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Crawlers, Dozers, Loaders & Backhoes Discussion Forum

what to use to clean out a hydraulic tank?

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drptop70ss

05-10-2005 14:04:46




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My IH500 dozer has little or no hydraulics, and the oil is very white and milky. I know this machine takes on water over the winter months and I already drained it once, but it looks like not enough. Replacing the hydraulic filter sped up the hydraulics for a few minutes and then they shut down again so I think the water in the oil is killing the paper filter element. I want to drain out the oil and clean out the sludge but how to do it? Can I add something to tank that will run through the system and get out the gunk?

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motorhead460

05-10-2005 20:23:32




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 Re: what to use to clean out a hydraulic tank? in reply to drptop70ss, 05-10-2005 14:04:46  
Hi,if you are getting an excessive amount of water in your fluid you could try installing one of those heaters in your tank like people put in thier engine oil.You wouldn't need to let it work all the time,just turn it on once in a while and it might steam the water out of the system.Just an ideal but it might help.Also check to see if the tank has a vent with filter that is working.



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Case450

05-10-2005 17:57:55




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 Re: what to use to clean out a hydraulic tank? in reply to drptop70ss, 05-10-2005 14:04:46  
If it were that bad I would remove the tank if possible and clean the heck out of it with some sort of degreasing agent. Replace filter and clean out lines like the tank. I would replace all gaskets and double check all fittings to keep water at bay. I am not a mechanic but you gotta get that water and old fluid and gunk out of there.



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drptop70ss

05-10-2005 18:51:17




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 Re: what to use to clean out a hydraulic tank? in reply to Case450, 05-10-2005 17:57:55  
I agree the water is bad, but unfortunately the previous owner said this happens every winter no matter what he did. I want to try filling the tank to the top before winter because then there wont be any exposed steel to form the condensation. I cant remove the tank because it is part of the machine between the final drives. If I ran a degreaser through the system would it hurt anything?



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J. Schwiebert

05-10-2005 19:06:24




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 Re: what to use to clean out a hydraulic tank? in reply to drptop70ss, 05-10-2005 18:51:17  
Where does the suction line attach to the tank?Where is your water comming from? Remember you are not the only person in the world with a steel hydraulic tank. Remember you need to remove contamination particles so small you can not see them with the naked eye.



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drptop70ss

05-10-2005 19:11:27




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 Re: what to use to clean out a hydraulic tank? in reply to J. Schwiebert, 05-10-2005 19:06:24  
I cant see the suction line but believe it is just off the bottom of the tank, I have to remove some panels to get to it. What happens is after using the machine (I used it last summer/fall no problem) and then parking it in the barn for the winter when bringing it out in the spring there is a lot of water in the hydraulic oil. I pulled the drain plug when I got the machine out and literally dumped 2 gallons of water and 3 gallons of milky oil. I topped off with 5 gallons of new oil but it immediately turned milky, so there must still be water in the system. I can only assume the condensation comes from the heating/cooling of the exposed steel inside the tank?

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John Van Valkenburgh

05-12-2005 17:18:19




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 Re: what to use to clean out a hydraulic tank? in reply to drptop70ss, 05-10-2005 19:11:27  
If you are having problems with excessive condensation I would consider putting a water trap on the bottom of the tank. This would provide a "low" spot below the suction point. Water would collect there first and IF you drained it off regularly each time BEFORE you run the machine it should help keep water from circulating in the system.

You mentioned earlier about running degreaser through the system. I would be careful if you go that route. You don't want to damage the pump. If you removed each line and flushed it with degreaser I would think that would be okay as long as the degreaser was completely eliminated before putting it back into service. Degreaser by itself probably won't help with water unless it contains alcohol or methanol. It would help to loosen and flush out contaminated oil though.

You need to take a really good look at possible entry points for water. Exposed vents that could possibly flood. Exposed cylinders that have worn gland packings will also allow water to enter the system.

Best of luck,
John
1968 Case 450

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