leaking all over!!!

[perchin]

I just picked up a home built wood splitter for free that was in need of a engine. I put a Briggs 6hp on it and started her up this morning for the first time. With in 30 seconds of running it started to spew hydraulic fluid out of the vent mounted on top of the holding tank. The fluid coming out of the vent seems very full of foam. It also would not engage the ram... I'm not sure where to start, I got this from my neighbor (good friend) and he said it always worked like a champ until the motor went bad on it. It has been sitting for around 5 years or so in his barn. The fluid is what's been sitting in it. I'm not really sure where to start, any help would be splendid. I tried to search on here but came up with no results, hopefully this is not getting answered all the time and I'm just oblivious.

 

[smoke eater]

start from scratch. drain the fluid and add new. filter also, if it has one. i pumped/sucked out most of it , then took off the lower hose. mine has a dipstick on the vent cap. you? when its full, remove plug wire and gently pull on starter rope 10 full times. this primes the pump, lines , etc. check fluid level and add if necesary. start it up and cycle the ram/piston 12 full times to purge the air. thats how its done on mine- mtd. just did it last week. good to go. yours might have too much fluid. when it warms up, it expands. too much and it comes out the vent. good luck.

 

[JustWood]

Hydro lines are reversed.

 

[perchin]

Thanks guys... I just checked the reverse theory, and everything seems to be fine as far as I can tell. I took off the line that is on the intake side of the pump and it seems to have suction so I think I'm good there. I'll have to pick up new hydraulic fluid and try doing a fluid change.

On second thought though... when I took off the intake side hose it had suction, but then a few pulls further it spewed fluid out of the hose. I disconnected the hose at the pump.

 

[bogydave]

Check the plumbing. Was a hose or hose pulled & put back wrong?
For free, you can do allot to it & still be way ahead.
Foam may be from low oil level or wrong type oil too.

 

[Danno77]

Foam would be from air in the system either from a low level or hole in the hose. Send fluid AND air through a pump and you get foam. Just my guess.

 

[JustWood]

Check the plumbing. Was a hose or hose pulled & put back wrong?
For free, you can do allot to it & still be way ahead.
Foam may be from low oil level or wrong type oil too.

+1
I woodn't change fluid until you diagnose it a bit more unless it's milky colored then change 4 sure.
Easy way to check is filter should be on return side.

 

[amateur cutter]

Check the direction of rotation from the old engine to the new one. Pump my be turning backwards. Yes some engines really do turn the other way. A C

 

['bert]

some pictures of what you have would go along way on this thread...

 

[Whitepine2]

Did you or the person you got it from add any hd. oil? It could be overfull,also if any oil was added some oils don't mix and could fome up this happned to me added some Gov. oil and instent frouth

 

[xman23]

+1 the pump running backwards

 

[triptester]

If the foam coming out of the tank looks like the foam from a shook up soda bottle then you an air leak in the suction hose or low fluid level.

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

Foam = hydro fluid + air.

 

[perchin]

Thanks for all of the advice guys... The pump is NOT in reverse order, nor is the plumbing wrong. The motor I put on it rotates the exact same as the previous one...Clockwise. I did not mix in any new fluid with the old. It is not too full of fluid, and now has had all of the fluid changed to new. Its homemade and does not have any kind of Filter on it like I see on the ones at TSC. The problem has not gone away. I'm thinking now that I'll install all new lines in case it has one with an air leak. Thinking I got to be getting close, there is only the pump and control valve left so... fingers crossed. :shut:

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

Thanks for all of the advice guys... The pump is NOT in reverse order, nor is the plumbing wrong. The motor I put on it rotates the exact same as the previous one...Clockwise. I did not mix in any new fluid with the old. It is not too full of fluid, and now has had all of the fluid changed to new. Its homemade and does not have any kind of Filter on it like I see on the ones at TSC. The problem has not gone away. I'm thinking now that I'll install all new lines in case it has one with an air leak. Thinking I got to be getting close, there is only the pump and control valve left so... fingers crossed. :shut:

So, drained hydro oil and added new and still foam? Air getting into the system somehow. Check and tighten fitting connections?

 

[triptester]

There are only two places air will get into the system. A leak in the suction line or the fluid returning to the tank is just dumping into the top of the tank. The return line is most be submerged.
If the fluid foams up in less than a minute there is definitely a suction line air leak.

 

[rwhite]

Water will also cause foaming of fluid. Depending on how long it sat before you got it there may be water in the ram and all the lines from condensation.

 

[RobC]

Are the suction and return line at the hydraulic tank both submerged well into the hydraulic fluid inside the tank. ( Preferablly from side to side ) If you have the return line shooting up from the bottom of the tank and it's breaking the surface that will foam the tank too. You mentioned homemade maybe that was overlooked.

 

[perchin]

***UPDATE***

I think I found the culprit... the return line needed to be replaced. It was not leaking fluid out, but sucking in air. When I removed it, it fell apart. It now runs and moves the ram in and out, but won't split even the smallest of logs. It is hissing air out of the vent every time its under any kind of load. Could this mean I need more fluid now that the new lines filled up with oil?

BTW... the intake line is mounted on the bottom of the tank and the return line is mounted on the top of the tank. Here is a quick photo I took with my phone, so its not of great quality. If anyone wants to see a more specific photo let me know, and I'll get a close up or whatever you want in the next few days.

 

[Danno77]

My guess is that the fluid is still foamy. Air greatly reduces the amount of pressure a hyrdaulic system can impart on the thing it's trying to push. I don't know if the air and fluid will separate after sitting for a while, but you probably do need to fill it the rest of the way at a minimum, and replace all the fluid if that doesn't work.

 

[bogydave]

No power to split:
If the fluid was ever real dirty or had water, the pump may be weak or the bypass pressure relief valve not operating right.
Also the control valve pistons may have bad "O" rings & be bypassing fluid.
Old cracked piston "O" rings on the ram can also leak by.
Internal corrosion on any of the moving parts.
If it sat a long time with no use, corrosion & "O" rings may be the culprit.
Several things to check but all allot cheaper than a new splitter.
Good luck

One parts ref supplier:
http://store.beilerhydraulics.com/miscellaneous/log-splitter-parts

 

[Whitepine2]

You say the return is in the top,is it possible that the return oil is infusion air into the supply and getting picked up by the suction???? If oil is low this could be a problum as air will get sucked up.
As bogydave said O rings and or valve could be the cause. Hydraulics are hard to track down gotta try one thing at a time sometime it just a small thing try and do all of the small,simple things first
rather than spend$$ and grief on the bigger stuff. Beileryes is a good place for supplys also Northern

Good luck Whitepine2

 

[MasterMech]

Have you cycled the ram a couple times? The air hissing out of the vent is being displaced from within the system somewhere or the suction line has a massive air leak. Once you've elminated suction side leaks then cycling the ram 3-4 times (full stroke) should purge any remaining air from the system. Personally I'd do that with the cap removed from the hyd. tank.

What's the line laying across the bed of the splitter in the photo? is that the suction line or the return? A photo from the back of the machine that shows the pump and line routing might be helpful here too. If the lines are indeed routed correctly then some intial testing is in order. With the engine running and the ram in the retracted position, try to retract the ram furthur, holding the control in reverse. The engine should load, you should hear a whine/screaming noise from the pump relief valve, but the engine shouldn't stall. If the engine doesn't load (bog down) then you have leakage internally in the pump, valve, or cylinder.

It shouldn't matter if the return line is submerged or not. Some aeration of the oil is possible with the return above the oil level in the tank but it won't be problematic. Also even if the return line was leaking, there's no way it was sucking in air since the return would be under slight positive pressure whenever there is flow in the system. Maybe you have it confused with the suction line?

 

[RobC]

That looks like a rebuilt or a knockoff of a manufactured splitter I bought way-back-when.... A big problem is the tank. Because of the return line on top it does foam the oil to some degree. Also if you fill it to the correct level and then split you overflow the oil tank because there wasn't enough capacity, heat expansion and introduction of air. FYI, this was out of the box new and I worked at the power equipment company that I bought it from. What I did was increased the height of the breather cap. when adding the extension I bushed up to a larger diameter pipe so it would have some capacity. Then you can fill to the correct volume.
Hydraulics get hot and you need the oil volume to help cool. As far as air goes, IMHO, I would suggest moving the return line.

www.surpluscenter.com has new parts as well.