Mixing Hydraulic fluids
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:43 pm
I have borrowed a Kubota loader & backhoe ( i have a VERY good friend!!)
One of the lines to a stabilizer was leaking, but it is fixed now. I checked the Hydraulic oil reservoir and it is very low, doesn't even appear on the dipstick. The owners manual says it take 5 gallons of either:
Recommended Oils and Temperature Ranges
Do not mix oil grades or types
SAE Hydraulic
Transmission Fluid - - - - - - - All Temperatures
Type “A” or “F” ATF - - - - - - - All Temperatures
SAE 30-30W - - - - - - - - - - - 90° F and above
SAE 20-20W - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -35° - 90° F
ASAE 10-10W - - - - - - - - - - -35° F and below
I do not know what fluid is in it now, neither does the owner. My plan was to drain it and change the filter so I could fill with one type of oil. But I got to thinking and now I am concerned that I will never get ALL of the oil out of the pump, lines and cylinders. So what to do?
I do not think that the current fluid is either 30W, 20W or 10W.
Right now, I plan on removing a small amount of the current oil and mixing with a small amount of the Hydraulic oil I bought to see how they get along.
Should I be real concerned with mixing the fluids? Should I disconnect each hose and cylinder to completely drain them?
The backhoe is a Woods BH7500. I have the owners manual, but other than the above info, it doesn't say anything about completely replacing the fluid.
Thanks for any opinions !
One of the lines to a stabilizer was leaking, but it is fixed now. I checked the Hydraulic oil reservoir and it is very low, doesn't even appear on the dipstick. The owners manual says it take 5 gallons of either:
Recommended Oils and Temperature Ranges
Do not mix oil grades or types
SAE Hydraulic
Transmission Fluid - - - - - - - All Temperatures
Type “A” or “F” ATF - - - - - - - All Temperatures
SAE 30-30W - - - - - - - - - - - 90° F and above
SAE 20-20W - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -35° - 90° F
ASAE 10-10W - - - - - - - - - - -35° F and below
I do not know what fluid is in it now, neither does the owner. My plan was to drain it and change the filter so I could fill with one type of oil. But I got to thinking and now I am concerned that I will never get ALL of the oil out of the pump, lines and cylinders. So what to do?
I do not think that the current fluid is either 30W, 20W or 10W.
Right now, I plan on removing a small amount of the current oil and mixing with a small amount of the Hydraulic oil I bought to see how they get along.
Should I be real concerned with mixing the fluids? Should I disconnect each hose and cylinder to completely drain them?
The backhoe is a Woods BH7500. I have the owners manual, but other than the above info, it doesn't say anything about completely replacing the fluid.
Thanks for any opinions !