Advice on Biodegradable Hyd Fluid.

Hi

I'm looking for some advice regarding the possible purchase of a used 2012 Komatsu PC210-8. The machine is one of a pair in the local Heavy Equipment auction, it has come from a large pipeline contractor in our area and is in very good condition with full service history by the UK Komatsu dealer.
But yesterday as I was inspecting the machine I noticed it has been run on Biodegradable Hydraulic oil, the machine has 4800 hrs on the clock will this have caused any damage to the hydraulic system in this time?

Thanks Steve

satkinson said:

Hi

I'm looking for some advice regarding the possible purchase of a used 2012 Komatsu PC210-8. The machine is one of a pair in the local Heavy Equipment auction, it has come from a large pipeline contractor in our area and is in very good condition with full service history by the UK Komatsu dealer.
But yesterday as I was inspecting the machine I noticed it has been run on Biodegradable Hydraulic oil, the machine has 4800 hrs on the clock will this have caused any damage to the hydraulic system in this time?

Thanks Steve

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If they have the full history there should be a long trail of oil samples, as long as they're all relatively clean it should be fine.

As lantraxco said so long as there is a maintenance (oil sample) history you should be fine. I would guess that the machine has been on biodegradable oil because it's been on pipeline work where a mineral oil spill would cause the tree huggers to have conniptions. You could probably investigate the possibility of changing to a straight mineral oil if your operation doesn't require a biodegradable oil.

IME, modern biodegradable fluids don't do damage and work quite well as long as the maintenance schedule has been followed. And no one stupidly added mineral oil to the system. Either by "mistake" or installing a hydraulic attachment that had mineral oil in it. Then....things get interesting. Or ugly.....

As far as the advice of converting to mineral oil, this can be an expensive conversion. Mineral oil and biodegradables simply do not play well together. Depending on the type of fluid used, you must get the system to less than 3% of the original fluid to make the conversion successful. IME, there is simply no short cuts and no easy way to do this conversion.

Same applies in converting from mineral to biodegradable or fire resistant fluid.

Just make sure you approach these fluids and conversions with your eyes wide open. Always.

That said, a properly maintained machine with biodegradable or fire resistant fluid wouldn't scare me at all. The modern fluids actually work good.

What is your concern? A lot of people are moving over to bio oil for environmental reasons. My gear now runs of Fuchs bio oil with no problems. Depends where you work, but a lot of places have got paranoid about oil spills and eventually you will have a hose go. These things happen.
If you do buy it you need to try and find out what oil they used as I've heard some bio oils don't mix.
Graham

Graham1 said:

If you do buy it you need to try and find out what oil they used as I've heard some bio oils don't mix. Graham

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^^^^^^^^^ Truth!

In addition to not playing well with mineral oils, most biodegradables and fire resistant fluids don't play well with other brands of fluids. Again, there is no margin for error. Pick a fluid and absolutely, positively do not deviate. Ever!

BTDT! Not from doing it wrong myself, but getting to babysit cleaning up other people's messes. Doing it wrong can result in a very expensive strip and complete flush of the hydraulic system. Really awesome to look into a hydraulic reservoir and see the bottom covered in several inches of tar like sludge.......oops!

And I am still in favor of using biodegradables and Fire resistant fluids. They do work and work well. But, they do require caution and care on the part of the owner and user's.

Graham1 said:

What is your concern? A lot of people are moving over to bio oil for environmental reasons. My gear now runs of Fuchs bio oil with no problems. Depends where you work, but a lot of places have got paranoid about oil spills and eventually you will have a hose go. These things happen.
If you do buy it you need to try and find out what oil they used as I've heard some bio oils don't mix.
Graham

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What he said...


I use Panolin only, Menzi-Muck doubles the warranty if you use Panolin. Now would I use it if I didn't do what I do, possibly not. For me it is a super cheap insurance policy