Help hydraulic problem with splitter

[arlen]

I bought a used splitter from a neighbor this is the 2nd time I used it. the first time I split a 12" euc round it worked great. Today I tried to split a 15"round with some knots the splitter stopped than it started spraying hydraulic fluid out of the reservoir cap. their is a hole drilled in the cap sideways? factory possibly? When I retracted the cylinder it sprayed out of the cap again. Is the hydraulic tank under pressure? Should I screw on a regular 3/4 inch black iron cap? I do know know what is happening:msp_confused: thanks David

 

[arlen]

The splitter is gas powered small robbins engine. The cylinder looks like 4" possibly 31/2" the motor did not bog down the ram just stopped and it started to spray hydraulic fluid out of the reservoir cap?

 

[atvguns]

Have you checked your fluid level sounds like the tank is to full the whole in the cap is a vent to let air in and out when the fluid heat's and cools the tank should not be pressurized.

 

[Wife'nHubby]

Sounds like the tank is either too full of hydraulic oil (did you fill it recently?) or, the vent hole is partially plugged up - that hole should be clear so air can pass through it.

My hyd. tank is small, about only 1+ gallon. I run my tank with oil down about 1" from the top of the tank, in other words, the tank is not filled to the brim.

Suggestion: Take the cap off your tank, try to remove some oil. Cycle the ram in and out a couple of times without the cap on the tank, check the hyd. level in the tank to maintain about 1" down from the cap. Put the cap back on - give it a run.

If problem persists, check to make sure your flex hoses are not collapsing under pressure when the ram is cycling. Collapsing will cause back pressure and the there's only a few places oil can go - through a seal on the ram or out through the vent on your cap.

But then again, these suggestions are coming from a woman - so take them for what they may or may not be worth.

Guys are better for this info....... I concede in advance!

Shari

 

[arlen]

OK I can check tomorrow. I already pumped out some fluid from the vent cap it sprayed out 5" out both sides at the same time. when I tried to use it. Maybe the question is why do I have pressure in my reservoir. Can the pump run backward or the engine run backward? I do not know what is happening just guessing.

 

[arlen]

Thanks Shari sounds well thought out. David

 

[Wife'nHubby]

You haven't said if you added hyd. oil since the first use so I'm just kind of guessing here - if you were real low on hyd. oil and added some, you might just have air trapped in the lines which could then add excess pressure to the lines causing the spray. Take the cap off, cycle the ram in/out/in/out a couple of times and see if the oil level goes down. If it does, you had excess air in the lines. Once the air is gone, add oil to the 1" level (because it will have gone down on it's own once the air is gone), put the cap on and get to splitting!

Again, just guessing here at this early morning time frame...

Shari

 

[mga]

remove the cap and run the splitter to see if there are any air bubbles flowing into the tank as the oil is circulating. if there are, you are drawing air in your suction line.

your tank should not be under pressure. the air vent is only there for expansion when the oil gets warm and to equalize the tank when oil is being sucked out of it.

is there a fliter on that splitter?

is there a debris screen on the suction line? (some people install these thinking they are doing some thing good)

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Really dumb question

Is the splitter on level ground?

Take Care

 

[RAMROD48]

Really dumb question

Is the splitter on level ground?

Take Care

Well its not so dumb...start with the easiest to fix first...

 

[Karl Robbers]

Ok, a basic hydrailic lesson here.
Your splitter, in fact all splitters will have a doudle acting cylinder, IE, one that pushes and pulls.
Now when you push, it will take a greater volume of oil to actuate the cylinder than when you pull or retract the cylinder. The reason for this is the fact that if you have a 4" cylinder when pushing you utilise the full 4" bore giving a surface area of 12.566 square inches, but when retracting you utilise The 4" bore LESS the piston rod diameter, so assuming a rod diameter of 1 1/2" we get 12.566" less 2.356" giving only 10.21 square inches available.
So, if you were to fill the oil with the cylinder extended and then retract it you will overflow the tank because you get back more oil than you use to retract the cylinder. So, when filling your tank always do so with the cylinder retracted and preferably with the oil warmed up to allow for expansion, allowing an air gap of 1-2".
It is impossible for the motor to run backwards, so if we rule out an overfilled tank, I would suspect a blocked breather or air in the system, (which should only occur if you run the unit out of oil totally).
Try running with the breather cap unscrewed to rule out a blocked breather and DO NOT use a pipe bung as you must have a vented system.
Make sure that when you use the unit the oil is not covering the vent holes such as operating on a slope with an overfull resevoir.
Did the splitter push through the log you were splitting or did it run out of power? If it still has good power then you have no major problems and it will be something minor.

 

[arlen]

Really dumb question

Is the splitter on level ground?

Take Care

Going to sound pretty foolish total operator error:msp_ohmy:
No it was not I checked with a level and jacked it up 8" and put a jack stand under it to level it. Than when I took off the vent cap and cycled the cylinder a few times I looked into the reservoir and guess what the tank purged and released an air bubble and a gusher of hydraulic fluid blew up into my face. Luckily it was not hot and I wear glasses.

 

[arlen]

Karl thanks for the hydraulic lesson.
After I leveled the splitter reservoir and removed the vent can and cycled the cylinder a few times I tried to split the same round. The round stopped the splitter and the motor stalled. When I retract the cylinder and it gets to the end the motor stalls. David

 

[CJ1]

Karl thanks for the hydraulic lesson.
After I leveled the splitter reservoir and removed the vent can and cycled the cylinder a few times I tried to split the same round. The round stopped the splitter and the motor stalled. When I retract the cylinder and it gets to the end the motor stalls. David

1 st question is it at full throttle and the engine warmed up and choke off? If it is then maybe the valve that selects between high and low side has crap in it, or somebody turned the pressure adjustment between the high side and low side in not allowing the pump to shift to the small displacement side. CJ

 

[arlen]

Pump Problem

1 st question is it at full throttle and the engine warmed up and choke off? If it is then maybe the valve that selects between high and low side has crap in it, or somebody turned the pressure adjustment between the high side and low side in not allowing the pump to shift to the small displacement side. CK

OK, I have a new 6 1/2 hp harbor freight Chinese Honda copy. The old motor had a smashed tank and was missing the air filter housing so I changed the motor luckily it bolted up perfectly. When I warmed up the motor and tried to split the same round the same thing happened the engine stalled. I watched it a few times and noticed the pump stayed in hi it did not shift down to low to help split the round. Now what do i do? If I need to replace the pump any suggestions on proper size price and best place to buy thanks again David.:msp_unsure:

 

[mga]

OK, I have a new 6 1/2 hp harbor freight Chinese Honda copy. The old motor had a smashed tank and was missing the air filter housing so I changed the motor luckily it bolted up perfectly. When I warmed up the motor and tried to split the same round the same thing happened the engine stalled. I watched it a few times and noticed the pump stayed in hi it did not shift down to low to help split the round. Now what do i do? If I need to replace the pump any suggestions on proper size price and best place to buy thanks again David.:msp_unsure:

can you identify the old pump?

and, are you sure you aren't sucking air into it?
i find it hard to believe it worked one day and not the next.

 

[arlen]

Pump

OK here is what I know about the Pump

Northern Inc.
1-800-222-5381
Brunsville MN.
1012
date code 100105

I called the number and found out the company was Northern Tool
The rep told me the number 1012 was a Haldex 11GPM two stage pump 3000 psi max that required a 5 hp minimum motor. Do not know what the date code is at this time. I can call tomorrow and get a technical guy and ask some questions. Is their still air in the pump not sure I cycled the cylinder back and forth 10 times?

 

[Wife'nHubby]

What's the fluid level like now? An inch down from the cap should be about right - less than that you'd need to add more.

 

[moose5180]

I am no expert but sounds like your reservoir cap (breather) is plugged or bad. Do you know if there is a suction strainer in the tank and or return line filter? Possibly clogged as well causing fluid to surge? Just a guess.

What size is your reservoir? I am currently building a splitter and learned some interesting info about proper reservoir design and size.
When you cycled the cylinder 10 times did you give it time in between strokes to recycle, breathe, cool?

 

[arlen]

What's the fluid level like now? An inch down from the cap should be about right - less than that you'd need to add more.

I added hydraulic fluid with the cylinder retracted it was down 1" from the top of the tank, the tank is now level.