Alright, I ran into an issue today with my splitter. I could only build pressure up to about 700 psi while splitting some tough locust wood. I have my relief set at 1500psi and if I cycle the cylinder to the end, my gauge will climb right up to 1500psi, however on a piece of wood it just tops out at about 700. I believe the pump is not going into second stage. Howcan I determine the exact issue, whether it be a pump, cylinder, or valve problem? All 3 parts are likely 20+ years old. Let’s see if you folks can help me narrow this down. Thanks in advance.
Splitter hydraulic issue
- Thread starter Slimdusty
- Start date
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Hi! Does the timber actually split? If it does the job, this only means that 700 lbs is enough pressure to get through the job. There needs to be a resistance so the pressure can build up. If the piston is moving, pressure cant build.
If the two stage pump stays onto the high volume side it would more than likely kill your engine. It sounds to me like a leaky cylinder seal or possibly your relief valve not working correctly
No, it will not split, just “deadheads” and the pressure sits at about 700.The engine does not stall out either, although you can hear it load up initially.
So, while troubleshooting yesterday I adjusted the pump, increasing pressure from 600 to just over 700. Above 700 will stall the engine, therefore I backed it off to just under 700. At this pressure the engine does not stall at 3/4 throttle. I believe the relief valve is also working, as I adjusted it just to see, it seems normal. When I cycle the cylinder to end of stroke my pressure quickly builds to 1500 psi, which is where I have always had the relief set.
It seems as though your two-stage pump is not switching over to the high pressure low volume side
