Hydraulic oil leaks in cylinder can be caused by several factors: identifying the cause of the leak is essential for solving the problem and avoiding damaging the hydraulic system. So let's analyze the most common causes of oil loss to understand how to intervene:
- Incorrect or unsuitable seal for the operating conditions
The loss of oil can be caused by the use of a wrong seal or not suitable one for the operating conditions.
What to do: check the technical specifications and working conditions. Analyze parameters such as temperature, pressure and operating speed to understand if you are using the most suitable seal.
Oil leakage can also be caused by an incorrectly fitted seal which does not guarantee a proper sealing.
- Wrong seal size & wrong housign groove size
Using a seal of the wrong size, large or small, can cause hydraulic fluid leaks. If the radial dimensions of the housing groove are not correct, the seal preload may no longer be suitable for ensuring adequate sealing.
- Shrinkage or expansion of the seal
The chemical interaction between fluid and seal can cause shrinkage, expansion, deformation or loss of the properties of the seal, due to the lack of compatibility between fluid and seal.
What to do: check the seal material, it must be compatible with the fluid and replace the fluid or seal if necessary.
- Contamination of oil or Contaminated Oil
Particular working conditions can cause oil contamination.
What to do: remove the contamination or replace the oil.
The air trapped in the oil can cause abnormal wear of the seals and can trigger micro-explosions (also known as diesel-effect)
What to do: remove the air.
Many of the situations mentioned above can lead to seals damage In this case it is good to replace it, avoiding to replicate any error.
