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About hydraulic oils
What the ISO number means
Hydraulic oils are graded by ISO viscosity, measured at 40 °C. ISO VG 32 is thinner, ISO VG 46 sits in the middle, and ISO VG 68 is thicker. The right one depends on how cold your machine starts, how hot it runs and what the pump maker specifies. Too thin and the pump loses pressure and wears; too thick and the oil will not reach the pump quickly enough on a cold morning, which is its own kind of damage.
AW, R&O and the rest of the labels
AW stands for anti-wear: oils with additives that protect pumps and valves under load. R&O means rust and oxidation inhibited, without those anti-wear additives, and suits some older or low-pressure systems. Tractor fluids are a separate family again, because they often lubricate the transmission, the hydraulics and wet brakes from the same tank, so they carry approvals such as J20C instead of a plain ISO grade.
Choosing by machine
Log splitters commonly run AW-32 in cold weather and AW-46 in warm. Bottle and floor jacks use a much thinner jack oil, and putting heavy hydraulic oil in one makes it slow and stiff. Excavators, loaders and industrial power packs usually follow the maker's chart, which may specify a temperature range for each grade. Our guides go machine by machine, but the plate on the machine and its manual come first.
Can you mix hydraulic oils?
Mixing the same grade from two brands is usually tolerated in an emergency, but mixing different types, such as an AW oil with a tractor fluid or a synthetic with a mineral oil, can cause additives to fight each other and drop out of suspension. The safer answer is to drain and refill with one product.
When to change it
Hours matter more than months. Dark, cloudy or milky oil means contamination or water, and a burnt smell means it has been overheated. Most makers give an hour interval for the oil and a separate one for the filter, and sticking to both is cheaper than a pump.