The other day, I drove over some small trees I had pulled out to re-positioned my self while digging out a massive root ball. As I drove over them, one must have popped up and grabbed the hose running from a t-fitting to the left loader boom cylinder. I head a metallic ping and then fluid shooting out and shut down. I looked under the machine and saw the dangling hose and fitting. I had yanked part of the t-fitting loose. The two hoses that are hanging low were both pulled down. So, I get a new t-fitting, install it and start it up to check for leaks. No leaks however, the hydraulics are now very slow. So, I investigate more to find that now the shaft appears to be leaking... So, the question is, would one event cause the other leak? Moments before the breaking of the t-fitting all functions were good. For this repair I am sure I am going to need to remove the pump, which won't be fun but I am curious if anyone has run into this and/or have any advice..
sorry the pics are sideways.
How much fluid did you lose, and how much did you have to add to get it up to full? I'd assume that there's still air somewhere if you filled it back up with fluid. I can't see how the hose would cause the pump seal to leak? it didn't run long without fluid, sounds like you shut if off right away. The hydraulic pump isn't that bad to get out, remove the grill, oil cooler, radiator. Then once the pump is out, might as well check the drive coupling and replace the front oil seal while you're that far into it.
I didn't loose that much fluid. I added about a gallon, gallon and a half of fluid after the repair. I didn't keep track since I also found two wasp nests under the seat when I was filling it and was ducking and dodging those little buggers. As soon as I heard the fluid spray out of the hose, I shut it down so it did not run but a few seconds after I broke it. When it broke, I traveled about 12-15 feet and left a trail of fluid in the dirt. Yeah, I see that the pump isn't to bad to get out. I am thinking that it is just a coincidence that it is leaking, it is a 38 year old machine and lately I have been chasing weak points in hoses and o-rings.
I still can't figure out why the hydraulics aren't working. Can you see evidence of a pre existing leak from the hydraulic pump seal? Like dust stuck to the oil that's weeped out over the pump? Is it a typical slow drip oil leak? You could try operating the bucket curl in and out while idling, to help it bleed the air out. It should bleed on it's own, but?
I would look closely for other damage, possibly a kinked steel tube at the other end of those hoses. If all the functions are slow, check that filter for a bent center bolt allowing it to suck air. IIRC that is a suction filter for he system.
That steel tube connected to the filter looks kinked. That should be the transmission pressure filter. The only suction filter on these is inside the transmission case.
I may have been thinking JD ag tractor. Seen a few of them get knocked loose when somebody backed over a hay bale. Makes the oil foam then the trans and hydraulics act really funny.
I went back to look for extra damage and to get a closer look at that steel tube. I cleaned the gunk off of it so I could get a better look. It appears dented but I am not sure that this incident was the cause. I have a photo that is below, I don't know why it keeps going in sideway, but you can see it. The dent doesn't look to be restrictive. I got back up and checked my fluid and it is low. It must have drained off a bunch more than I thought. When I filled it the gauge showed ok but the system must have been so much more starved for fluid than I expected. I am going to pick up another few buckets to make sure I am good with my level. I am thinking this is all my problem is ad that my leaking pump is another issue I need to repair when I can give the machine a break. So, as for the pump leak, yeah, I am probably just seeing the leak for the first time, it does have a build up of dirt/oil grime around that area and this is just the first time I have been under there in a while to inspect it.
Since the transmission feeds the hydraulic on these, I have to ask, would the machine drive normally forward and reverse?
It drove just fine and let me follow up with I am an idiot. I went and picked up 10 gallons of hydraulic fluid and started pouring. It took 5 to get back to the middle of my okay marks. I started it up and increased the RPM's as the pump kicked in. I then grabbed the loader bucket lever and lifted the boom. Raised like a champ. No problems. So, I get out, and walk the machine. Nothing spraying out or leaking (steadily) under the front of the machine but I walk back and one of my hoses that feeds my dipper arm is leaking pretty bad, this is the guilty hose. Just before I broke the hose underneath, it must have started leaking and since I was pulling dirt up towards me around the tree in a circle, I didn't see it. It probably pushed out at lease 5 gallons without me knowing. Lesson Here 1: Don't jump to conclusions. (assuming the worst) 2: Double check normal causes (like me quickly getting a false reading on the dip stick and thinking fluid was fine) 3: One problem may not be the cause or effect of another (my pump shaft link is small, it shouldn't be the cause of the major hydraulic slowdown) 4: Old machines will always test you (and will keep testing you) Anyone else have anything?
I thank everyone for the help. I always get the direction to help me find the way.
I love it when the cheapest solution fixes the problem