I have a bobcat s175 steer and have noticed it a little low on hydraulic fluid (the ball is at the bottom of the site glass). I don't see a leak tho, nothing hanging of the lower belly plate and don't see any oil from the axles. The machine is somewhat new to me with almost 2000hrs on it. Is there anything common with this model? or any ideas on where I should check first? from some of the info I gathered , I think I might check the chaincase too see if its over filled.? If it is I guess I will pull the inspection covers to see what I can find or should I pull the motors. I am assuming if the drive motor seals to the case are leaking there is a problem with the drive motors. If there is a problem do you rebuild the drive mtors with some kind of rebuild kit or do you replace the motors with a rebuilt one? Or do the seals just go bad? thanks for your time One more thing is there a good hydraulic oil I can use beside bobcat? very expensive/ should I just use bobcat brand
Yes, the first thing you need to do is check the oil level in the chain case. If it's overfilled, allow it to drain down to proper level, then run it for a while to see if it overfills again, thereby confirming a fault with a drive motor or motor carrier seal. I've been using a good quality AW46 hyd oil in Bobcat machines for years. Pretty much any brand name AW oil will be engineered to work in mobile hydraulic systems including hydrostat pumps as those pumps are so common in mobile hydraulics today.
well I just got done messing with my s175, I am confused now. Since I was low on hydraulic fluid, I was expecting to find the chain case over filled. but instead chain case is also low on fluid????? I raised the seat up and started looking around, I found a lot of dirt that was wet on top of the chain case and too tell the truth the dirt is all over everything so I couldn't tell you what is leaking or give it a good look until I clean it up a bit. I have a few questions that I have so bare with me 1. Do you guys use a pressure washer to clean engine/ chain case area also drive motor area? Or have you got a betterway? 2. chain case oil is low, what to top it of with? manual says it takes hydro oil, but it also says too top it of with 90w oil? what do I use? 3. I am thinking I may have more than one problem, can you think of anything I should do, besides clean under area and top of fluids? 4. I just re read the manual, to check the chain case level, do you take plug out and the level should be even with bottom of plug hole, Manual says even or slightly below top of shaft. What shaft? Axle shaft? do you need to check it with a flashlight looking in the hole???
1. Yes, I pressure wash a Bobcat. But be prepared, it's going to dump a bunch of oily crap, make sure that's not going to be a problem. Also, it's nearly impossible to get the innards of a Bobcat "clean", at best you just get them "cleaner". And take those side covers off in between the wheels, just another spot to aim the pressure washer. 2. Your choice. All that's going on inside that chain case is lubricating roller chains and tapered roller bearings. Motor oil, hydro oil, the stinky stuff, it's all good. 3. Recently acquired machine, yes, clean it good, top off fluids, give things a good look over for noticeable problems, and proceed with using machine while keeping an eye on things. 4. Fill chain case until it dribbles out of the pipe plug at the front then stick the plug in it.
bobcat spec for chaincase level is within "finger reach" of the plug hole with the machine sitting on level ground. if the belly pans are full of dirt & debris, the drain holes are probably plugged up, possibly the reason you dont see an oil leak. how much oil did it take to top off the hyd tank? :drinkup
The level ground thing is important... As long as the chaincase is it can make a big difference if it's not sitting level.
Update!!! Well crewchief you called it, I spent 3.5 hours cleaning the crude,dirt,stone from the belly pan and all over the engine compartment. wow was that dirty, its not totally clean but 100% better. I bought some fluid and filled the chain case, I was sitting on stones it looked level so I added till just under fill plug. about a gallon. tomorrow I will pull it into the garage and check again on concrete just to make sure level is right. Now for the hydraulic level, after I got done cleaning it , having loader up and seat up put everything down and cylinder tilted back in so every cylinder was retracted to the fullest possible point. HYdraulic level site glass with the ball is right in the middle of site glass. I guess when I was checking it earlier the bucket was tilted a little so the cylinders where extended a little bit. Boy I feel like an idiot!!! What a newbie. But it makes me happy no leak.