JCB HP 15 Hydraulic Fluid

[Nige]

Does anyone know if this product is synthetic or even semi-synthetic.?
All the spec info I can find says absolutely nothing. The fact that it has a zinc-based anti-wear package leads me to believe it's nothing extra-special despite JCB's claims to the cotnrary.

 

[DB2]

Does mineral provide any indication?

 

[Nige]

Colour me blind. I really should learn to focus better.....
Thanks for that.

 

[Bumpsteer]

IME, JCB pushes that stuff on customers like no other......"your machine will sieze the hydraulics in 1 minute if you don't use it"

Ed

 

[willie59]

IME, JCB pushes that stuff on customers like no other......"your machine will sieze the hydraulics in 1 minute if you don't use it"

Ed

That, and I don't know if they still do, but JCB used to be notorious for "designing" their products to use "special stuff". I recall an older loader/backhoe, don't recall the model, but you had to use their "secret recipe" hydraulic brake oil, a very low viscosity oil, like a 5W or something like that. If you used standard hydraulic oil, AW32 or higher viscosity, it would cause poor performance of the braking operation.

 

[Nige]

IME, JCB pushes that stuff on customers like no other......"your machine will sieze the hydraulics in 1 minute if you don't use it"

Ed

That was also the impression I got.
Get this though. According to a local JCB dealer, quote "recently JCB has recommended the use of ISO 32 (colder climate) or ISO 46 (warmer climate) hydraulic oil and to stay away from mineral oil because they believe it is causing damage to gaskets and seals". WTF.? Their own brand HP 15 oil is mineral oil FFS....!!! (Still can't believe I missed the word "mineral" on the spec sheet)

In my experience all manufacturers promote their own-brand oils to a certain degree, but usually always have a listing in their manuals for non-OEM fluids. JCB are the biggest "doom & gloom merchants" I've ever come across when it comes to using non-OEM fluids.

That, and I don't know if they still do, but JCB used to be notorious for "designing" their products to use "special stuff". I recall an older loader/backhoe, don't recall the model, but you had to use their "secret recipe" hydraulic brake oil, a very low viscosity oil, like a 5W or something like that. If you used standard hydraulic oil, AW32 or higher viscosity, it would cause poor performance of the braking operation.

That's exactly what I'm on about here. The JCB recommendation is actually an ISO 15 viscosity hydraulic oil, but at the lower end of the range below SAE 10 lines get well & truly blurred. In truth the SAE engine oil viscosity classification is too "coarse" and isn't really designed to go down that far, despite the fact that damping oil for motorcycle forks is often available in all sorts of weird & wonderful viscosties from SAE 2.5 to SAE 7.5.

If you look for it there are actually plenty of options for ISO 15 mineral hydraulic oil around that matches JCB's spec, although probably not at your local NAPA or anything containing "farm" or "tractor" in the name of the store.

 

[willie59]

That's exactly what I'm on about here. The JCB recommendation is actually an ISO 15 viscosity hydraulic oil, but at the lower end of the range below SAE 10 lines get well & truly blurred. In truth the SAE engine oil viscosity classification is too "coarse" and isn't really designed to go down that far, despite the fact that damping oil for motorcycle forks is often available in all sorts of weird & wonderful viscosties from SAE 2.5 to SAE 7.5.

If you look for it there are actually plenty of options for ISO 15 mineral hydraulic oil around that matches JCB's spec, although probably not at your local NAPA or anything containing "farm" or "tractor" in the name of the store.

I'm certainly no expert on this subject, but fluids have always amazed me as it seems everyone has their preferred "house blend". Like Bobcat saying to only use their Bobcat "hydrostatic fluid" while there's not a damn thing in the Bobcat machines that is unique or any different than any other hydraulic system out there. Or antifreeze, we've had this conversation before, with so many blends out there, how in the hell did we turn antifreeze into rocket surgery??? Case Hy Trans, Deere Hy Gard, Cat TDTO. I think we can assume a lot of this is to sell "house brand" fluids, but at the same time, all fluids are not, umm, blended equal, some are in fact better than others. Question then becomes which ones? And the debate goes on.

 

[Nige]

I would agree with all the above with the exception of Cat TDTO. TO-4 is an equivalent commerical spec that I'm fairly sure all oil companies manufacture and a reference to it is included in most if not all Cat O&M Manuals. Cat TDTO is always the first recommendation on the list, but it's certainly not the only one.

Also Cat appear to be ahead of the field when it comes to using oil specifications in their manuals as opposed to specific brands of oil. Hitachi used to pi$$ me off in that respect. If a specfic oil brand wasn't mentioned in their manual listings it meant that "they hadn't tested it and therefore couldn't sanction its use", despite the fact that the spec sheet for the fluid in question might be identical to a product from another oil company that was on their "recommended" list.

 

[willie59]

I totally agree with you Nige. I understand advances in technology, including fluids, and welcome that, but at the same time I sure miss the days when you didn't have to have a college degree in chemistry to determine what fluid to pour in your machine.