Hydraulic Oil Explained: Why It’s Different from Engine Oil and Vital for Hydraulic Systems?

Besides the correct choice and use of hydraulic oil, the performance of hydraulic fluid plays a very important role in the efficient, continuous, reliable, and economic operation of the hydraulic system.

 

In the industrial field, antiwear hydraulic fluid is designed for high-load hydraulic systems. By adding the antiwear additive, it can form a protective film on the high-pressure surface to avoid the wear and damage of precision components like pumps and engines, which is beneficial to guarantee the reliable operation and long service of heavy-load equipment.

 

However, some users consider the need to cut short-term cost or due to the insufficient understanding of the practical pressure, misunderstanding that engine oil is as useful as hydraulic, and then use the engine oil to replace hydraulic oil. This will accelerate the wear and damage when the hydraulic system is facing extreme pressure.

 

The difference between engine oil and hydraulic oil

Hydraulic oil is the medium of the hydraulic system. During energy transmission, exchanging and controlling, it also plays the role in lubrication, anti-rust, anti-corrosion, and cooling the system. The hydraulic oil can be divided into common hydraulic oil, antiwear hydraulic oil, and low pour point hydraulic oil.

Ingredients and formulations.

• The hydraulic oil is composed of base oil and lubricant additives. And the base oil accounts for about 99% oil of the hydraulic oil formulation, and the additives only take account for less than 1%. Therefore, the quality of base oil has a big influence on the hydraulic oil performance.

The normal operation of the hydraulic oil should satisfy the following performance requirements:

 

Project	Indicators					Test method
		32	46	68	100
Kinematic viscosity( 40℃ )/mm2·s-1		28.8～35.2	41.4～50.6	61.2～74.8	90.0～110	GB /T 265
Demulsibility ( 40-37－3mL) /min						GB /T 7305
54℃	No more than	30	30	30
82℃	No more than				30
Foaming tendency( Foaming Stability) /mL /mL						GB /T 12579
24℃	No more than	150 /10	150 /10	150 /10	150 /10
93.5℃	No more than	150 /10	150 /10	150 /10	150 /10
The latter 24℃	No more than	150 /10	150 /10	150 /10	150 /10
Air release value(50℃)/min	No more than	6	10	12	report	SH/T 0308

 

Antiwear Industrial Hydraulic Oil Additive Package T5016 in Chorus is an industrial additive package used for mixing anti-wear hydraulic oil. The formulation is added in anti-oxidation additive, anti-corrosion, and lubricant anti-wear additive. This is helpful to make the hydraulic oil mixed with T5016 have the excellent properties of anti-oxidation, anti-rust,t and anti-wear. And it's beneficial to prolong the product oil life span and inhibit the formation of oil sludge.

 

• The engine oil is composed of base oil and additives and is used for lubricating the engine parts, reducing wear, and protecting the engine.

The vehicle lubricant oil should have good anti-oxidation, suitable low-temperature and high temperature viscosities, a high viscosity index (the viscosity changes little with temperature ), and excellent detergent cleaning and dispersing properties.

 

One of the key characteristics of engine oil is that it can suspend the harmful substances produced by thermal degradation and oxidation.

With the detergent and dispersant, their addition amount in engine oil is the largest and can help engine oil keep the metal surface clean and keep the polluants suspended in the oil evenly.

 

As for non-vehicle lubricant oil, like hydraulic fluid, it emphasises the properties of anti-oxidation, antiwear, corrosion inhibiting, and cooling ability.

And for the common hydraulic oil, it doesn't contain the detergent and dispersant.

 

Therefore, under any circumstance, it had better not use engine oil to replace hydraulic oil.

 

Even in the extreme and urgent situation, you have no choice, it can only be used as a temporary method, and must meet the premise of the same viscosity grade. Thoroughly empty and clean the whole hydraulic system and change the correct hydraulic oil as soon as possible.

Adding the wrong oil into the precision hydraulic system, the maintenance cost of changing the pump, valve, and cylinder, and failure cost will far exceed the cost of using the correct hydraulic oil.

 

Please be sure to follow the regulations of the equipment manufacturer and select the appropriate hydraulic oil.