• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Royal Purple

Palmer78

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
133
Location
Valley Springs, CA
I went out to change the gear oil for the drive motor on my new to me mini excavator, and purple oil came out which looked good and clean. I am guessing it's royal purple, or could it be something else? Seeing this oil made me want to put royal purple back in. My excavator requires a 90W gear oil (GL-4, GL-5) but royal purple only has 75W90 which meets the GL-4, GL-5 spec. Would this be OK to put back in the drive motor? It seems very difficult to find straight 90W oil.
 

Steve Frazier

Founder
Staff member
Joined
Oct 30, 2003
Messages
6,605
Location
LaGrangeville, N.Y.
It's not necessarily Royal Purple oil. Manufacturers often dye the oil they install to make locating leaks and determining their source easier.
 

Cmark

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
3,178
Location
Australia
Mobil fully synthetic gear oil (SHC***) is kinda clear with a purple tint.....
 

Johnsoils

Site Sponsor
Joined
Jul 28, 2008
Messages
72
Location
Iowa
Palmer78,

75W-90 will be fine, and will give you better low temperature performance over a straight 90W. Straight weights are getting harder to find as multi-viscosity oils are here to stay as they provide many benefits and perform as well or better than straight weight oils. At operating temperature both 75W-90 and 90W are the same viscosity.

John
 
Top