their equipment using multi-viscosity motor oil in the hydraulics. I hope I am getting the best of both worlds.

 

[J_J]

The widest viscosity range I have found in hydraulic oils is 10W 30. Based on personal experience plus many posts here I think a wider range is desirable so I would not chose an hydraulic oil unless a wider viscosity range becomes available.

I use a Case (brand name) additive that provides a form a zinc. Case recommends its use in their equipment using multi-viscosity motor oil in the hydraulics. I hope I am getting the best of both worlds.

Bob,

Power-Trac recommends the 10W motor oil because it is the most common. There are probably others fluid that are better with all the additive for a hyd system. As far as I know, the motor oil used as the hydraulic fluid, has served the PT very well. There are quite a number of large construction equipment that also use 10W-40 for the hyd fluid.

I use 10W-40 motor oil in my PT-1445, and also in my Case skid-steer. I add a qt of CASE additive per 10 gal of 10W-40 motor oil in my 1845 skid -steer loader. It really depends on where in the country you operate the PT. Northern users might have to use a thinner fluid. I also do not see any reason not to use synthetic motor oil as the hyd fluid. Some of our members have already done so. It is an expensive trade off, especially if you have leaks.

 

[Gravy]

I switched to Castrol Syntec 5W50 several years ago because it was on sale really cheap. I *think* it helped cold starting slightly and I'm sure it helped a bit at high temperatures.

 

[toy]

So I just realized I have hit around 300 hours on my PT (on the engine and in its life with me, probably 550 hours on chasis). I have broken so many hoses that I would guess I have replaced at least half the oil in the tank.

But now the leaks are down to dribbles, and I was wondering when everyone changes their oil (assuming no contamination).

And given the nature of the oil tanks on PT, how do you guys know if the oil is contaminated? do you make a point of looking everytime you check the level with a flashlight to see if you got water in the oil or??? I have looked in the tank with a flashlight, then collected oil when replacing larger hoses and the color difference is striking.

Finally, what is the poll in here of how many people have switched 10-40 street oil to either Hydraulic or Synthetic? I can't / won't buy synth for the Hyd system, but Hyd oil itself sounds interesting.

Carl

I use Rottella Hydraulic oil for the hydraulics and motor oil in the engine, I can't say it does better or worse. What I will say is that I don't have any problems with my machine, and I don't have starting problems, at all. I keep mine in a garage sometimes I have heat in there and sometimes I don't but without heat so far this winter the lowest tempature I have seen in the garage is above 40 degree. I have left it outside when I have been doing other things in the garage and when I put it up of the night it fired right up. I have pt425 with Koehler engine.

 

[tthopskin@yahoo.ca]

back to you question no i only change the oil maybe when i buy a used tractor if it looks bad -milky- or black - but if you can get to the filter with out draining your oil yes i would at least do the filter this is were you can have a lot of oil starvation to the pump :thumbsupne thing every one forgets about my kubota has screens i have to clean and i had to drop all the oil to do this glad i did it was almost plugged:ashamed:i hope this is what you were looking for :thumbsup:

 

[J_J]

Carl,

As far as contamination, it might be hard to see with the eye. There are company's that will do an oil analysis, for a price of course. Maybe NAPA.