Huskee 27 ton Locked up!! The saga begins.

Got the 27 ton Huskee last year and it has been nothing but reliable.

The Honda fires off on the first or second pull no matter how cold.

It has punched through 30"+ rounds and only bogged a little.

Yesterday I made it to the cousins place, and was working on some big Cherry blow downs. The Huskee made it though about 3/4 cord of rounds the 20" Bar would almost span, and then came the Elm.... 12" rounds.

All was going well untill the ram got into a knot, slowed down, and then the Motor slowed and died.

I set the valve lever to bypass and pulled to start the Honda.
Locked up!!! DOH!!!

Checked the oil. Yep! still full at the proper level, and was changed early fall with Mobil-1 10w30.

Ended up cutting the round out and thanks to bieng tired, cold a ticked off, parked the splitter in the Barn and called Speeco.

No I dunno where all the factory literature is, or the receipt. It's likely filed away with all the other factory warrantys we have and buried somewhere.

The nice Lady at speeco advised that it's likely the Lovejoy coupling between the motor and the Pump...and to call in the morning after I get in there and diassemble things. I'm heading that way shortly.

Anybody else have this sorta thing happen?

For the life of me I can't figure out how a Lovejoy coupling can fail and lock up the pump and motor... this should be interesting!

I'll update and attempt pics later.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Possibly hydraulic pump?

I dont think she is implying the coupling failed. Loosen up the setscrews and slide it apart. Unhook the pump literally from the motor. Maybe the pump locked up for some reason. Definately would be easier to fix!

Thats my guess as well.

Very interesting, please keep us updated. :jawdrop:

when i got my splitter a few years ago the honda seized up id say in the first 30 seconds it ran. yes i did put oil in it lol. when i went to drain the oil to ship it back it was totally full of metal. they gave me another motor and its been great. musta been a motor built at 4 oclock on a friday.

I thought on small engines you are supposed to use sae 30 (a straight 30 non detergent) I use a synthetic sae 30 oil for cold weather. Oil like 10w30 is not recommended for engines without oil filters because it foam's up.

Pretty easy to diagnose in the field. Take the bolts out of the pump bracket and pull it away from the motor and try to turn each one. My guess? the pump since every place that sells two stage splitters stocks pumps.

HUH I'm wondering if something didn't happen to the re-coil? I mean if you can't even pull the cord I would start there. Pretty easy to check only 4 self tapping screw hold it in.

Update,

Got things apart. Lovejoy coupling is a little squished from use but normal.

Honda motor turns and runs just fine as I figured.

Pump is locked up like it was welded!
I figured as much. Hopefully it's under warranty and I bothered to mail in the registration card.

Am waiting to get through to the nice lady at Speeco.

If not, I gotta start shopping around for a better pump.
I hate it when stuff breaks down when bieng used, and I hate cheapo parts.
Anybody got any ideas on upgrades??

OH!!!
The oil thing...

10W30 is specified by Speeco and Honda for temps below 50 degrees.
I run 10W30 Mobil1 in just about everything come winter, as I buy in bulk for the Farm. No problems so far. Maybe Gary has some insight on the multi-grade oil foaming issue. That would be interesting.


Thanks!
Dingeryote

The almost same thing happened to me. I had bought a Northern Tools 30 ton splitter. Used it a couple times when to start it the engine ran fine but i could not get the blade to come out of the splitter. Turned out at the factory they did not tighten the screws on the coupler.

just about every small engine I have is running on 10w30... also my old Ford 801 power master... and no problems... the guy I know that works on these things said that modern 10w30 is fine 30w is fine but for year round use 10w30 is fine. ( that and I only have to buy 3 kinds of oil... 10w30, 5w30 and 15w40...

Update,

Just got off the phone with Carolyn(Nice lady at Speeco) again.

I broke the news to her that it wasn't the Lovejoy coupler(Which sucks because Lovejoy is 12 miles down the road) but the Hydro pump that is locked up.

Her reply was to get my address so she could ship a replacement pump and a call tag for my dead pump.
No need for warranty card wierdness or Godmothers shoe size.:jawdrop:

New pump will be sent out this afternoon and should be here no later than Tuesday. The option of having an authorized service center do the install/swap was offered, but seeing as how the nearest one is 50 Miles up the road, I'll spend the 20 Min. and do it myself.

WOW!!!
I did not expect this level of customer service on a $1,100 splitter.
Too bad Speeco dosn't make a 3/4 ton truck.

If ya gotta call Speeco, ask for Carolyn, the Gal knows her stuff and is a Gem to deal with.


Thanks again Gang!!
Dingeryote

Jkebxjunke said:

just about every small engine I have is running on 10w30... also my old Ford 801 power master... and no problems... the guy I know that works on these things said that modern 10w30 is fine 30w is fine but for year round use 10w30 is fine. ( that and I only have to buy 3 kinds of oil... 10w30, 5w30 and 15w40...

Click to expand...

And a new one to me also is my 2004 Ford truck says to run 5w20 how many different oils are there? I know it is not a problem to run a good synthetic sae 30 I have run it in my snowblower motor and my lawnmower, and 8 hp log splitter for years with no problems. The 5w, 10w is a detergent oil and is made to foam up a little to clean the engine but I thought it was only for engines with oil filters so the cleaning detergent action has some place to filter the dirt / carbon it cleans. I know in air compressor motors and pressure type pumps using a detergent oil is a no no.

nice, i was looking for a splitter and now i know what i'll be buying, thanx for the post.

27 ton pump

Thanks for allowing SpeeCo the opportunity to work with you on the locked up pump. About 75-80 percent of the time when folks call in with those symptoms it ends up being the coupler, so thanks for ruling that possibility out.

We have made arrangements for the pump to be sent to you direct with the requirement that the old one is returned to us. Let me know if run into any problems with the install.

Carolyn @ Speeco (AKA "nice lady")

Carolyn @ Speeco (AKA "nice lady] An A+ & pos. rep. for you and you company - All repairs should go as good as Dingers -

Wow, wish all places or even some were that easy to deal with.

Coldfront:

No engine oil is made to foam on purpose. Anti-foam is added to both detergent and non-detergent oils to prevent foaming as it is undesirable in an engine.....it is not part of the cleaning process. Foaming occurs when small air bubbles form as the oil bounces around in the engine - and additives in the oil help to dissipate the bubbles. Non-detergent oils are old technology and should not be used in any modern engines - however for some reason it is still required for use in air some air compressors.

creyes@speeco said:

Thanks for allowing SpeeCo the opportunity to work with you on the locked up pump. About 75-80 percent of the time when folks call in with those symptoms it ends up being the coupler, so thanks for ruling that possibility out.

We have made arrangements for the pump to be sent to you direct with the requirement that the old one is returned to us. Let me know if run into any problems with the install.

Carolyn @ Speeco (AKA "nice lady")

Click to expand...

Again, Wow!

I didn't know you were a member here...

Too cool!!

If there are any snags on the replacement, I'll holler, guranteed!!
Except maybe for the one bolt on the right rear(Gads that one is hard to get a wrench or finger on!) I can't see too much cussing involved in a swap out.

I appreciate the support!

I'm used to spending at least a hour on the phone, just to talk to somebody in Bombay India who dosn't speak english well, and has never seen or used whatever it is I am having issues with..LOL!!

Thanks again!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Kudos to Carolyn! It just goes to show how important it is to have good Dealer support.....priceless!

RD