New homemade wood splitter headache

[Dave79]

Hello all! Please throw me your 2 bits. Just made a wood splitter with a haldex? 5-8 hp 2 stage pump, 4 gallon reservoir, 3.5" diameter 24" stroke cylinder. Motor is a new 6.5 hp princes auto Honda knock off(harbour freight equivalent),and a log splitter kickoff valve.
I can only run the motor on choke, half or full and it still stalls on me. It can run for 5 minutes splitting hardwood or softwood like a boss and then it craps out every 10 seconds.
I have taken the carb apart, ran wire thru the main jet, shot carb cleaner thru every port I could find. Good flow from the tank, new 94 octane gas, changed the spark plug. Took a propane torch with the valve open up and down the motor to test for vacuum leaks. Motor has 155 psi compression.
Before I take the motor in and try to warranty it with a half hour use and 2 years past warranty
( bought the parts for the wood splitter Johnny cash style, one piece at a time over several years)
I would like to rule out the hydraulics causing excessive load? Or W.H.Y.
I have been picking away at this for years on a budget, this year I planned to finish it and enjoy saving my back and hands.
Any ideas input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Streblerm]

Only running on choke suggests a carburetor problem to me. The choke limits air intake. This does not increase power in any way which suggests not a hydraulic problem. I ran into a Honda engine (not clone) that ran that way out of the box. The problem turned out to be the jet was not drilled to the correct size. I fixed it with a set of small numbered drill bits and a pin vise.

I'd pull the jet and measure the hole in it or just buy another carb.

 

[triptester]

Try running the engine with the pump removed.
Does your hydraulic tank have a vent?

 

[blades]

carb issue - possibly sticking float or the pick up tube that feeds carb is still partially blocked very small crossed drilled holes in that -just spray will not clear need a very fine wire or needle run through those- will mostly run fine no load- add load starves out. ditto that the tank is vented both Hydro and the eng gas tank as well - seen bad caps on those. another would be a collapsing fuel line, Ethanol eats everything eventually- or in the case of metal carbs cause oxidation in the passages that spray will not clean out sitting for a long time like you had. just some other ideas from to much experience with this. ( oh and the plastic carbs are not immune to any of this either as the ethanol, when it evaporates, leaves deposits behind)

 

[Dave79]

Try running the engine with the pump removed.
Does your hydraulic tank have a vent?

No it doesn't, I run it with the cap loose. might not be enough?

 

[blades]

What kind of cap? A pipe fitting or a store bought cap?

 

[kz1000]

take the gas cap off.

 

[Greenerpastures]

Sounds like carb, did you take out the spark plug and look at its condition,
it may give a clue as to how the engine is running.
Is there one of those low oil shutdowns, and is there enough engine oil in
the the engine.

Will the engine run without the hydraulic pump, disconnect it and see,
there may be a hydraulic load on the engine even if you are not pulling
the leaver and putting pressure on the engine.
The hydraulics need to flow continousley, and when you pull the lever to
split, then the oil is diverted to the ram, if you have things connected differently
then may be your system is under pressure and is blowing off at the hydraulic
releif valve, thus straining the engine a lot.

Just some ideas, & hope you get all sorted.

Regards, john

 

[Dave79]

Thanks for the great suggestions!
Tried a carb from a Honda gx motor, still no go. Ran with the caps off fuel tank and hydraulic tank. Big funnel cramed in the hole, and still burped up like crazy?
Motor kept stalling. Spark plug was black.
I'll disconnect hydraulic pump tomorrow, Should have done it by now!

 

[Greenerpastures]

Your not running her with the choke still on,
if there is a spark arrestor may be reomove and look
at its condition, and keep off while testin, then take hydraulic
pump off if engine is still playing up, May be the muffler is restricted
in so other way from new, or some critters built a nest in it.

Is the engine over heating or just not running smooth, it seems wrong
to have to run with the choke half on, maybe try another ignition module
on it too and a new plug, black at least suggest fuel is getting in there,
though it seems to not be burning up cleanly, and that could be due to a load
that is not being responded to by the govnor, or a load such as a hydraulic
circuit keeping up pressure that is only escaping via a blow off valve.
There is also the govnor linkage, has anyone moved it, bent the arm
or stretched the spring, or dropped something in behind it that would be
restricing its movement, it could even be seized to the bushing it is hinged on
due to side impact, not trying to make your day miserable, just so many small
things that can bring trouble if they are not right.
Is the engine smoking, and does this get better or worse over time.

Regards, john

 

[moondoggie]

Water in your gas? My splitter will have the same symptoms if I split wood for an hour or so in the pouring down rain or if I leave it outside uncovered. I also just noticed recently that my gas cap is missing one of 4 little pieces of plastic that help it vent.

 

[Dave79]

Disconnected hydraulics, no change in motor. Tried different spark plug, no change.
Gas is ethanol free and fresh and my generator and pickup love it.
Taking the motor back to supplier with less than an hour use to see if they will
Let me trade up to something better then run it for an hour before hooking up
Hydraulics.
Got too much invested now to quit!

 

[Ted Jenkins]

If your plug is black it is too rich. Still think you have a carb issue. Not all carbs can be adjusted for mixture. There are many under twenty bucks for a new one. BTW you can buy a new motor 6 1/2 HP for a $100 not what you want to hear, but you could be up and running in 4 hrs or less. Thanks

 

[Big_Eddy]

Just made a wood splitter with a haldex? 5-8 hp 2 stage pump, 4 gallon reservoir, 3.5" diameter 24" stroke cylinder. Motor is a new 6.5 hp princes auto Honda knock off(harbour freight equivalent),and a log splitter kickoff valve.
I can only run the motor on choke, half or full and it still stalls on me. It can run for 5 minutes splitting hardwood or softwood like a boss and then it craps out every 10 seconds.

( bought the parts for the wood splitter Johnny cash style, one piece at a time over several years)
I would like to rule out the hydraulics causing excessive load? Or W.H.Y.

Pump and motor seem like a good match. Valve sounds correct based on the description. If it splits "like a boss for a bit" before quitting then it's not likely a valve / pump / plumbing issue.
However, to quickly rule out the hydraulics - remove the pump from the motor (4 bolts and flex coupler) and run it. If the problem persists - its has to be a motor issue.

If the motor runs fine for 5 minutes and then dies - that suggests to me that the carb needle valve / float is sticking or plugged. Not unusual on a motor that is several years old and was never run. When the motor sits overnight, the float bowl fills - slowly. You start it and it runs fine, but once the bowl empties there is no more fuel available and the bad behaviour starts. Come back tomorrow and it starts and runs again - for a short while.

I'd disconnect the pump first - rule out the hydraulics - and if it persists I'd exchange or replace the motor and get back to splitting.

 

[Greenerpastures]

V

Pump and motor seem like a good match. Valve sounds correct based on the description. If it splits "like a boss for a bit" before quitting then it's not likely a valve / pump / plumbing issue.
However, to quickly rule out the hydraulics - remove the pump from the motor (4 bolts and flex coupler) and run it. If the problem persists - its has to be a motor issue.

If the motor runs fine for 5 minutes and then dies - that suggests to me that the carb needle valve / float is sticking or plugged. Not unusual on a motor that is several years old and was never run. When the motor sits overnight, the float bowl fills - slowly. You start it and it runs fine, but once the bowl empties there is no more fuel available and the bad behaviour starts. Come back tomorrow and it starts and runs again - for a short while.

I'd disconnect the pump first - rule out the hydraulics - and if it persists I'd exchange or replace the motor and get back to splitting.

Very good point regarding the bowl filling over time, then when it gets used up engine dies.
The OP could check this if there is a drain on the bowl at the bottom of the carb, like on my engines,
when the engine dies, open the drain plug on the bowl and if no fuel comes out, then the problem
is obvious.

Regards to all, john

 

[Greenerpastures]

V

Pump and motor seem like a good match. Valve sounds correct based on the description. If it splits "like a boss for a bit" before quitting then it's not likely a valve / pump / plumbing issue.
However, to quickly rule out the hydraulics - remove the pump from the motor (4 bolts and flex coupler) and run it. If the problem persists - its has to be a motor issue.

If the motor runs fine for 5 minutes and then dies - that suggests to me that the carb needle valve / float is sticking or plugged. Not unusual on a motor that is several years old and was never run. When the motor sits overnight, the float bowl fills - slowly. You start it and it runs fine, but once the bowl empties there is no more fuel available and the bad behaviour starts. Come back tomorrow and it starts and runs again - for a short while.

I'd disconnect the pump first - rule out the hydraulics - and if it persists I'd exchange or replace the motor and get back to splitting.

Very good point regarding the bowl filling over time, then when it gets used up engine dies.
The OP could check this if there is a drain on the bowl at the bottom of the carb, like on my engines,
when the engine dies, open the drain plug on the bowl and if no fuel comes out, then the problem
is obvious.

Regards to all, john

 

[Dave79]

Well, it ended up being Two different issues. Being a Honda clone, the choke controls were labeled bass ackwards.
Choke off to start, choke on full to run. The hydraulic guy at princess auto also ran into customers with reapeat problems of running a few minutes then dying. Ends up these engines have to be right full to the brim with oil or the low oil kill switch kicks in. Doesn't help that there is no such thing as a flat spot in my yard. I thought I overfilled it in the first place but this time I tilted it sideways and gave it a couple extra ounces. Now it runs like a top!

Thanks for all the advice and help with process of elimination!

 

[Greenerpastures]

Well, it ended up being Two different issues. Being a Honda clone, the choke controls were labeled bass ackwards.
Choke off to start, choke on full to run. The hydraulic guy at princess auto also ran into customers with reapeat problems of running a few minutes then dying. Ends up these engines have to be right full to the brim with oil or the low oil kill switch kicks in. Doesn't help that there is no such thing as a flat spot in my yard. I thought I overfilled it in the first place but this time I tilted it sideways and gave it a couple extra ounces. Now it runs like a top!

Thanks for all the advice and help with process of elimination!

Good to hear you got the problem sorted, I did come across the low oil cut-out problem before.
And believe it or not, I once saw a man change and injector pump on a perkins diesel engine
because it would not start, it would not start because the linkage to the stopper was in the wrong side
of the linkage on the pump, when he pushed in the stopper it cut the fuel, and he was not Chinese.
Good to live and learn some.

Regards, john

 

[blades]

low oil sensor- yep forgot about that and i have a pressure washer that did that to me. ( years ago)