I don't mean to start up any controversy with this as I suspect that this could be a very debatable topic, but I started down a rabbit hole in a quest to find an alternative hydraulic oil for my CAT 299C. The manual calls for CAT HYDO fluid which I can't get locally. Without getting a 4-year degree in viscosity, oil properties, etc, I don't feel I can learn enough to understand the ingredients of all the oils out there. So to put it simply, are there any other good options out there that are equivalent to the CAT stuff?
An SAE10W hydraulic oil from any reputable oil company (Mobil, Shell, Conco, etc) would be my suggestion. They will all produce an oil of an equivalent specification to Cat HYDO 10W. Mobil used to produce the oil for Cat, I'm not sure if they still do. Look for any oil that passes the Eaton/Vickers 35VQ25 Vane Pump test, that is a good guideline. Beware of spec sheets that say "designed to exceed such & such standard". Instead look for "meets or exceeds the reqjuirement of such & such standard". Don't buy anything with the words "farm, universal, or tractor" in either the name of the product or of the store selling it - aka Joe Blow's Gas & Groceries..... You could even consider SAE10W TO-4 spec oils if they are on offer at a discounted price. Your machine doesn't need the TO-4 additives but neither will they do the hydraulic system any harm. We used To-4 in all our Cat Hydraulic systems to rationalize the oils we stocked on site. Cat HYDO 10W vs Mobil Hydraulic 10W as an example.
Same here. TO4 10w used in nearly everything, including skidsteers, rollers, excavators, loaders, etc...
If you're in the US, don't use anything out of a yellow or green bucket, or with the words "extreme" "heavy duty", or that's less than $40/bucket, no matter what specs it has listed on the label. Those oils are fine for original low power hydraulic systems that were designed for oil like that, but that's mostly stuff from the 50's and older.
Can I use a AW46 to add to a new machine? 330 excavator. Or is a AW32 equivalent to 10w? Or is AW type Hyd oil a totally different spec?
AW32 is closer in viscosity to SAE10W than AW46. TBH a lot depends on the quality of the oil you intend to throw in the system rather than simply looking at the viscosity. Google "ISO vs SAE viscosity" and take a look at any one of the dozens of charts that pop up.
Ok thanks