Help! Cylinder on New Splitter Leaks Like Crazy!

[VelvetFoot]

The splitter, a 30 Ton Harbor Freight unit, which I got last fall, but only really started to use this week is leaking oil like crazy through the ram seal. The leaking stops after a while (gets hot?), but after the engine is turned off for a while, upon restart it starts leaking like crazy again. This isn't just a little leak. I am using the premium heavy duty hydraulic fluid from NAPA.

What's the prognosis? I'm thinking there's no adjustment, but since I can't see in there, could that be a possibility?
Are seals replaceable by a relatively handy owner, or is it a job only for pros with very specialized and expensive tools?
I'll try warranty, but somehow I remember a 90 day deal, which is long gone.

Thanks.

 

[ericjeeper]

buy the seals and rebuild it..

But first find out which seal is bad, and what caused it to go bad. Damaged chrome is quite often the cause.

 

[fireman31]

I hope this helps!!!!

Most likely it's a seal or O ring gone bad. Neither is difficult to replace. You may find it easier to to disassemble the cylinder packing nut or rod end cap if you leave it on the splitter. Working with a round cylinder on the workbench or floor is like trying to shove a chain.You may have to buy or fabricate a pin wrench (out of bolts and scrap steel) or maybe you can use a punch and hammer.

Be sure to inspect the chrome on the rod. a nick or rough spot as stated before is likely the cause of the failure

You won't need to take the whole cylinder with you to the parts place just take the rod,piston and the end of the cylinder that the rod pokes through.

Try the yellow pages for a place that does specificly hydraulic repairs. There are a couple in my area. They tend to be a little more expensive but they are MUCH better at finding the right ( or better) parts. I'll explain better parts in the second to last paragraph. Places like napa generally don't have anyone that knows much about anything they can't look up in the computer.

I reccomend replacing the piston seal AND the rod seal since you'll have it apart. A few extra bucks spent now will save you the headache of doing it again!!

Since I mentioned the headache of doing it again I'd also reccomend somthing else. If you have the type of seals that are O rings with a wiper on both sides you should replace them with the the one piece lip style seal. Good quality lips seals will last MUCH longer that the O ring and wiper type arrangement!!!

Lip seals seem to last longer on rods that have questionable chrome surfaces as well!!!!

 

[046]

seems there were other posts a while back about harbor freight splitters leaking.

 

[VelvetFoot]

Thanks fireman. The chrome on the rod should virginal-I only started using it yesterday. Didn't leak yesterday. I don't think it's related, but today when I started I forgot to unblock the air hole. I saw the leak and then opened the airhole, but the leak happened every time the unit 'rested' for a little while. I just started it up again and took a look. The oil oozes quickly around the entire seal. The mfr didn't indicate that type of fluid was critical and I put in the premium stuff at NAPA.

 

[CylinderService]

Sounds like a single-acting cylinder if it has a vent hole. The piston inside the cylinder, (at the end of the rod) is leaking. Oil accumulates on the outer side of the piston, and then is forced out the vent when you extend the rod fully. That's why it gushes out - it isn't really leaking that fast.
You'll have to take the cylinder apart and replace the piston seals. Probably one of them was damaged when the cylinder was put together. If you're lucky your local hydraulic shop will have seals you can use. If not you can send the old seals to us and we'll match them up and return to you. (you can use a credit card.) The seals shouldn't be expensive - probably $10-20.

Don the Hydraulics Guy

[email protected]

 

[VelvetFoot]

Thanks Don.
Doesn't sound that'll somehow heal itself, so I guess I'll have to take it apart.

 

[VelvetFoot]

Wow, there's a 2-year warranty on the cylinder and they're sending me a new one. One month delivery for the proverbial slow boat though.

 

[ericjeeper]

do you have to ship the old one back?

If not go ahead and buy seals for it, Then shelve the new one for later on down the road.
doubt you will ever need it though. My 17.5 ton Brave splitter is 25 years old and does not weep any oil at all.

 

[VelvetFoot]

No, it costs too much to send back for them.
It could be a learning experience.

 

[VelvetFoot]

It's very weird. Yesterday I started it up and no leak! Restarted a while later and leak galore when actuated (forward or reverse), for a period of time and then it stops.
Maybe I should have used the cheaper fluid-it's getting expensive to replace. :bang:

 

[CylinderService]

I bet the seals are cheaper than all that oil. Why don't you tear it down & put in some new ones?

 

[VelvetFoot]

Good point!

 

[richoj]

cylinder oil leak

I'm just a "weekend mechanic", but I can share with you.

Afew months ago, my 24 ton Harbor Freight splitter blew the piston into the stop. The nut had come off the rear end of the piston. It's another story, but with the help of these guys from this site, I was able to fix it and it works fine.

If you go to the H F web site, you will see a layout of your piston and seals---one set in front, one set in back. H F sells the seal kits.

As for the work, I used a soft punch and hammer to get the threaded front end off and on--it went real easy. You don't have to pull the piston out all the way---just enough to get to the seal unit which just SITS at the front of the piston. I would suggest that you tilt the front up so that the oil doesn't gush out. If you do pull the piston out all the way, check to see that the nut is secure.

Again, the guys on this site know WAY more than me and they are really helpful. If you want more details on how I did the work, get back to me.

 

[infomet]

Yea, use the warranty, fix the old cylinder and sell it!
How could he have a single acting cylinder on a splitter??

 

[Mr. Firewood]

Yea, use the warranty, fix the old cylinder and sell it!
How could he have a single acting cylinder on a splitter??

I have seen them like that, the old lickety split splitters had a single action cylinder 4" with a large spring inside the cylinder to forcefully pull it back

 

[VelvetFoot]

I just thought I'd update this thread. I fixed the leaking ram today. The big nut was loose, there was a missing 2" o-ring and a damaged 1.5" o-ring. Started right up and no leaks after splitting several pieces.

 

[super3]

Speedy repair!