Used compressor oil for Hydraulics ?

[Garrie Denny]

Hi guys, I would appreciate your opions on the possible use of used compressor oil for my hydraulic oil in my old Fiat 70ci dozer. it has come from a large Gas compressor and looks just like the stuff i pay $140 for a 20 litre can now , difference is this is free, I was thinking of running it through a panty-hose strainer for any possible contaminents, what you oil experts think? thanks for any and all advice, I would appreciate your input Nige, Garrie Denny Gin-Gin, Qld Aus.

 

[powerjoke]

Wait......what?

 

[robin yates uk]

:beatsme:shf.......not a good idea unless you get the old oil checked by an expert

 

[Garrie Denny]

Is that your total input to this thread ? If so thanks but no thanks powerjoke.

 

[mitch504]

I would try to find out the specs from the people that sold the oil originally. Hydraulic oil usually has anti-wear additives (that's what the AW means in AW32 or AW68), but this stuff might also.

If this was a a new machine I was running 50 hours a week, there's no way I would consider it, but, if an old machine doing farm duty and marking it's territory everywhere it goes, maybe. Most of the older machines run much lower pressures and looser tolerances than new stuff. I've seen people run them on most any petroleum product, I just shake my head and think, "not my machine, but, if you want to...".

I would absolutely run it through something a heck of a lot finer than pantyhose though. You know this oil has very fine bits of metal from the wear on this compressor in it, that's what it's for. I know a man who runs used oils through a primary and secondary fuel filter off a truck with a hand pump before adding it to his old equipment's hydraulic systems. Again, I wouldn't do it, but it works for him.

Good luck

 

[powerjoke]

First of all if your machine leaks so much that you cannot afford new oil why don't you fix the damn machine! Also if your operating budget is so slim that you cannot afford new hydraulic oil you need to consider working as a door greeter for wal-mart!

 

[excavator]

Hey powerjoke, this forum is here for everyone to ask ANY question about heavy equipment. You may think this is a stupid question, if so, keep it to yourself. Please continue to be civil with other contributors, this forum is very well run and to valuable to have people ruin it with these kind off comments. With the price of hydraulic oil, if I had an older crawler and had access to compressor oil for free I would sure look into all the possibilities.

 

[d4c24a]

mate used to put used strained chipshop oil in an old jcb 6d , needed to the rate it leaked out
its life was ending so he was not worried ran like that for a fair while until it was weighed in

 

[Garrie Denny]

Thanks for the neighbourly advice powerjoke, im getting some time off work over christmas break and have a look at the control box o-rings, and let me know if wal mart pay more than 120 thou a year, illl be right over.

 

[blitz138]

What kind of compressor oil? Most OEM spec compressor oils are PAO which should have a life of 5000-10,000 hours if its decent oil and kept clean. How many hours does the oil have on it? You can use some compressor oils in hydraulics not the other way around though. Compressor oils and hydraulic oils have alot of the same ad packs in them, demulsifiers, antiwear, antifoam, rust and oxidation inhibitors. They will be close to the same viscosity a 32 or 46 more than likely. I would definitely filter it with more than a panty hose though......at least down to 2 microns.

With all that said hydraulic oil is cheap, buy new. I wouldn't be afraid to use used compressor oil in a pinch but thats about it.

 

[Garrie Denny]

The oil is leaking from the gas compressor into the gas line and drained weekly after passing through a 3 micron filter, very short hourly time wise. thanks for your replyblitz138 ad the other helpful replies, Garrie.

 

[Nige]

Garrie, I'm with Mitch & Blitz. You need to find out details of the oil that is being used (make & type if you can) then we will be able to find a specification to compare with to see what commonality if any there is between it and the required hydraulic system oil for your machine. Hydraulic & compressor oils often share a lot of common properties so you may just get lucky, although TBH your old Fiat-Allis will probably be able to use just about anything so long as the viscosity is close and it has some half-way decent lubricating properties.

Note to other posters: Let's not lose sight of the age of the machine that the OP is asking about. It dates back to a simpler age.

 

[FSERVICE]

The oil is leaking from the gas compressor into the gas line and drained weekly after passing through a 3 micron filter, very short hourly time wise. thanks for your replyblitz138 ad the other helpful replies, Garrie.

Garrie i have a question, why are they not reuseing the oil themselves? if its getting drained from the line onsite?

 

[blitz138]

Gas compressor oil is different then air compressor oil. Is it the compressor oil or the engine oil? The compressor oil most natural gas companies use is the cheapest they can get away with because as you said a lot of it goes down line.

Like Nige said that old Fiat is not near as finicky as modern equipment, should be fine I would think....

 

[Garrie Denny]

blitz: the oil is compressor oil,not sump oil from the compressor bowls, this mob dont skimp on anything with that sorto of thing, thelly do a scheduled shut down when the numbers dont crunch any more. Garrie

 

[Garrie Denny]

Hi FSERVICE: Who knows how management think anywhere ? I second guessing that the oil is drained from pipework which is not wanted in theoutlet line which would circulate withe domestic supply mains.

 

[gusbratz]

Wait a minute here? Are you saying this is compressor oil that has leaked into the discharge header and you are getting it when you blow the drip and or drain the discharge bottle? I am assuming this is off a separable not an in integral compressor? If that is the case I would be worried you may have drip gas and fluids that have coalesced out of the line gas into it thinning it out. One thing I would sure as heck do is put it into my fuel tank!!! That would be a great spot for It.:cool2 what kind of compressors you running over there?

 

[Garrie Denny]

Hi gustbratz, sorry for the delayed response what with Christmas and fishing etc, this oil is from the downstream line after passing through the compressor thats where its getting into the main line, problem being there are about six compressors that are boosting the line and which one is leaking is an unknown, as for brand of compressors is unknown by me, im having an oil sample done to determine wheather its ok to use. thanks for your response,have a good 2013.