Posted by Jim Allen on July 04, 2009 at 09:48:27 from (209.173.160.22):
Some of you may remember the earlier post on the generic THF I used in my 826. All the lab tests are back and here are all three for your perusal. As stated before, you need a little knowledge about lubricants to know what it all means.
Here are VOA (Virgin Oil Analysis) comparison of three Trans Hydraulic Fluids (THF); a generic universal called Traveller and sold by Tractor Supply, the factory recommended Case-IH HyTran Ultra and a blend I call "SuperTrav", which is the Traveller with a commonly available THF package from a "major manufacturer" added as a booster to the Traveller's low-rent additive package. It was added to the oil in an amount normally blended to base oil.
The SuperTrav came about after I did a VOA on the Traveller and was singularly unimpressed. I had to make a trans repair on my Farmall and had to dump all the oil. Too bad I didn't do the VOA before pouring in the new oil! In any case, I got a gallon of the additive that turned the weak Traveller into an oil that can leap tall cornstalks in a single bound (I'll be happy if it just keeps my 8300 hour tractor together for a few more years).
There were few other trace items, especially in the Traveller, which had about 15 hours on it before the "Super" was added, but all under 10 ppm. Not sure why the Traveller showed a 9.29 vis while the SuperTrav was only 6.4. Two labs tested, but viscosity is a basic test. WIll get it retested soon. Likely the 6.4cSt is correct. "cSt" is for Centistokes, a fine measurement of viscosity, in this case, measure at 100C (210F). 6.4 cSt would put it into the lower end of SAE Grade 20 engine oil category or the 80W gear oil category (the "W" being for the winter grade, not for "weight") and right between a 32 and 46 ISO grade.
The HyTran is advertised as a "low zinc" formula. The Traveller is obviously also devoid of zinc.
FYI: The calcium is a dispersant and anti-oxidant. Zinc and phosphorus are anti-wear additives, something neither the Traveller nor the HyTran have in abundance (leaving me to wonder what they use as an anti-wear element). Boron is also an anti-wear element. The HyTran has more of whatever is beneficial it seems, based on the difference in calcium content. Blackstone Labs commented that both the Traveller and the HyTran were lower on the "traditional" additives than they normally see in THF. I suspect that the newer tractors require a lower zinc content for some reason and there is another additive in play that does not show up on the VOA. TBN is total Base Number, which is an indicator of the strength of the additive package. VI, Viscosity Index, is an indicator of the oil's viscosity stability over a broad range of temperatures. A higher number flows better cold. TAN is Total Acid Number, an indicator of the the acidity of the oil. As the additives wear out, the oil gets acidic. Most new oil starts at or near zero. Flashpoint indicates the oil's resistance to heat. Finally the numbers in the columns of the elements are shown in parts per million (PPM).
The bottom line here is that in the end, I paid more for this oil (Traveller + the additive...which you normally cannot buy... but I have friends) that I would have just buying the "good stuff" in the first place. Learn from me!
At this point, I am rather unimpressed with the HyTran too, though I have a lot more to learn about it's chemistry. The big slug of calcium it has over the Traveller should help it last longer in service. As time and money for tests permit, I'll see if anything else comes on the unknown additives, or for a superior THF. Especially a cost effective one.
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