Anyone DIY dye their hydro oil?

[walnutman]

Thats whats nice about diesels. They maker their own dye.

 

[GeneSimm7]

I have used the John Deere dye and it works great and helps a lot. Ironically, when I went to my John Deere dealer to get some, they had never heard of it, so they looked it up and ordered it for me.

 

[WinterDeere]

either rough up your dip stick or paint it and you will be able to see the level better. then you won't have to add die every time you change oil.

I usually have better luck with the smooth shiny side of a dispstick, when oil is too clean and clear to easily see. On the hatched area, it's just another reflection, but the wetted line is easy to spot on a smooth shiny side of the stick.

The trouble here is that the dipstick has the large stamp forged XXX's on both sides, deep relief about 1/16" high. There is no "smooth side" like a normal sheetmetal stick with cross-hatching on only one side.

I just bought this, one of the few cases where the Deere OEM version is the cheapest one to appear, when searching "hydraulic oil dye":

Amazon.com: Oil : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com: Oil : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

 

[DarkBlack]

This is my lubricant dye substitute.
Works on all hard to see oil levels

 

[WinterDeere]

This is my lubricant dye substitute.
Works on all hard to see oil levels

View attachment 4281798

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.

 

[walnutman]

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

 

[joea99]

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.

 

[rScotty]

The hydro oil in my 2019 tractor remains so clear and clean, that I almost can't see it on the heavily-hashed dipstick on my 3033r. I see some run hydro oil (probaby ATF) with red dye in it, and I'm wondering, does anyone put some dye in their own hydro oil to make visibility at least a little better?

Instead of adding dye to the hydraulic fluid, I blued the bottom two inches of the shiny dipstick so that clear oil would show up better. Simple improvement.
rScotty

 

[JeepHead]

I use the JD dye in my Kubota. Mine has a dipstick too but was still hard to see. I also figured that if I ever had a leak, this would help me see it before I ran too low. I use my tractor in the woods a bunch and felt it would be a good idea.

 

[big bubba]

as mentioned even a dipstick can be hard to read w/clear fluid. i gun blue dyed the dipstick. in addition, when reading, i invert it & hold to sunlight, giving me an accurate reading. each has his own method

 

[Murphys Law Farmer]

It’s easier to see on a black zip tie. Just kink one at the right spot to match your dip stick.

 

[stuckmotor]

The hydro oil in my 2019 tractor remains so clear and clean, that I almost can't see it on the heavily-hashed dipstick on my 3033r. I see some run hydro oil (probaby ATF) with red dye in it, and I'm wondering, does anyone put some dye in their own hydro oil to make visibility at least a little better?

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.

 

[HFK Farms]

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.

At the shop, we sprinkle baby powder on the end of the dip stick, then recheck the level. This works great for checking the engine oil or hydraulic fluid when a dip stick is involved,

 

[Shawn T. W.]

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

This is in the transmission, fluid should remain clear to translucent ...

 

[garydc]

Mine has a dipstick, too! But both sides are cross-hatched one at the full mark 's no smooth side for viewing the "wetted" line. Just about impossible to see the fluid without walking out to daylight with the dipstick in-hand.

Mine too. I drilled a few small holes in the dipstick one at full and one at the low and one between. Pull the stick out if there is no oil in any hole you have an idea of the level.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I found a dye at the local farm supply store, in the tractor stuff. It is a slime green color and is also UV Fluorescent. So, if needed, I can use a UV flashlight to check of leakage. Sorry can't remember who makes it. I have a bottle on the shelf in the garage, but I'm traveling for the next few months.

 

[bumperm]

Local O'Rilleys auto parts has "hydraulic leak detection dye"....

This! If you are gonna add dye, might as well use fluorescent tracking dye for oil. That way you can use a UV flashlight to detect even the smallest leak (a 365 Nm wavelength light works best). As an aside, the UV light is handy for other stuff too.

 

[neilpaku]

For those with sight-glasses, attach a little piece of white tape (e.g. bandage tape) to the back side of the sight glass. It will make viewing the oil level super easy with or without dye. I have both and can see the level at a glance from quite a distance

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

The green stuff I found, is quite bright even in the day light. So, green leaks show pretty well even in the full sun.

 

[CliffordK]

At the shop, we sprinkle baby powder on the end of the dip stick, then recheck the level. This works great for checking the engine oil or hydraulic fluid when a dip stick is involved,

Talc is an exceptionally mild abrasive. Apparently a Mohs hardness of 1.0 which is significantly less than steel, but could come close to some babbitt.

The amount you're getting in is probably less than a bit of dust that inevitably gets in somewhere. Anyway, I don't know if I'd put it in my engine, but it may not cause any detectable damage either.