I have an excavator in the shop with 7000 hrs on it and it has quite a bit of varnish (and some sludge) coating many of the internal components of the hydraulic system which I believe are contributing to the intermittent hydraulic problems the customer is complaining about. It does not appear to ever of had the hydraulic oil changed. I have a sample sent but the results are not back yet. Customer does not want to spend the money to tear components apart. My question is has anyone had any experience with the commercially available additives for removing varnish?
I'm a little perplexed about the term varnish. Is this stuff stuck on internal parts and make them sticky or something. Does it clean off with solvents? In my experience sludge in a hydraulic system is usually related to water or some chemical, that isn't hydraulic oil, being added to the tank. I have never heard of any kind of cleaning agent for a running hydraulic system. Hydraulic oil is a fairly effective cleaner by itself.
That's a good reply John C---what I'm wondering was the wrong fluid added to it sometime back that wasn't compatible/wrong hydraulic oil?
Apparently Seafoam (Hydra) Trans Tune is supposed to remove varnish and manage moisture in hydraulic systems. Lubrizol 6776 is also supposed to remove varnish but not sure where you can buy it. There are also systems for removing varnish from the oil. https://seafoamsales.com/product/trans-tune-transmission-hydraulic-power-steering-fluid-treatment/ https://www.hydraulicspneumatics.co.../Article/False/76361/TechZone-HydraulicFluids
Ugh.....sounds like a job that will never end. Contaminants and the customer doesn’t want to spend much.......RUN MG!!!
We had the customer come in yesterday to look at his machine and we told him that we would filter caddy the oil to get the suspended particles out of the oil but we would not use any chemical cleaners because we cannot be responsible for anything that could negatively impact the machine do to those cleaners. Another reason is because the manufacturer does not sell or endorse any such products which would leave the entire responsibility to us. So we told him if he wants to try that route he would have to take his machine and have his mechanics take care of it. So in the end that is what he is doing. Yes that is exactly what is happening. I attached a little reading for you from Lubrizol.
1 of my least favorite customers>> "I NEED my machine fixed but I don't have any/a lot of money.." "when do u think I can get it back?"
Reminds me of a product called Bardahl that was sold as a fix in a can for years and years. "For a dollar ninety five your car can run like new again." All this "simple" fix stuff depends on the placebo effect. I spent the money on the stuff so I perceive that it works. It doesn't matter who's name is on the can. The game is always the same. It appeals to those who can't afford to fix something, are easily influenced by ad materials or are too smart for their own good. Hey, what can I loose by trying it? The thought that occurred to me when I read the first post was someone tried stop leak for transmissions in their hydraulic oil.
It's funny that you mention that stuff. A few years back I bought a Ford F250 with the V10 engine, after about 500 miles I thought I had got rooked, thing burned oil like crazy and the gas mileage was worse than any other V10 I had owned. The oil looked like tar so I started changing oil at 1,000 mile intervals using good old Valvoline 5W-30. The last oil change went 4,000 miles and I used 1 quart. I have pulled a heavy trailer up Ryegrass twice and that may have helped reseat the rings, I don't know. But my gas mileage has gone up 1.5 MPG too. This is a 200,000 mile engine and I'm kind of amazed by the change.
Well they found enough suckers to keep this boat afloat.
I remember the days of piston powered boats... when the turbines came along, I lost interest.
The only race I ever saw was 1968 at the Atomic Cup in the Tri Cities, Eagle Electric boat won with Smirnoff in second.