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Cat Hydraulic Fluid Alternative

Strum

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I need to get some hydraulic fluid for my 906m. What are you guys using?
 

Strum

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Location
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SAE 10w is also what I found on the net. My local Cat dealer told me that the factory fill on that machine was 30w.
 

Nige

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G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
SAE 10w is also what I found on the net. My local Cat dealer told me that the factory fill on that machine was 30w.
SAE30 may well be factory-fill but for your location I would still go for SAE 10W in view of its improved low-temperature capability in winter temperatures. See below which is an extract taken from the O&M Manual.

1679360912482.png
 

Strum

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Thanks for looking that up for me, Nige. I've been looking at a lot of different options. I thought I read somewhere that the HYDO Advanced is actually a multi-viscosity synthetic.

I am waiting for a quote on Delo Torque Force. It meets the TO-4 spec, is a synthetic, and I'm expecting it to be less than the $109 per 5 gal that I was quoted at Cat. That was TDTO, which I believe is a conventional oil.
 

Nige

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G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
I've been looking at a lot of different options. I thought I read somewhere that the HYDO Advanced is actually a multi-viscosity synthetic.
No, it's a high-spec mineral mongrade. HYDO is the regular offering.
ihttps://s7d2.scene7.com/is/content/Caterpillar/CM20150813-35930-61404
If you are talking multi-viscosity (aka mulitgrade) then the only option would be TDTO-TMS which is a multi-viscosity synthetic powertrain oil that as a commercial oil would be a TO-4.

It meets the TO-4 spec, is a synthetic, and I'm expecting it to be less than the $109 per 5 gal that I was quoted at Cat. That was TDTO, which I believe is a conventional oil.
Straight viscosity TDTO is also a mineral mongorade. Commerical oils of the same specification are designated as "meeting Cat TO-4 spec". TBH I would not even consider using a synthetic. Mobiltrans HD10W (what we used to use) would meet the specifiction well enough. Conoco PowerDrive 10W or Shell Spirax S4 CX 10W would also be acceptable.

Note: We used TO-4 in hydraulic systems for the simple reason that we had some machines that required TO-4 and others that didn't. In an attempt to avoid any errors by having two 10W oils and to eliminate the possibility of filling straight HYDO oil in a system that required TO-4 we used TO-4 in everything.
 

Strum

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Mar 15, 2023
Messages
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Location
PA
No, it's a high-spec mineral mongrade. HYDO is the regular offering.
ihttps://s7d2.scene7.com/is/content/Caterpillar/CM20150813-35930-61404
If you are talking multi-viscosity (aka mulitgrade) then the only option would be TDTO-TMS which is a multi-viscosity synthetic powertrain oil that as a commercial oil would be a TO-4.


Straight viscosity TDTO is also a mineral mongorade. Commerical oils of the same specification are designated as "meeting Cat TO-4 spec". TBH I would not even consider using a synthetic. Mobiltrans HD10W (what we used to use) would meet the specifiction well enough. Conoco PowerDrive 10W or Shell Spirax S4 CX 10W would also be acceptable.

Note: We used TO-4 in hydraulic systems for the simple reason that we had some machines that required TO-4 and others that didn't. In an attempt to avoid any errors by having two 10W oils and to eliminate the possibility of filling straight HYDO oil in a system that required TO-4 we used TO-4 in everything.
 

Strum

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PA
Pardon my ignorance, but is there a disadvantage to synthetic for this application, other than price?
 

Nige

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G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
Pardon my ignorance, but is there a disadvantage to synthetic for this application, other than price?
Other than you're wasting your money because the oil will be due for change based on hours/time operated (whichever comes first) loooooooooong before it becomes degraded by age, exposure to contamination, water, etc.
Recommended oil change interval is 2000 hours or 1 year, whichever comes first.

Comment below from 908M O&M Manual ref using Cat HYDO Advanced in place of Cat HYDO.

"Cat HYDO Advanced 10 has an SAE viscosity grade of 10W. Cat HYDO Advanced 10 has a 50% increase in the standard oil drain interval for machine hydraulic systems over second and third choice oils when you follow the maintenance interval schedule for oil filter changes and for oil sampling that is stated in the Operation and Maintenance Manual. Extended oil drain intervals are possible when using S·O·S Services oil analysis."
Note carefully the comment regarding the fact that extended oil drain intervals are only sanctioned if an oil sampling program is put in place at the intervals stated in the O&M. Most owners miss that caveat completely.
 
Last edited:

Strum

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Ok, I'm following...

2000 hours would probably be more than 10 years for my usage. Is the 1 year interval mainly due to the potential for condensation accumulation over that time period?
 

Nige

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G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
Ok, I'm following...

2000 hours would probably be more than 10 years for my usage. Is the 1 year interval mainly due to the potential for condensation accumulation over that time period?
Most likely. Also due to lubricant deterioration through the machine NOT being used. Oils do not maintain their quality ad infinitum when they lie in a machine system that is not working.

Now when the O&M recommends 2000 hours/1 Year for a machine operating low annual hours you could probably stretch the 1 Year to 2 Years or maybe more, especially if you did an annual oil sample that would pick up oil deterioration, water, etc. You could NOT however stretch the oil changes to 10 years though.........
 

Strum

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Joined
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Messages
24
Location
PA
Ok, I'm following...

2000 hours would probably be more than 10 years for my usage. Is the 1 year interval mainly due to the potential for condensation accumulation over that time period?
 
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