A hydraulic system is reliant on its hydraulic oil or fluid; it’s the blood of your hydraulic system.
Contaminated and/or degraded hydraulic oil is a common, if not the most common, cause of hydraulic failures and damage to system components. Not changing hydraulic oil at regular intervals or as required can easily become a very costly mistake.
This article guides you through the step-by-step process of how to change hydraulic oil to help you avoid such a mistake. We’ll begin with a quick look at hydraulic oil and its functions to get a better understanding of the lifeblood of any hydraulic system.
Understanding Hydraulic Fluid
First of all, let’s clear up the difference between hydraulic oil and fluid – people tend to use the terms interchangeably – and that’s fine as long as when it comes to putting it in your system you know that there is a difference.
Hydraulic oil is, generally speaking, of higher quality than fluids which can potentially contain other liquids (it was created during wartime as a cheaper alternative) that can be problematic when introduced to your system. Always use a good quality hydraulic oil that your system manufacturer recommends.
Hydraulic oils are responsible for the transmission of power in hydraulic equipment i.e. the main function of your system. However, hydraulic oil also helps cleanse the system of contaminants, lubricates the working components and helps keep the system temperature at a safe and efficient level.
Preparing for the Hydraulic Oil Change
Before you start, it’s wise to gather everything you will need. This is to avoid the time the system is open and therefore prone to contamination. It’s also a good idea to check and double-check that you have the right hydraulic oil for your system.
You should always consult the manufacturer’s recommendations and instructions for the oil change process or speak to a professional hydraulic engineer.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Change Hydraulic Fluid
- Ensure the hydraulic cylinders are in a closed position.
- Drain the old hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic reservoir by removing the largest drain port or drain plug from the main reservoir.
- Check and open any other drain ports to complete additional draining.
- Depending on the system and whether there are breather ports that strip incoming air of contaminants and moisture you might want to pull return line filters.
- You might want to use a portable filter to assist with draining the oil.
- Dispose of the old oil or old fluid safely and in line with procedures.
- Replace with new oil.
- Filter incoming oil as you refill the system.
- Fill the reservoir as per the manufacturer’s directions or as much oil as required.
- Complete all post-change checks including oil analysis if required.
Maintenance Tips
Ensure that schedules are in place and marked on calendars of more than one person to ensure any hydraulic equipment including mobile hydraulic equipment doesn’t slip through the net of regular checks and maintenance.
Consider using a specialist repair and maintenance service such as us at MCH Hydraulics to keep your hydraulic machine or machines working at maximum efficiency and to help prevent more expensive fixes that may result from a lack of proper and regular maintenance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Putting yourself or others at risk. Be sure to wear the correct PPE and ensure both your and other’s safety.
- Using the wrong type of hydraulic fluid. Check and double-check your hydraulic oil beforehand.
- Neglecting to inspect the system and its basic elements for additional issues while you are performing the oil change.
Conclusion
Regular changing of hydraulic oil is key to keeping your machine or machines running at optimum performance and ensuring they can safely operate too.
It is imperative to consult a professional if you have any doubt about your or your worker’s abilities to perform this type of servicing and maintenance of your hydraulic equipment.