Hydraulic alternative - Diesel Forum

DZLJNKY · 03-29-2006, 12:55 PM

Blue Mule made a comment in another thread that Hydraulic oil can be used if so. How would I go about preping the oil for use as an alternative fuel. And what percentage of mix would be considered acceptable. I have access to alot of clean hydraulic fluid that has been filtered to 10 micron and if this is possible would be willing to purchase the necessary equipment to filter the oil further.

Spencnaz · 03-29-2006, 01:15 PM

I wouldn't recommend it. My question to you is this, is hydraulic oil meant to be burnt?

There are different minerals and other pressure additives in hydraulic oil that over time possibly really screw with injectors and what not.

Now if you were to mix a bit with say #2, I dont see a problem with that, but running straight hydraulic oil would make a smokey mess and further get public opinion against diesels, even though they are much more efficient on fuel.

rmyers2051 · 03-29-2006, 03:02 PM

I also have a near unlimited supply of clean hydraulic oil, I have been burning it in my used oil heater to heat my business. It actually uses less oil and burns with a cleaner smell than engine oils.
As summer approaches and my supply tanks are getting near full again I must find a way to use some of this. If I stop taking the oil as they call, then they will start giving it to the local oil collection peopl again.

DZLJNKY · 03-29-2006, 03:13 PM

Spencnaz i wasn'nt planning on going 100% all I am looking for is a little relief from the high fuel prices. I was hoping to find someone who may have been doing this and has found a good hyd. to diesel ratio.

Spencnaz · 03-29-2006, 06:36 PM

I think finding that ratio is going to be the key for your situation.

I know that there probably is lots of information using google on what ratio to burn the hydraulic oil with.

Personally, I would be extra careful in making sure that all the small particles are filtered out down to 5 microns as there are very fine abrasives that can be suspended in hydraulic oil.

OMCUSNR · 03-30-2006, 11:15 AM

I CERTAINLY would NOT use any oil mixed with #2 or biodiesel in a newer ('99 & up) diesel. The design of the newer highpressure injectors is not meant for that type of fuel "additive".

Spencnaz · 03-30-2006, 11:19 AM

I second that. One of the reasons I went with a 6.9 is the fact that the IDI system is very very tolerant of fuels, I joke that I could probably run boiled horse pee through it and it would still run.

ACD2 · 03-30-2006, 11:39 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I second that. One of the reasons I went with a 6.9 is the fact that the IDI system is very very tolerant of fuels, I joke that I could probably run boiled horse pee through it and it would still run.

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont know about boiled, but I think I can provide you some fresh, well at least it was when it left my horses! LOL

I was actually wondering this one myself as I have to drain and refill my Bota transmission and wondered if I couldburn the used oil in my truck. I have a 99, so that question was answered up above, but the tractor could probably run it.

BlueMule · 04-02-2006, 01:28 AM

DZLJNKY
I've been driving diesels for a living since 74 and have learned many of the truckers bad habits. Many of which have to do with "non fuels" I always carried cans of ATF to refill fuel filters so I didnt have to prime the pump. Added gasoline to the fuel in the winter time to lower the at which the fuel would gel. One company I drove for had a fleet of about 1000 OTR trucks and one central maintenance shop, whey they did oil changes it all went into their underground fuel tank and when you fuel there you got black fuel. Another national leasing company (Ryder) pumped the oil from the pan, through a filter and right back into the saddle tanks. Im now on my 7th diesel 3 OTR trucks and 4 Pickups and they all got treated the same way. Now for the past 12 yrs I've been in a mixer so depending on what company I worked for and who I knew in the shop Ive had a pretty good supply of hydraulic fluid or motor oil. I never had any specific ratio I would use, just whatever I was given, and a lot of that was just filtered through an oil filter. I have a friend who used to work for the electric co here and he brought me two 55 gallon drums of transformer and I used a lot of that straight. Oil changes and ATF changes always went thru a filter and then into the tank. Ive been running on WVO for the past year and a half now so I dont look for others now but if something is offered I will burn it. A few months back I blew a hydraulic booster ram on the work truck and the mechanic had almost 20 gallons of hydraulic that was gonna go in the waste oil tank. I brought it home and mixed it with 60 gallons of wvo and settled and filtered it just like I would with veggie. Just over a year ago I pulled the injectors and replaced them with some stage I from Bean. There was a slight carbon buildup on the nozzles and nothing wrong with them internally. If all these non fuels are bad for injectors it sure was not obvious on mine.

DZLJNKY · 04-05-2006, 09:25 AM

Thanks for the long and detailed reply BlueMule that is exactly what I was looking for. It so happens that I have recently recieved more of my hydraulic motors in for rebuild that have new oil in them. Looks like I am going to give this a shot and see what happens.