Anyone DIY dye their hydro oil?

[WinterDeere]

Doesn't diesel oil start changing color pretty early on due to the soot over time or are they so clean now that doesn't occur as soon?
I know my 04 Dodge Cummins cranking 600hp 1200tq out the rear wheels doesn't need an dye LOL

Crank case oil, sure. But this is hydraulic oil.

Thanks for the question. It made me remember that I used to press some dip stick or other against a paper towel. The towel must have been the cheap brown kind because the length of the stain was easy to see.

That's exactly what I've been doing on this particular tractor, the last 6 years! PITA, but it works.

 

[rlmnky]

I have the same problem with the 5W30 synthetic oil in my generator. It runs so clean that even after 100 hours it’s nearly impossible to see on the dip stick. Might this be an option in the engine oil?

 

[DarkBlack]

My eyesight is fine, this is an issue of trying to spot glossy clear low-viscosity fluid on a glossy metal stick covered in stamped X's. Like finding where a painter stopped one day and picked up the next, with the same color and sheen.

I’m not debating your eyesight. Microscopes and telescopes are used by many with perfect vision.
I posted 2.5x magnification “cheater” glasses. They simply magnify and enlarge what you’re looking at.
I’d bet with good lighting or a flashlight, and these $4 cheater glasses, you could definitely see your oil. Or buy a dye

I keep cheap cheater glasses all over the house. I think I have a pair in the tractor storage area too

 

[cmyoung2]

Did you get that local or order it online? I have been wanting to add some to my tractors.

Online/Amazon Have used both the JD and Rekheo. Both work, does not take much. I think I used half a bottle on my L, about 10 gal

 

[Modeere318]

I made a sight glass for my 318/44 loader and use yelloe dye in it.

 

[BackRoad]

I had the JD red dye carry over after the last full hydraulic fluid and filter change on my Kubota MX6000 just from the residual fluid that doesn't drain out fully.

It's now pinkish...but still visible.

 

[Thunder chicken]

I was given a bottle of blue oil dye, Petro-Canada branded.
It takes a very small amount.
Not only does it make the hyd. oil easier to see on the dipstick, but it makes leaks easier to spot, especially in the snow, and theres no other blue fluid around to confuse it with.

 

[1Mech]

A bit off topic maybe, but I remember as a kid, my dad used Royal Triton motor oil in the car, it came already tinted purple!
Must have been a marketing gimmick!

 

[4570Man]

Those with a dip stick can take a clean shop rag or paper towel, which hopefully you have with you when checking, wipe the stick, dip it, then lay it down flat on, or squeeze it with, the paper towel or shop rag, and look at the stain. Bit of a pain.

Those with a sight glass might take a small flashlight and try shining it at various angles.


I'd try those things first before adding dye to an expensive hydro.

I’ve never had an issue with a sight glass if it was properly filled. If the level isn’t within glass it can be hard to know if it’s low or high. The tube glasses are better in that aspect but some sight glasses are only about the size of a quarter. My skid steer sight glass has a ball that floats in the tube that fixes that issue. I also carry a pocket flashlight that I probably use 50 times daily.

 

[WinterDeere]

BTW, I bought the Deere dye I had linked above, and it was a little (1 fl.oz.?) jar that read "add entire contents to any system up to 5 gallons capacity." The dye is actually red, not green as others here had reported for their Deere dye purchases.

I didn't bother to look up the hydro oil capacity on my 3033r, memory tells me it's over 5 gallons, but whatever... I added the jar. Then because much of it was probably lying in the internal threads of the filler neck (didn't want to waste any in a funnel), I filled the jar with clean hydro oil, shook it around, and used that to get the last of the dye from the bottle and douche the threads in the filler neck so the cap (hopefully) wouldn't glue itself in place with dried dye over the coming months.

But after a day of short stints moving the tractor around (walnut harvesting), the fluid on the dipstick still looks clear!

 

[Runner]

BTW, I bought the Deere dye I had linked above, and it was a little (1 fl.oz.?) jar that read "add entire contents to any system up to 5 gallons capacity." The dye is actually red, not green as others here had reported for their Deere dye purchases.

I didn't bother to look up the hydro oil capacity on my 3033r, memory tells me it's over 5 gallons, but whatever... I added the jar. Then because much of it was probably lying in the internal threads of the filler neck (didn't want to waste any in a funnel), I filled the jar with clean hydro oil, shook it around, and used that to get the last of the dye from the bottle and douche the threads in the filler neck so the cap (hopefully) wouldn't glue itself in place with dried dye over the coming months.

But after a day of short stints moving the tractor around (walnut harvesting), the fluid on the dipstick still looks clear!

How's it smell?

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Are you sure you put it in the right filler neck?

I've found that adding it to the jug is better, AND less messy, but sounds like you just added it straight to the transmission, not did a fluid change ...

I've only ever heard that the JD dye is red!

 

[WinterDeere]

How's it smell?

I actually did take a sniff, and it smelled about like you'd expect oil dye to smell. But I lack the vocabulary to describe a smell.

Are you sure you put it in the right filler neck?

lol... pretty sure!

I've found that adding it to the jug is better, AND less messy, but sounds like you just added it straight to the transmission, not did a fluid change ...

Yes, it would have been better, but I'm not low on hydro oil or due for a change.

I've only ever heard that the JD dye is red!

Maybe I misread, but I thought someone above said theirs was green.

 

[Runner]

I actually did take a sniff, and it smelled about like you'd expect oil dye to smell. But I lack the vocabulary to describe a smell.

So, not like Grenadine. Damn.

 

[WinterDeere]

So, not like Grenadine. Damn.

No, but it's okay... I have Grenadine for that!

 

[Runner]

I'm wondering what would happen if you just added some Rit dye to the system. I can't seem to find a good ingredient list for the stuff, but tempted to add a little to some Hygard in a container and see what it does.

 

[newbury]

I just get in the habit of laying the dipstick on the khaki pants or shorts I'm wearing at the time.

 

[joshperry3]

BTW, I bought the Deere dye I had linked above, and it was a little (1 fl.oz.?) jar that read "add entire contents to any system up to 5 gallons capacity." The dye is actually red, not green as others here had reported for their Deere dye purchases.

I didn't bother to look up the hydro oil capacity on my 3033r, memory tells me it's over 5 gallons, but whatever... I added the jar. Then because much of it was probably lying in the internal threads of the filler neck (didn't want to waste any in a funnel), I filled the jar with clean hydro oil, shook it around, and used that to get the last of the dye from the bottle and douche the threads in the filler neck so the cap (hopefully) wouldn't glue itself in place with dried dye over the coming months.

But after a day of short stints moving the tractor around (walnut harvesting), the fluid on the dipstick still looks clear!

I used the same tiny bottle on my Century 3045 a short time after a fluid change. I just added it into the filter neck of my machine lime you did. It made my fluid as dark red as Auto Trans Fluid is. I was quite surprised since it was over 5 gallons for sure.

I was working on removing the fuel tank to fix the cracked filler neck when I added it. It had already started to tint the fluid at the sight glass in an hour or less. Obviously wasn't fully mixed till I could run the tractor. I did figure out that I have a leak around the sight glass though because the red was leaking out around it immediately. Which reminds me, I never have fixed that leaking sight glass...

 

[nando]

Like many others with a dipstick, I couldn't see the (clear) fluid level, I used a short piece of black heat shrink tubing on the dip stick. Fluid shows much better on the black heat shrink now.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I would have to check my NH fluid 3 or more times to be sure I saw the level correctly. Damn hard to see, clear ish on greyish.