Used hydraulic fluid into diesel tank.

fast*st

Member

Equipment
M7040, L2900, F550 ford, Yanmar vio70 excavator, Case 580, JD 350 dozer, JD 644E
Jun 26, 2012
172
4
18
Northern Mass
Not sure if its ever been covered, but with super udt2 at $35-40 a gallon and diesel at almost $4 a gallon but it seems viable to recoup $4 and mix the used hydraulic fluid in with the diesel. 15 gallon of hyd oil in 250 diesel doesn't seem to have any negative effects on running either the dump truck or the tractor, there's plenty of rust in the commercial distribution system as evidenced by looking over the fuel filters every change so the miniscule metals not pulled out by the trans magnet should hang in the filter.

Neither system is catalyst based, seems to be a mighty fine option!

I'd not want to do the same with engine oil as its got too much junk/acids in it but the trans oil was crystal clear still and smelled like new, just reached its service interval.
 

efharg

New member

Equipment
B7510 , G4200
Jul 2, 2013
13
0
0
Paradise, Texas
Since a diesel engine will burn nearly any type of fuel oil as long as it is clean, (Jet A, kerosene, cooking oil, etc.) It would probably be ok. I know a guy who has been running straight used automatic trans fluid in his Ford powerstroke for about 10 years with no ill effects.
 

hodge

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
John Deere 790 John Deere 310 backhoe Bobcat 743
Nov 19, 2010
2,849
367
83
Love, VA
Not me.......
Me, either. I agree that an older, simpler diesel isn't typically affected by different fuels. But, $4 saved isn't worth experimenting on any of my diesels.
 

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
If I live long enough to see post apocalyptic, mel gibson/Mad Max/road warrior, total collapse of society conditions, I'll be pouring everything from used hydraulic oil, to hair oil, to 3-in-one oil in my diesels.... until then, I will use more conventional fuel. These things cost too much to risk on questionable fuel sources. But that's just me.....
 

Tx Jim

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M7040 HDC-1,JD 4255,Ford 6700
Apr 30, 2013
1,176
117
63
Coyote Flats,Texas
Whether your diesel engine will utilize the hyd oil isn't the BIG QUESTION as I know it will. BTDT. Important thing to consider is does used hyd oil contain any metal filings? metal filings could spell a death toll for inj pump. Maybe the fuel filter has small enough microns to filter out the metal??? Back several years ago before hyd oil got so pricey I traded hay for jet fuel that had been drained from airplane requiring repair. On numerous occasions I mixed 5 gallons of "new hyd oil" to 100 gallons of jet fuel and used it in my diesel tractors & pickup with no problems except a little lose of power.
 
Last edited:

mendonsy

Member

Equipment
B7500HST/LA302
May 28, 2012
339
19
18
Mendon, NY
You might get away with it, you might not!
If you do it saves you $4?? If you don't it could cost you $1k. Terrible odds!!
 

adventure bob

New member

Equipment
l6060
Nov 6, 2013
140
1
0
Colorado Springs
"take a small amount of the fluid and see if you can set it on fire....... good luck" Peanut oil doesn't light really well either, but goes through a diesel pretty good. Guy named Rudy Diesel ran all kinds of non flammables through his neat little invention called the compression combustion engine.

Jet A doesn't light real easy either, but makes a hell of a diesel fuel.
 
Last edited:

fast*st

Member

Equipment
M7040, L2900, F550 ford, Yanmar vio70 excavator, Case 580, JD 350 dozer, JD 644E
Jun 26, 2012
172
4
18
Northern Mass
I had thought about the metal issue and see a lot of magnetic debris come out of my Dually filter and that has a plastic tank so the only source of metal is the distribution system, lots of small oxide bits. Again, yeah a diesel will burn just about anything. and filtering is so very important to keep out dirt, water and everything else, a big wear item is lack of lubricity, hydraulic oil should have a fair bit but again, its only a small percentage.
 

SteveF

New member

Equipment
BX25
May 15, 2013
307
0
0
Huntingdon, PA
If used hyd fluid is acceptable to burn in your several thousand dollar engine why even change it in the first place? Just sayin... Why risk it?
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,755
113
SW Pa
Good point, but I have a bud that runs used cooking oil in his VW diesel bug and his ford diesel mixed 50/50 sooo yeah while I agree with you about the cost , it do seem to work
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,755
113
SW Pa
Im with ya Steve, the SHOULD burn anything but Im not adventures enough to try it either
 

85Hokie

Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
10,271
2,104
113
Bedford - VA
how about using used UDT2 in chainsaw as bar oil?
now I would NOT do that........
Bar oil needs to be "sticky" If you ever look at STIHL bar oil, it is like sticky honey......does not cast off......

now i have seen people run used motor oil on the bars and last for years.....
I'd rather use the real stuff rather than save a few bucks!:D
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,755
113
SW Pa
Ya beat me to it hokie, I have been using used motor oil for years, my old Mac pro 10-10 still has its OEM bar, though it don't get used much freekin thing weights a ton, My Husky 340 a POS has self destructed in 2 years but the bar looks and feels new with no real wear showing. I figure the oil is cheap and I want as much flowing on the chain and bar as I can get out of the pump,, guess that's left over from OLD HDs,,lol
 

fast*st

Member

Equipment
M7040, L2900, F550 ford, Yanmar vio70 excavator, Case 580, JD 350 dozer, JD 644E
Jun 26, 2012
172
4
18
Northern Mass
If used hyd fluid is acceptable to burn in your several thousand dollar engine why even change it in the first place? Just sayin... Why risk it?
Well, part of the issue is not that the hydraulic oil is bad but its properties as a lubricant start to break down, it has consumable items in it that need to be renewed and swapping in a new 15 gallons does the trick.

Now for bar oil no, hyd oil is too thin and doesn't have enough cling, gear oil makes a good backup.