Looking for some advice on what to do next for troubleshooting. Quick history first: I bought an 87 Ford 450 Tractor-Loader-Backhoe from an aging neighbor just before he moved off to warmer, sunnier climes. Purchased to help do some work and move some earth on our ~25 acres of fields, forest, and farm. Seemed to be in working order, definitely showed use and wear. Used a couple of times that summer for several small projects. I've been a shade-tree auto and small engine mechanic for a long time, but this is my first piece of heavy equipment with hydraulics. I do have a service manual for it. Tried to use it once that winter and seemed to have low-power (did not want to go up incline, really had to push the engine some) noticed loader bucket no longer curls upward. Not used again until spring, when I gave it some needed maintenance. Got rid of old diesel fuel. Replaced fuel filter and bled lines. Replaced engine oil and filter. Lubed appropriately and made sure all oil/fluids up to appropriate levels. Replaced neutral safety switch (old one would often stick). After maintenance engine sounds good, starts quickly, etc. Major problems to troubleshoot: 1. Loader bucket will not curl upward. It seems to me the control lever no longer has the travel it used to when pushing left (which should actuate bucket curl). Also noticed a very slight leak around seals on the end of one loader cylinder. 2. Tractor has reduced ability to climb inclined terrain. Just seems to lack power. Fuel flow looked fine when I was changing fuel filter. Could I have a dump valve partially stuck open or something else causing a power-transfer problem? Any advice or ideas most appreciated!
I'm assuming you have an open center hydraulic system? With the no curl problem, it could be the linkages are misplaced, missing, or stuck that control the valve for that function. Also if the piston seal is blown on one of the curl cylinders, then fluid will simply go by that seal instead of doing any work. I have plugged off each cylinder one at a time to isolate such a problem.
The loader bucket, I'd look at the linkages first. Go to the valve that operates the curl, see if the spool moves the same amount in and out of the valve body as the loader boom spool does, this will tell you if the linkage is operating it correctly, or not. and where to look next. The power issue is either the engine slowing down, or the engine staying the same speed and the transmission slipping. Hopefully not both at the same time. If you can figure out if the engine is staying the same speed or not, that will tell us where to look next. The techical way to check this is a stall test, but that's not needed yet.
Not familiar with this particular machine but just fixed the bigger one with same problem. Check the linkage first, then see if that control valve has separate port relief valve for curl-up. One I just fixed had o-ring falling apart on relief valve.
that backhoe only weights about 12,000 lbs has a tork conventer as you know they are more slushes, always use a lower gear go up inclines tractordata.com more info