splitter on the fritz

[martinlawn]

I bought an old gas splitter. The 3.5 HP was smoking so I put on a 6.5 HP. Today I went to split some oak and the splitter crawled(slowly) till it popped the log but it will not reverse. I paid $200.00 for the engine.I want to know how to figure out what is wrong.There are no leaks. I took the cap off the small Hydro resevoir and saw the fluid shooting back down from the high side. Do I need a pump, valve, Cylinder? I dont want to keep buying parts when I dont know why it wont back up or why it is so slow? Any answers are helpful.

 

[triptester]

Is this a homemade splitter ? Did this splitter ever work well? A 3 1/2 hp. motor is only capable of powering about a 7gpm 2-stage pump or a 1gpm single-stage pump, either will be slow. The larger motor will not speed it up or make it more powerful.
The return line must be submerged in the reservoir or fluid will get charged with air causing the pump to cavitate.
Not knowing what the splitter looks like I would check fluid level first.
Check for slippage between motor and pump. Coupling or belt.
Remove hoses from the cylinder and with motor running slowly hold the hoses in the reservoir and operate the control valve to check flow. Flow should be steady and equal. If flow is not equal the valve may be clogged or defective.
Check the slide on the beam that it moves freely, lube if necessary.

 

[mga]

I bought an old gas splitter. The 3.5 HP was smoking so I put on a 6.5 HP. Today I went to split some oak and the splitter crawled(slowly) till it popped the log but it will not reverse. I paid $200.00 for the engine.I want to know how to figure out what is wrong.There are no leaks. I took the cap off the small Hydro resevoir and saw the fluid shooting back down from the high side. Do I need a pump, valve, Cylinder? I dont want to keep buying parts when I dont know why it wont back up or why it is so slow? Any answers are helpful.

what size cylinder?
what type of cylinder?
what type of control valve?
what type or size of pump?