Hydraulic oil for models - what's in it?

[Lil Giants]

Yep, I use ATF as a cheap fuel lubricant in my pre 2000 diesel engines... the electric fuel shut off in the injection pump was sticking closed in my '95 CH 427hp, couldn't get it to start without tapping the back of pump with something metal. Dealership said to use ATF & I was adding 2L every 450L fill, by the third fill it cured the problem. The manual fuel shut off in my '83 350 Cat in the Panther almost seized up a couple yrs ago. The sulphur content is almost non exsistent in today's diesel fuel - emissions, fuel is really dry!

[JAMMER]

Joe here is another little bit of info if you have water problems in the winter put some alcohol in the fuel and it will take care of the problem all except for the Mack they use to have a little scraper filter and that is were the alcohol would stay and it would not burn it I use to use the alcohol if I started to freeze up and then at night empty the file. A Cummins and a cat love alcohol. Dry gas works but alcohol works better Ed

[fhhhstix]

You are correct Joe heavier wt oils are meant to be used in warmer climates and I do understand how oils work the wt used is based off the temperature range and once a heavier oil heats up it does become thinner and most oils have anti foaming agents in them and for most of the U.S. 10wt is fine for the majority of the equipment. Yes lighter oils heat up faster but they also cool off quicker if I am wrong explain to me how denser materials cool faster than less dense materials.

The models guys are building don't have proper cooling for the systems Freddy added a cooling fan and heat sink to his equipment. If you have proper cooling alowing you to run lighter oil your system will have less stress and last a lot longer and your battery life will be extended as well.

Here is a CAT fluid recommendation chart.


Travis