Dye for Hydraulic Oil

[WranglerX]

Have a MF GC1715 and it has a "sight glass" for checking oil in HST, trouble is oil is so clear you can not tell if it is above or below sight glass (have yet to see oil level in glass) but upon using a piece of wire as a dip stick I sort of determined oil is above sight glass...

Question is there a dye one can put in oil to make it more visible (like dyed red diesel)? ... Something that will not break down oil or react to various components of hydraulics and HS drive....

Dale

 

[WranglerX]

Maybe I should have researched forum(s) early before posting..

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/88376-can-you-safely-dye-hydraulic.html

Also...

John Deere Lubricants - JOHN DEERE #MT3668 HYDRAULIC OIL DYE

Dale

 

[TractorGuy]

Just search for compatible leak detection dye.

 

[mrmikey]

Add a bit of Dexron ATF.......Mike

 

[MHarryE]

John Deere dye is best, compatible.

 

[mini14]

I purchased a 2oz sample of the novasolve red, 3 eyedropper sized drops will color a quart of oil

 

[TractorNH]

I bought this red dye through Grainger. I had contacted the company, Kingscote Chemicals and they sent me an info sheet on it. You need very little of it to color the oil. It can also be used for engine oil. This is sraight dye, not one that requires a special to see like leak detection dyes. You don't want the fluorescent one, just the regular color one.

KINGSCOTE Color Coding Dye, Red, 4 oz. - 45H15'|'5-R4 - Grainger

 

[Fallon]

The aforementioned JD dye worked great for my L3200 with a crappy sight glass. Used half the bottle. Went to put the other half in the new L4060 a few years later & it was dried up. Either I didnt get the cap on tight or it doesnt last for a few years on own.

Had to inform the buyers of the L3200 what I did when I sold it so they or their mechanic wouldn't think I filled it with ATF as that's what it now looked like.

 

[orangetree]

Kingscote also makes the dye listed above in fluorescent - meaning it's easy to see even dirty fluid on black engine parts

Bright Dyes® Solvent 250 Red Fluorescent Liquid
Product Number: 506250-RF
McMaster-Carr
https://www.kingscotechemicals.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Solvent-Fluorescent-Red-250.pdf

the fluorescent is expensive ($60/4oz), but mcmaster also sells Blue and Red standard ($20/4oz) which is the exact Grainger product above but slightly cheaper ($20/4oz)

 

[5030]

I use Chevron All Weather THC synthetic and it comes already dyed orange.