ISO 4263-3:2010 specifies a method for the determination of the ageing behaviour of synthetic hydraulic fluids of categories HFDR, HFDU, HEES and HEPG as defined e.g. in ISO 12922 and ISO 15380. The ageing is accelerated by the presence of oxygen and metal catalysts at elevated temperature, and the degradation of the fluid is followed by changes in acid number. Other parts of ISO 4263 specify similar procedures for the determination of ageing behaviour of mineral oils and specified categories of fire-resistant fluids used in hydraulic and other applications.

Other signs of fluid deterioration, such as the formation of insoluble sludge, catalyst coil corrosion or decrease in viscosity, can occur, which indicate oxidation of the fluid, but are not reflected in the calculated oxidation lifetime. The correlation of these occurrences with field service is under investigation.

ISO 4263-3:2010 can be used to compare the oxidation stability of fluids that are not prone to contamination with water. However, because of the large number of individual field-service applications, the correlation between the results of ISO 4263-3:2010 and actual service performance can vary markedly, and is best judged on experience.

The precision of ISO 4263-3:2010 for synthetic hydraulic fluids is not known because interlaboratory data are not available. ISO 4263-3:2010 might not be suitable for use in specifications or in the event of disputed results as long as these data are not available. However, precision for inhibited turbine oils is given for guidance as an indication of the precision that could be obtained for synthetic hydraulic fluids.