Any long time users of PetroCanada hydrex xv?

[TravlinTech]

Looking for any reviews (good & bad), opinions and historical data from any industrial users of hydrex xv. TIA

 

[greaseguy15]

It’s generally a high quality high viscosity index hydraulic oil. I wouldn’t say it’s massively superior to equivalent options but it’s definitely a good fluid. I’ve seen it run well in various pieces of equipment and wouldn’t hesitate to run or recommend it.

What application are you looking at using it in? Or what’s driving the question?

 

[TravlinTech]

I've been using it for over 5 years and recently, last 6 months, it seems that the formulation has changed for the bad. Any experience with this change

 

[greaseguy15]

I do not. Do you have oil analysis data on your equipment?

Also have you contacted their technical services department? They should be able to confirm if any formulation changes were made and help troubleshoot.

 

[Foxtrot08]

I've been using it for over 5 years and recently, last 6 months, it seems that the formulation has changed for the bad. Any experience with this change

Can you describe how it changed?

And are you getting it from the same distributor?


It’s extremely unlikely a hydraulic oil formulation changes significantly. As well, PC / Holly frontier produces their own base oils. So, I don’t think it would be the base oils changing much either.

Which leads me to other thoughts…

 

[TravlinTech]

I do have fluid analysis which reveals lower quantities of AW elements and a dramatic reduction in VI. Performance changes are loss of shear stability, higher operating temperatures and increased load on the pumps. It also appears the sulfur component is no longer inactive, but active sulfur. Additionally, the D4172 results have increased comparing the older fluids vs the recent fluids.

I have purchased all the fluid from the same distributor and some are from the same machine, it had the good fluid, then 2 years later was changed and now has the new, not so good fluid. It all started earlier this year.

The sales people refuse to forward the quality issue to technical services and refuse to answer any questions pertaining to formulation, quality control and changes in base oils and additives, in fact they are very defensive. Also learned that none of their labs are 17025 accredited.

 

[Foxtrot08]

Do you trust the distributor?


Because it sounds to me like you got sold something else.

 

[Foxtrot08]

Following up on your edit.

They are fairly guarded on formulations. However, they should without a doubt, forward your concern to QC.

We were a Petro Canada distributor about 20 years ago. We have since parted ways with them and shell. So I can’t help really get you in contact with them. As I’m flagged P66 / Kendall, Chevron and Citgo currently.

But judging how those 3 other “majors” act. It should be easy for you to talk to someone at PC. I know they have whatever they call their regional distributor representative. It’s literally their job, that they get paid for by PC, to come talk to you. Whether it’s about a tube of grease, or a bucket of hydraulic oil, or tens of thousands of gallons of turbine oil.


So something to me, is fishy. Thus my above question. Do you trust your distributor?

Do they have a CLS on staff? Or a chemist / chemical engineer? As we have both. (Me being the CLS. And we have a few chemists.)

Edit:

I know a few stalk this site. And particularly my posts. Hi.

 

[TravlinTech]

The distributor is a moot point, all the product was drop shipped from PC in their packaging, all totes, which would mean PC made a substitution, the distributor never touched it. They have refused to forward this product quality issue to QC or answer some basic questions regarding MQC in the blending process. I have spoken to eight people at PC thus far, all in sales. Ironically, some of them have contradicted each other in their answers to very basic questions. I asked for their labs 17025 accreditation and annex, they refused to provide it, so I learned elsewhere they have no accreditation. I have a CLS on staff. I agree something is fishy, especially if you were to look at all of the test data, the D2272 has completely opposite results and the retain is purported to be the same product with no alleged formulation change. Like you said very fishy.

 

[Foxtrot08]

So you’re saying this was put into the package, by Petro Canada? Not repacked by the distributor?

Even at that. It could be an mis-blend, mis-labeling, etc.

They should at minimum provide a CoA for that product.

 

[TravlinTech]

Yes, they packaged it in canada and ship from canada or their Memphis warehouse. They did reluctantly provide a C of A for several batches, all identical BTW, but it does not come close to the new fluid analysis that we take from every tote upon breaking the factory seal. The also refuse to identify when and where the sample was taken in the stream. We use a 17025 accredited lab, PC doesn't. Our labs resolution is to 1 ppm, PC is to either 10 or 100 ppm depending on the element.

 

[Foxtrot08]

Huh.

Yeah, I would keep pushing on your distributor. To me it sounds like an mis-blend or someone slapped the wrong label on it.

That… is pretty bad customer service. And I, bluntly would be looking at a different product and/or distributor.

 

[TravlinTech]

If that is the case they mislabeled several totes and drums, they can't be that reckless.

Sadly, the distributor was told by pc to stand down, they tried to help for 24 hours until shut down by mississauga. Like you said, fishy. I'm not at liberty to divulge our other findings, but what we learned is very disappointing.

We recently found a new product to replace a few thousand gallons of the not so good xv.

 

[Foxtrot08]

You have a few choices. Chevron Clarity Synthetic and Summit Hysyn off the top of my head. I also think Mobil SHC 500 is in that range. (Not a Mobil distributor.)

I’ve had fantastic luck with the Summit products.


Edit:

With the details you’ve provided. I’m now thinking they may have gone to a different base oil. Like a group 3 alone and pumped it with a cheap VII.

 

[TravlinTech]

Thank you for the suggestions. Mobil has been tried and failed. As I mentioned, we have something now but a backup would be great. Already looked at Hysyn, but not the clarity, yet.