Engineering Specifications ES-M0108

Hydraulic Conduit Cleanliness Determination Procedure

1. PURPOSE SAE ARP 785—Procedure for the determination

of particle contamination in hydraulic fluids by
To provide a means for measuring and the control filter gravimetric procedure.
determining the acceptable cleanliness level of
individual hydraulic conduits. ISO 4405, Hydraulic fluid power – Fluid
Contamination – Determination of particulate
2. SCOPE contaminants by gravimetric method.

To describe a procedure for determining the 5. CLEANLINESS ACCEPTANCE LEVEL

quantity and size of contaminant and its
acceptability in hydraulic conduits such as tubes, 5.1 The contamination level will be
hoses, and connectors. All hydraulic conduits considered unacceptable if it exceeds the
may not be able to utilize this procedure. criteria in 5.2.

3. ACRONYMS/DEFINITIONS 5.2 Maximum mass of contaminant allowed

shall be determined by using the wetted surface
3.1 ACRONYMS area of the part(s).

ES – Engineering Specification Max. Mass Max. Particle Size

Class
ANSI – American National Standards Institute Specification Specification
SAE – Society of Automotive Engineers A1) 30 mg/ m2 0.2 mm
ISO – International Organization for
Standardization
B 155 mg/ m2 0.3 mm
3.2 DEFINITIONS
C 300 mg/ m2 0.5 mm
Clean – A surface with no contaminant visible to
the unaided eye that has been thoroughly
washed with filtered solvent from a pressurized 5.3 The following are guidelines for class
dispenser. specification:

Asterisk (*) - Indicates explanation is provided in

the Supplement at the end of this document. Class Usage
Component in hydraulic fluid power
(T) – Indicates equipment required for tubing A1) circuit which is extremely sensitive to
analysis only. contamination.
Component in hydraulic fluid power
B
circuit. (RECOMMENDED)
RELATED DOCUMENTS Oil fill tube to gearbox not connected
C
to hydraulic fluid power circuit.
ANSI/B93, 2-1971, and supplements—American 1)
National Standard Glossary of Terms For Fluid This level should be used with caution. Component
cost could be driven by required cleanliness.
Power (ISO/TC 131 JCI (USA-2) 3)

ISSUED BY ECN NO. NAME

SRK 30JUN03 121640 HYD CONDUIT CLEANLINESS DETERMINATION PROCEDURE
APPROVED BY REV. PAGE CNH NUMBER
SCC 30JUN03 B 1 OF 5 87281310
THE INFORMATION HEREON IS THE CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY PROPERTY OF CNH GLOBAL N.V. AND/OR
ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR DIVISIONS. ANY USE, EXCEPT THAT FOR WHICH IT MAY BE LOANED, IS PROHIBITED.
 Engineering Specifications ES-M0108

6. DRAWING DESIGNATION AND

REPORTING

6.1 Component drawings that reference this

specification shall have a note as follows:

CLEANLINESS LEVEL MUST

CONFORM TO ES-M0108 (87281310)
CLASS X.

6.2 Note the following when reporting the

results of a test:

• CNH part number.

• Calculated area and mass.

• Measured mass of contaminant and type of

contaminant based on the opinion of the
technician from visual observations.

• Include and identify the petri slides, with

filters, if required.

NAME REV. PAGE CNH NUMBER

HYDRAULIC CLEANLINESS DETERMINATION PROCEDURE B 2 OF 5 87281310
 Engineering Specifications ES-M0108

SUPPLIES AND PROCEDURES • Beakers, (approximately one liter

capacity).
Note: Deviation in equipment, supplies, and/or
procedures from what is outlined in clauses 7 • 250 ml and 500 ml wash bottles.
through 14 must be approved by Engineering
and the Supplier Quality Assurance group. • Forceps

7. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES • Graduated cylinder, calibrated level is

7.1 Solvents:
• Electron QEDT (QED)* or
• Hydrite 142*
7.2 Equipment:
• Membrane filters, diameter 47 mm, pore
size 5.0 micrometers.* (At least one per sample
collected. Heavily contaminated samples may
require several filters per sample.)
less than 2% of volume measured.
• Colored plugs, for plugging ends of
conduit. Plugs should be any color, other than
black, to ensure that any contaminant generated
by them can be identified.
• (T) Non-magnetic stainless steel balls,
3/16 inch diameter, and 1/8 inch diameter.
• (T) Strainer, for holding steel balls while
rinsing.

• Membrane filters, diameter 25 mm, pore • (T) Magnetism indicator (gaussmeter)

size 0.8 micrometers.*
• (T) Degaussing coil large enough to
• Pyrex filter holder assembly, 47 mm with demagnetize the parts to be checked to a level
funnel.* (Approximately 300 ml capacity). of less than 5 gauss.

8. EQUIPMENT PREPARATION
• One liter side arm filter flask.*
8.1 Place petri dish with 5.0 micron filter in
• Covered glass petri dishes, 150 mm
85°C oven for 15 minutes.
diameter.*
8.2 Remove petri dish, with filter, from oven.
• Petri slides for 47 mm diameter filters.*
(One for each membrane filter). 8.3 With cover ajar, allow filter to cool to
ambient room conditions for at least 15 minutes.
• Solvent filtering dispenser, one liter, 25
mm diameter filter size.* 8.4 Weigh clean membrane filters and record
weight. Extra filters may be required to
• Vacuum pump, capable of drawing 85 complete cleaning.
kPa vacuum.
8.5 Insert the membrane filter in the pyrex
• Drying oven capable of maintaining 85°C filter holder assembly, for use in clause 12.
± 2°.
8.6 Filter solvent through 0.8 micrometer
• Analytical balance with accuracy of ±0.5 filter. Volume should be 50% ± 10% of volume
mg. Balance should be equipped with an alpha of component to be cleaned.
ray ionizer (static eliminator).
8.7 Pour filtered solvent into clean beakers
• 20x Microscope, minimum, or 7X for use in contaminant collection procedure.
magnifier, with calibrated scale for sizing
particles.
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HYDRAULIC CLEANLINESS DETERMINATION PROCEDURE B 3 OF 5 87281310
 Engineering Specifications
9. CONTAMINANT COLLECTION
PROCEDURE – TUBES
9.1 Seal all openings except one, with clean
plugs that do not add to contaminant level of
parts. Conduit assemblies which have no
orifices may be evaluated as a unit.
9.2 Pour clean solvent from beakers into
remaining opening in conduit. If part has an
orifice, proceed to Clause 9.9.
9.3 Place stainless steel balls in part using 4
balls per 300 mm of conduit length up to a
maximum of 60 balls. Use 3/16 inch diameter
balls for inside diameters of 6.3 mm or larger.
Use 1/8 inch diameter balls for inside diameter
of 3.2 mm to 6.3mm. Balls to be thoroughly
washed so they do not add to contaminant level
of the tube.
9.4 Seal remaining opening with clean plug.
9.5 Agitate ten cycles while rotating the part
approximately 45° between cycles. A cycle
consists of manipulating the tube so that the
steel balls travel from one end of the tube to the
other and then back to the starting end.
9.6 Pour contents of part into beaker.
9.7 Capture balls by pouring contents of
beaker through strainer into a second beaker.
9.8 Spray balls with clean solvent from wash
bottles and catch solvent in second beaker.
Proceed to Clause 9.13
9.9 Seal remaining opening with clean plug.
9.10 Agitate ten cycles while rotating the part
approximately 45° between cycles. A cycle
consists of manipulating the tube so that the
solvent travels from one end of the tube to the
other and then back to the starting end.
9.11 Pour contents of part into beaker from
opening where solvent was poured into part.
9.12 Repeat from 9.1 through 9.11, but pour
solvent into and out of an opening on the
opposite side of the orifice.
NAME
HYDRAULIC CLEANLINESS DETERMINATION PROCEDURE
ES-M0108
9.13 Proceed to Clause 12.
10. CONTAMINANT COLLECTION
PROCEDURE – HOSES
10.1 For parts 3 meters long and shorter,
proceed to Clause 10.2. For hoses longer than
3 meters proceed to Clause 10.7.
10.2 Seal one end with clean plug that does
not add to contaminant level of the hose.
10.3 Pour clean solvent from beakers into
remaining opening in hose.
10.4 Seal remaining opening with clean plug.
10.5 Agitate ten cycles while turning the part
approximately 45° between cycles. A cycle
consists of manipulating the hose so that the
solvent travels from one end of the hose to the
other and then back to the starting end.
10.6 Pour contents of part into beaker from
opening where solvent was poured into part.
Proceed to Clause 10.8.
10.7 Pour solvent through part and collect in
container at opposite end. Rotate hose while
pouring to ensure that all internal surfaces are
flushed. Repeat twice with clean solvent for a
total of 3 flushes.
10.8 Proceed to Clause 12.
11. CONTAMINANT COLLECTION
PROCEDURE – CONNECTORS
11.1 If the wetted surface area of a single part
is less than 0.0025 m2, use multiple parts to
obtain a test area greater than 0.0025 m2.
11.2 Over a clean beaker, wash the interior,
wetted surfaces of the connector taking care not
to wash contaminants from the outside surfaces
of the connector.
11.3 Proceed to Clause 12.
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B 4 OF 5 87281310
 Engineering Specifications ES-M0108

12. FILTERING 14.3 The first 7 bullets in 7.2 are available

from Millipore Corp., Bedford, Mass., 01730.
12.1 Transfer the content of beakers into the (Suggested source)
funnel of the filter assembly.
Note: Fluids contamination analysis kit
12.2 Rinse beakers with clean solvent filtering available from Millipore Corp. Kit includes all
dispenser to insure that all contaminant is apparatus except balance, drying oven and
transferred to funnel. microscope.
12.3 Apply vacuum and draw fluid through the
filter.

12.4 Wash down the inside of the funnel with

clean solvent in dispenser.

12.5 Release vacuum. Carefully remove filter

from the funnel base and place in covered 150
mm petri dish.

13. WEIGHING

13.1 Place petri dish with filter in 85°C oven

for minimum of 30 minutes. Note: additional
time may be required to eliminate all residual
solvent.

13.2 Remove petri dish, with filter, from oven.

13.3 With cover ajar, allow filter to cool to

ambient room conditions for at least 15 minutes.

13.4 Re-weigh each filter and calculate net

weight of contaminant.

13.5 Insert filter in petri slide.

13.6 Determine and document the three

largest particles present. Fibers such as hair,
lint, etc., are not to be counted.

14. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Explanation of specific clauses (included for

information only.)

14.1 Electron QEDT is available from Ecolink,

Inc., Stone Mountain, GA 30083.

14.2 Hydrite is available from Hydrite

Chemical Co., Brookfield, WI 53045.

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HYDRAULIC CLEANLINESS DETERMINATION PROCEDURE B 5 OF 5 87281310