953 76Y Hydraulic Fluid options

[joshbowling45]

Hey guys, I have a Cat 953 76Y that I use mainly for land clearing. Previously I have been using Citgo Transgard HDT SAE 10w for both the hydrostat and the hydraulic system. It's TO-4 compliant for the hydrostat and I assumed it was fine for the hydraulic system too? I like carrying it because I can top off whichever I need to with just one fluid. The only problem is I can only get it Monday-Friday 30 miles from where I usually work. Also like everything it's over $100/5 gallon bucket last time I bought it a few months ago. I intend on continuing to use it for the hydrostat but after recently blowing a loader hose and probably will blow a few more given the age I've considered going to a little cheaper, more readily available fluid for the hydraulic system only. So my question is, what is everyone else using? AW32? Anyone use a 15w40 engine oil, and is that what they mean in the book when it says SAE 15w-40? I can buy it in bulk several places in town and just fill my 5 gallon buckets. I'm in SW Missouri so working in temps of 15-100 degrees Fahrenheit.

I know this has been explored several times on several different pages but I'd really like some advice on what everyone is running and the long term results. And given the fact everyone is dealing with the ridiculous oil prices I'm sure others will benefit.

 

[Nige]

I think the use of engine-classification oils being listed as an alternative for machines of that era goes back to the "one size fits all" mantra that was being pushed back in those days.
In the 40 years since then lubricants have moved onwards but the manuals were never updated.
Personally I wouldn't use engine oil in a hydraulic system. We always used 10W TO-4 because we needed both that and straight 10W hydraulic and it ensured that the straight hydraulic could not be dropped into a tank that absolutely needed 10W TO-4.
You could use straight 10W hydraulic or an ISO AW32 hydraulic oil.
Personally I wouldn't recommend using any product where the words "farm, tractor, or universal" occurs anywhere either in the name of the product or of the store that's selling it.

 

[Nige]

Also remember that a 15W-40 oil, although it will behave like a 15W at low termperatures (so not that much different to a 10w then), but it will behave like an SAE40 at operating temperature. The difference in viscosity between a 10W and a 40 is significant at those temperatures.

 

[joshbowling45]

Also remember that a 15W-40 oil, although it will behave like a 15W at low termperatures (so not that much different to a 10w then), but it will behave like an SAE40 at operating temperature. The difference in viscosity between a 10W and a 40 is significant at those temperatures.

Thanks Nige. I ended up going straight to the distributor and got a much better deal, $63 dollars a bucket for the Citgo 10w T-04. For that price I'm just going to run it in both!