Automobile enthusiasts often love to delve into the mechanics that define the performance of these machines. Well, among the different types of oils you need to run a vehicle, you need to count in vacuum pump oil.
Vacuum pump oil is usually a refined mineral oil. It comes with a specific viscosity that helps one to differentiate it from other oils. The vapor pressure in vacuum oil is relatively low.
Now, you might be looking for viable substitutes for vacuum pump oil for your car. The experts have explained these alternatives and their respective applications in detail in this article.
Why should you look out for a substitute for vacuum pump oil?
In the first place, you might be wondering why you need to look out for a substitute for your vacuum pump oil. Well, you might have factors like the unavailability or high price of vacuum pump oil bothering you. Therefore, hunting for a viable alternative or similar product that would be safe for your vehicle makes sense.
Therefore, you might go for one of the recommended alternatives if it is cost-effective. This way, you can keep the mechanical parts of the truck or car in proper functional conditions.
Usages of vacuum pump oil
The most common applications of vacuum pump oil include sealing, protection against corrosion, lubricating, cooling, and noise reduction in vehicles.
Regardless of the vehicle you own, all vacuum pumps would need a proper supply of oils for lubrication. In case you don’t apply the right amount of vacuum pump oil to the system, it would lead to malfunctioning and damage to the system.
You would also notice wear and tear in the vacuum pump in a short time. It might eventually get jammed, and it would cause damage to other parts of your car.
Unless you apply a proper lubricant, the engine temperature might shoot up. In these situations, you would notice your car experiencing problems like overheating.
When the vacuum pump runs dry, the internal components would definitely sustain damage. Therefore, you need proper vacuum pump oil, or any of its viable substitutes to keep your car properly operational.
Vacuum pump oil substitute
We will discuss some of the safe alternatives for vacuum pump oil that you can use in your car. However, it is imperative to maintain the right viscosity when you choose this fluid.
The reason is, the mechanical parts of your car wouldn’t have proper lubrication if the oil is too thin. Again, excessive viscosity can mess up the lubricative functions. Check out these recommended alternatives for vacuum pump oil that you can use in your vehicle.
Refrigeration oil
Refrigeration oil happens to be a viable substitute for vacuum pump oil. With refrigeration oil, your car would benefit from a consistent thermal conductivity. It offers the desired level of chemical stability and viscosity. The temperature ranges from -400 degrees C to 150-degrees C. refrigeration oil comes at different price ranges from cheap to moderately expensive.
Polyalphaolefin
Polyalphaolefin, a popular substitute for vacuum pump oil, is a synthetic oil. This oil has a high viscosity index. This makes it similar to vacuum pump oil in terms of functionalism.
Polyalphaolefin also proves to be beneficial as it ensures low volatility and thermal-oxidative stability. It has a decent range in temperature between 60 degree C and 125-degree C.
The performance of Polyalphaolefin as a substitute for vacuum pump oil has been outstanding in both high and low temperatures. Moreover, it goes well with mineral oils. The cost-effectiveness of this substitute makes it a viable option as well.
Hydrocracked/ Hydro-treated oils
You might consider Hydrocracked/ Hydro-treated oil, which is a biofuel as a substitute for vacuum pump oils.
This oil comes from the hydrogenation or hydrocracking of vegetable oil. During this process, the molecules break down into small structures. Besides, the molecules get hydrogen during the process of hydrogenation.
Esters
Esters encompass both POEs and diesters, which are synthetic oils. Thermally, they offer more stability. In the automotive industry, they use extensively in applications where the temperature remains high.
The benefit of using esters in the system is that they do not allow sludge build-up or varnishing since they have a high polarity. Moreover, you would find their cleaning ability advantageous.
Esters are natural detergents that you can use as a viable alternative to vacuum pump oil. However, many automobile owners avoid esters as they are comparatively expensive.
Motor oil
Motor oil serves as a close alternative to vacuum pump oil. Thanks to the amazing thermal stability, viscosity, and thermal stability, motor oil is on this list.
The temperature ranges between 100 to 107 degrees C, which is quite impressive. Automobile owners habitually vouch for motor oil due to its cost-effectiveness.
How can you find the right substitute for vacuum pump oil?
Choosing the right fluid to keep your truck or car properly functional requires you to consider certain factors. Here, we have discussed these aspects that would help you choose the right alternative to vacuum pump oil.
- Features: When you choose a lubricant, it’s imperative to consider its features or attributes. For instance, you need to prioritize the level of viscosity, temperature range, and solvency when you choose the oil.
- Temperature: You need to procure an oil or lubricant for your vacuum pump that comes with a specific thermal rating. So, you need to consider the temperature range, considering how hot the application would be.
- Cost-effectiveness: In the end, every automobile owner would like to maintain cost-efficiency when maintaining their cars or trucks. When you choose a substitute for the vacuum pump oil, make sure that it turns out to be economical. We have factored in the cost while recommending the right alternative to you.
What is the right frequency of changing vacuum pump oil?
It is imperative to change the vacuum pump oil at the right frequency, so that it does not trap contaminants. You can extract some of these contaminants from the system.
However, others tend to remain trapped in it. This gradually takes a toll on the functional aspects of the vacuum pump. So, you need to replace this fluid at the right interval to ensure that the system doesn’t remain contaminated.
In case you notice that the pump level is jumping up and down, it implies that you need an oil change. Besides, you might notice the oil getting discolored.
If you used hydrocarbon oil, its color would become creamy. Another sign that indicates that you need to replace the fluid is that, the vacuum pump would fail to reach the expected level of vacuum.
When it comes to discarding or replacing the oil, make sure to visit only the authorized locations. Besides, it would be wise to go green with your choice of vacuum pump oil.
Conclusion
Well, we have presented the viable alternatives to vacuum pump oil in this post. So, you need to consider their respective properties and make your call.
Also, you need to factor in the cost, as some of the alternatives are relatively expensive. Ester oils would be a good substitute, given that they are better than most other synthetic oils.
Besides, the degree of solvency in ester oils is relatively better. If you are comfortable with the expense, you would enjoy an enhanced performance in your vehicle.
Besides, they are completely renewable and eco-friendly. However, you may vouch for other alternatives that we presented to curtail costs.
