Hydraulic Oil

[jthornton]

I'm about to fire up my splitter and at the local farm supply store they have 303 Tractor Hydraulic and transmission fluild for $40 a pail and AW 46 for $65 a pail. Can I use the 303?

JT

 

[lindnova]

I would use whatever the manual says. Is this a new splitter? If it is older I would not mix different fluids - might be best to swap out all of it.

My Huskee(speeco) says to use AW 46 normally or ATF if using in cold weather. I use the AW 46 as it sits in a heated garage in winter. Not a ton of difference between ATF and Tractor Hyd Fluid. I think the AW fluids have better wear protection, but on a log splitter it might not matter. Some use AW32 which is less viscous grade than AW 46.

My brother has the same one and it always has used tractor hyd fluid and is fine after a lot of use. Most important is that it is not mixed, is clean without water or contaminants and you 'feel' good with what you use. If you are going to worry about the cheaper oil being ok is that worth $25. That seems like a lot of difference. I think my Fleet Farm the difference is more like $10. The actual fluid used probably doesn't make much difference in a log splitter, but the AW fluids will protect better.

 

[ray benson]

The 303 Tractor fluid is an ISO68.
http://www.hollonoil.com/PDF/Getting to know Hydraulic Fluids.pdf

 

[jthornton]

I built the splitter so I have not written the manual yet

JT

 

[jthornton]

The total volume for my hydraulic system is 12 gallons with the cylinder extended. and 11.7 with it retracted. So with the cylinder retracted the system holds 1.45 gallons in the hoses and cylinder and filter. The tank is approximately 10 gallons. What level should I shoot for in the tank with the cylinder retracted? 75% full would be 8 3/4 gallons.

Thanks
JT

 

[ttyR2]

The manual with my DHT 28 ton splitter recommends AW32 for general use unless it's very hot out.

 

[jthornton]

I didn't see AW32 only AW47 and AW64 at my local farm supply... being in the middle of America I think I'll use what I bought today the AW47.

JT

 

[Jakers]

dont buy that cheap 303 oil. it is true bottom of the barrel oil. barely clean enough to dump straight into a waste oil burner. if you value your hydraulics at all use something better. even the store brand AW32, 46, 68, or 100 will be a better oil. for your purposes an AW46 will work fine. it is comparable to a 15 weight oil

 

[Jakers]

 

[jthornton]

dont buy that cheap 303 oil. it is true bottom of the barrel oil. barely clean enough to dump straight into a waste oil burner. if you value your hydraulics at all use something better. even the store brand AW32, 46, 68, or 100 will be a better oil. for your purposes an AW46 will work fine. it is comparable to a 15 weight oil

After reading about 303 I don't even want to put it in my old equipment much less my brand new splitter.

Anyone have a general idea of how high a hydraulic tank is normally filled to? Or how much air space is needed?

Thanks
JT

 

[Jakers]

i would start with 8 and go from there. its gonna get a little foamy at first with all the air in the system. let the foam settle and then fill it back up to about the 3/4 mark or 75-80% full. that should allow enough room for expansion from heat.

this is a 15 gallon tank from surplus center. it is advertised as 15 gallons capacity but it is only recommended to be filled with 11 gallons. math has that come out to 73.333333333333...% full. seems to be about the standard 75-80%

 

[jthornton]

Jakers, thanks for the info.

JT

 

[John R]

I use AW 46 in my Huskee, use it all year around.
If it's real cold just let it warm up a few minutes.

 

[jimbojango]

You guys can bash oil all you want, but i have machines with 15000 hours and 303 and cheap farm store hytran oil in them without any tranny work. I've rebuilt a couple engines at 10 or 12k hours and all but 1 ran rotela..... the other 1 ran the cheapest 15-40 diesel oil i could get because it was slobbering and i was to cheap to work on it for about 3000 hours before i had it rebuilt. Oil that is all the same "grade" is the same crap with different additives.

THAT BEING SAID! once you start using a brand of oil stick with it til you rebuild it. Every brand's additives cut just a little bit different pattern in the bearings so you do more harm changing than running a "lesser" oil. That's why "high mileage oil" is bogus crap. Service/maintenance goes a lot further than premium oil. Don't buy cheap filters either.

Anyone want to start an ether thread? i'll bet i've squirted more johnson's ether into engines in the last 15 years than everyone i know combined and haven't replaced any heads or had premature engine wear.

 

[Jakers]

Is that you whitespider? Did you get banned and change your name? Gotta love opinionated people. They all come across the same. No offense ment to either person by the way.

 

[wndwlkr]

opcorn:

 

[jimbojango]

Is that you whitespider? Did you get banned and change your name? Gotta love opinionated people. They all come across the same. No offense ment to either person by the way.

Lol mostly the truth in the opinion section. Doing more with less is a lifestyle.

 

[jimbojango]

dont buy that cheap 303 oil. it is true bottom of the barrel oil. barely clean enough to dump straight into a waste oil burner. if you value your hydraulics at all use something better. even the store brand AW32, 46, 68, or 100 will be a better oil. for your purposes an AW46 will work fine. it is comparable to a 15 weight oil

just wanting some clarification. whats wrong w/ JD 303? i'd be interested to read some of the nasty stories. I'd bet neglect and poor maintenance caused more problems than the oil itself. Its like blaming a tire for not going near its expected life even though you've never checked the air pressure lol.

 

[hedge hog]

any new hydraulic oil of any weight will work in a 2 stage wood splitter pump, with filters.
tear a pump apart there's nothing to them, all metal to metal contact and most have no bearings.
seen them wear out with high dollar oil in less than 6 months and seen wear out in 10 years with no filters and any thing pour in them to get it back to running.
seen a guy pour several gallons of 15/40 motor oil in after a line broke just so he could get it back to going.
I say crazy too , but seen it , I wouldn't do it to my splitter.
but a gear drive pump is bullet proof and if they go down it's time was up , there mass produced , cheap , easy to work on.

jimbo I think I can hang with you on a ether thread

 

[jimbojango]

I miss the old school pure stuff. Made tires bead like no other. Starting fluid is alright but intake cleaner works just as good. Johnsons with the yellow lid is the only real ether mix left over 50% I can find