Well not really an explosion but it did scare the sh*t out of me non the less. I inherited a old john deere pieced together splitter from my FIL several years ago. I put a new honda engine on it last year and just Friday i put a new hydraulic pump on it. Well i was putting it to the test today and boom, the rear of the cylinder blew out. Spewing oil all over me. Sooo the million dollar question.....any thoughts what caused it? Old cylinder? Not sure my self. It's got a honda G190 and i put a new speedco 11gpm pump on it.