I am changing out the fluids in a recently purchased 1996 Hitachi EX 120-5. While I'm in the process of looking for a service manual for this machine, I am getting conflicting information regarding the correct hydraulic oil to use; specifically whether it has to be zinc free. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Zinc free is the stuff you need. While you can run zinc, the guys at Pape told me there will be accelerated wear on the pumps.
Thanks, do you buy your hydraulic oil from Pape or elsewhere?
I found that zinc free was required for our new deere mini ex that is made by Hitachi. I had never even heard of zinc free oil until I saw the warning attached to the machine to only use "zinc free" type. So I went to the Deere dealer and they had it, price was $105.00 for a 5-gallon bucket.
Most of the major oil companies do a zinc-free hydraulic oil because there are other uses for it beyond Hitachi. Conoco EcoTerra HVI-E 46 is what we use. Much cheapness compared to Hitachi oil .............
I don't know where you're at in Oregon Logger, but I know that MNOP (Mark Nelson Oil Products) in Salem carries the Ecco Terra. The Ecco Terra was cheaper than Hitachi oil, but they only sold it in 55 gallon drums. CJ
We don't have the problem. We buy it in 6000-gallon tanker loads .....
I can only imagine the cost of that tanker load...
Mobil's equivalent is their DTE 10 Excel 46.
Noob question Hi guys. Totally noob question, but how exactly do you change the hydraulic oil in an ex120-5? Where do you drain it from? Where do you refill it? Is there a filter that needs changing? How often are you supposed to do this? Do you have to bleed the circuit for air?
Hitachi recommends if you are running OEM oil change it every 4000 hours if it is not OEM oil then every 2000 hours. There is a drain at the bottom of the tank with a tap on it. Just remove the panel and drain away. The filter must be changed every 1000 hours. It is under the top panel held there with six M10 bolts. Change the O rings when you change filter. See filter part break down here http://excavatorworld.co.nz/partbook/hitachi/ex1201/hyratank.gif After changing the oil drain the air from the pumps through the two bleed screws on the top. There may be three bleed screws too but someone can correct me on that.
Just purchased a used Deere 135C. It is the newest Deere/Hitachi excavator that we own. I was a little surprised to see the manual recommending HY-Gard for hydraulic oil as opposed to the Hitachi branded oil we run in the older machines. Is this now a zinc free product, or has that requirement gone away on the newer machines (though JBGASH says it is specified for his new Deere mini)?
Does anyone run Hitachi Diggers on good old fashioned engine oil like 10W . Depends on ambient temperature but that's what I use instead of ISO 46. 15000 dog hard hours and have yet to touch a pump on an EX 200-5. Just swing motors. Also use it in Lolvo L70,C,D loader hydraulics. Never heard of zinc free oil.
If it works for you then carry on using it, it's just not recommended. With your climate I wouldn't have thought it would be too difficult to find a year-round oil viscosity. 10W is equivalent viscosity-wise to an ISO 32. ........ I wasn't aware the 21st Century had reached Ireland yet, that's probably why. ....
Ha,ha the 21st Century started over here last week. Volvo wheel loaders used have a fairly wide type and viscosity range up until the E's came along. I had pump problems on a 70D - cradle bearings - when running on ISO 46 hydraulic oil. My oil supplier told me a lot of excavator men with piston pump machines reckoned there was better lubrication with the 10W engine oil, so I switched and had no more pump problems. I don't use 10w in the 90E or the god forsaken Volvo Ec 160 excavator.