Oh ye of hydraulic fluid knowledge...

[BoyToys]

I'm pretty good wrenching and diagnosing and fixing anything, but sadly my Imp with plow is my first experience with hydraulics. I presume it's running an off-the-shelf Ford power steering pump.
First question: after looking in the tank to check cleanliness and fill, I see where it appears to use good old ATF based on the red color. True? I don't want to contaminate it by using the wrong stuff.
Second question: The tank is only 1/2 full at best, I presume this is necessary to allow for return flow room? I don't want to overfill and create a mess.
Third question: my Imp has 5 unused hydraulic attachment points on the rear cab, presumably for operating a myriad of grooming equipment, maybe a winch, etc. This makes me wonder if there is a more stout pump installed in order to drive all this stuff (stuff I don't have and could really care less).
Educate me, friends. This is the last major thing I need to do before she makes her maiden voyage up to the cabin. Been one hell of a project for this old gummer!

 

[redsqwrl]

V4?

Imps with v4's can handle lots of duties. Remember each rotation of the pulley out the front of a v4 is 1/2 crank speed, thats the cam out the front.

Each turn of the pump displaces a finite amount of type f fluid. It is often referenced as gallons per minute.

Overland snowcats. (Me) has spent lots of time getting a 1404 dialed in for its main purpose. (Grooming xcountry ski trails)

Speed is a function of volume. Volume changes with rpm ect. What do you need to do. What do you need to di?

 

[300 H and H]

Second question: The tank is only 1/2 full at best, I presume this is necessary to allow for return flow room? I don't want to overfill and create a mess.

Don't over think it. My bet the previous owner probably had it right. If you're not using the rear outlets only the front blade not much flow is required for that, and the cylinders are quite small as well, and require not a lot of oil to operate.
I bet it is ATF as well as it was a "wonder" fluid in the time frame these machines were built.

 

[BoyToys]

V4?

Imps with v4's can handle lots of duties. Remember each rotation of the pulley out the front of a v4 is 1/2 crank speed, thats the cam out the front.

Each turn of the pump displaces a finite amount of type f fluid. It is often referenced as gallons per minute.

Overland snowcats. (Me) has spent lots of time getting a 1404 dialed in for its main purpose. (Grooming xcountry ski trails)

Speed is a function of volume. Volume changes with rpm ect. What do you need to do. What do you need to di?

Thanks much for the input. Yeah, it's the stock V4 with a pump mounted drivers side top of engine. Plow works fine, just looking for input before I add some more juice to the tank which seems low in fluid...but maybe not. The other day I purchased some type F but haven't added it yet; don't want to risk some incompatible fluids. I'm presuming the pump is rated at around 2 gpm, based solely on the fact that I have a 2 gallon tank. Fluid level doesn't seem to change whether running the motor or not.

 

[BoyToys]

Don't over think it. My bet the previous owner probably had it right. If you're not using the rear outlets only the front blade not much flow is required for that, and the cylinders are quite small as well, and require not a lot of oil to operate.
I bet it is ATF as well as it was a "wonder" fluid in the time frame these machines were built.

Thanks. I do tend to over think things, especially when I know so little on the topic and inherent paranoia of screwing something up. One would "assume" that a 2 gallon tank should be mostly full, but to your point probably not necessary when running just the plow. With your input and others I think I'll stop worrying and just add the 2 quarts of ATF type F that I bought the other day and call it good.
Come October 18th I'll be hauling this beast up to her permanent home at my cabin and doing a snow dance.

 

[Cidertom]

Sounds like you have enough evidence to safely say it's atf. On tank filling, the more air space the higher risk of condensation of water vapor. Many systems run hot enough that it boils the water out, IDK if yours will or not. Probably not a problem, but something to watch until you know how it behaves. Have FUN.

 

[BoyToys]

I kind of doubt that mine will run hot enough unless I'm constantly putting a load on the plow by tweeking levers up down right left. The pump will run continuously whether I'm using the plow or not since it's not on an electrically operated clutch. We shall see. I used it for maybe a half hour last winter to plow a massive 2 inches off my driveway at home, just to test it out. Never thought to check level or temperature.
Yep, condensation would be my main worry with a less than full tank. I store my collector car all winter and I always fill it to brim...ethanol being hygroscopic as it is.
Here's one to maybe chuckle about. Some dude on Google suggested a means to prevent ice freeze ups in the filter from water in the oil. Add up to an ounce of methanol to the oil as an antifreeze. That may work, but then methanol is just another hygroscopic alcohol pulling water vapor out of the air, kinda compounding the problem if water contamination is the root issue. Sorry, off topic.

 

[NorthernRedneck]

I run atf in my plow pump on my plow truck if that helps. It's a third the price of the stuff at the dealership.