Any suggestions on a decent hydraulic oil that is clear? I have some machines that I have bought used and they all have clear hydraulic oil. Not sure about regional variances in availability, but these machines are in California.....am thinking Chevron? Need to do some top off. One machine, a Terex square shooter has the clear oil in the transmission/combination shuttle; I looked up the mfg spec and it sent me to an oil that has an odor like a rear axle in a truck so I am assuming the trans oil is incorrect and I plan on changing it. The other machines are hydraulic (no trans) applications, for example shooting boom JLG 40g, an upright platform lift, older dynapac compactor - they all have the clear style fluid. Not real sure about going to supply house / parts store and getting tractor hydraulic fluid although this may be what is usual and typical. Thanks.
Any typical hydaulic 32 or 46 I've seen has been clear, all the non trans machines you've listed would use a normal hyd 46 oil I would think.
Fuchs Renolin hyd oil is clear. The most important thing you need to do is get a test done to check if it is zinc based or not. If you mix zinc based oil with non zinc it can be catastrophic for your components.
Chevrons AW 46 is clear.
Thanks for pointing out about the zinc. I did some reading elsewhere on HEF and learned even more reasons to pay attention to this. Such As $$$$. * As best I can tell, my 1998 Terex square shooter hydraulic is supposed to have Chevron Rykon (this is based upon the manual when it became Genie), this oil is now sold as Rando....and it has zinc in it. With this information, I will pull a sample and send it to the lab and ask for their opinion of what is in there. As to the transmission for this machine, it very well may have a AW hydraulic fluid as opposed to tractor hydraulic fluid...so it is also getting sampled to see what is going on and will be changed to a suitable fluid that has additives for gears and brakes etc. * For the other machines, I am thinking AW46.