losing down pressure on splitter...

[gunnar]

Hey guys,

I bought a 35 ton husky splitter 3 months ago and it was working like a bear until last week. It lost some down pressure/force. When splitting, it now doesn't go through everything like it used and it seems to be coming down slower also. It struggles to go through some wood now, which it didn't before and some stuff its not going through at all.

Any suggestions of possible problems or solutions? No major leaks that I could see.

thanks!
Gunnar

 

[ericjeeper]

Not another speeco issue

Check for a sheared key on the pump or love joy coupling. Have no fear this unit is under warranty,and I am sure they will step up to the plate.
Hopefully we can help you diagnose the problem and they can ship you the parts.. save you from a possible long time wait on a repair shop.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Could be that you lost the second stage in the pump.

 

[gunnar]

I'm not too mechanically inclined.....lol....how do i check for these problems?

any pics or diagrams?

thank you.....
gunnar

 

[Ontario_Logger]

is there enough hyd fluid in it?
good luck!

 

[bore_pig]

No major leaks that I could see.

So what kind of minor leaks does it have?

 

[Wife'nHubby]

I just went through this with my 1980's(?) Didier splitter. I found a collapsed hyd. hose which we are in process of replacing.

Shari

 

[Buckethead]

We also have a 35 ton Huskee splitter.

When a similar thing happened to us it was easily fixed by replacing the hyd. oil filter. I'd also check the hyd. fluid level...ours was down below the low mark with no obvious leaks. While you are checking the fluid level look at the color. If the fluid looks milky it could indicate an air leak, obstructed suction line, or water in the fluid.

If that doesn't fix it you may have to resort to putting a pressure gauge in the system to see what's going on with the pump and relief valve.

 

[gunnar]

is there enough hyd fluid in it?
good luck!

fluid level is good...checked that right away

 

[gunnar]

So what kind of minor leaks does it have?

at the hose from the cylinder; minor moisture after approximately 2 hours of use. Should be able to just tighten to cure that.....

 

[kevin j]

may have to resort to putting a pressure gauge in the system to see what's going on with the pump and reli




After the obvious visual checks listed above, I would START with putting a gauge in.
Need hard facts to go by.

 

[gunnar]

I contacted speeco and they said for me to bring it to the TSC service center to see what the problem is. I dropped it off last week and will you keep you guys posted as to what the problem is.

thanks again!
Gunnar

 

[user 19670]

While you are checking the fluid level look at the color. If the fluid looks milky it could indicate an air leak, obstructed suction line, or water in the fluid.

Are you serious?

 

[Buckethead]

Are you serious?

Absolutely...

Water will make it look milky and affect performance. Air entrained in the fluid will also make it look milky and slow everything way down. Air can get in through a leak on the suction side of the system. It can also happen if the suction line or filter is obstructed which will cause pump cavitation. This can also result in air-entrained fluid.

Air in the fluid causes sluggish operation and reduced power.

 

[user 19670]

I worked as a Millwright for over 30 years and have yet to see air causing oil to be milky. Water - yes, air - not that I have ever seen.

Also cavitation is something other than air entrapment. Cavitation is what happens when the oil is actually pulled apart or vapourized inside the pump because the suction is partially blocked. It is pulled apart into a vapour and collapses back into a liquid over and over and you can hear the hammering that the pump is taking. Cavitation and air entrapment leave different damage on the impeller. They are not one and the same.

 

[Wirenut2266]

Dead head the system in forward/reverse. If you get that 2000 lbs. plus (If you have a guage) then you know it is internal blowby in the cylinder itself.

Trust me, I know, I just went thrugh exact thing!:censored:

 

[Mike Van]

This things only 3 months old though, I would hope nothing has that kind of wear in 3 months. I'd guess some kind of blockage on the suction side, but as with all things, without seeing or hearing it, it's kind of hard to tell.

 

[Ontario_Logger]

What type of hyd fluid is in it? maybe its to thin? there also might be a clogged hose?

 

[gunnar]

update

After a month of my splitter being at the service center it is finally home. It was a control valve problem. They replaced it, which the part was on back ordered.

After trying it out for a while it seems like it doesn't have as much as power as when I first got it. It wasn't going through some different oak, which when i first got i thought it would go through damn anything. I don't know, unless its just me and now i've found some knarly wood that it ( and other splitters) would have trouble with.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[darren_nh]

That should have no problem going through anything, my 22 goes through everthing. bring it back again if you can afford the downtime.