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Am I the only one who thinks the old school guys are wrong about hydraulic oil changes?

I was working on a 1990s Otis unit in a Cincinnati office building last fall, and the senior mechanic told me 'you don't need to change the oil if it looks clean, that's just a money grab.' I argued that the additive package breaks down over time, clean or not, and sticking to the 5-year schedule prevents pump wear. How often do you all actually follow the manufacturer's interval?
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eva908
eva9082d ago
My 1983 Dover at the old mall ran 31 years on the same oil. The pump finally went last month, but that's a solid run for any part. The new fluid they put in now has a totally different additive package, so the old rules don't apply. I've seen more problems from water getting in during a change than from old oil breaking down. If the sight glass is clear and the lab says it's fine, you're just making extra work.
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perez.patricia
Guess we should all just stop changing oil then?
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jessicac28
But @eva908, what about acid buildup from moisture over decades?
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