Background: The hydraulic pump was off, evaluated by a shop and freshened up. Once on the machine a few piston plugs started leaking. Of course it has to be the hardest ones to get to and they require 100 ft/lbs of torque. What I've done: Tried typical wrenches and sockets without much luck. There's one that I could remove hydraulic lines to get to it if I have to. I cut a shallow socket so it was only deep enough to go over head of piston plug and it helped on a couple. I am thinking about cutting the drive end maybe up to 1/4" more to help. Problem: I have two that are near impossible without removal of pump or other parts, manual doesn't cover this just full removal/replacement. Question/Thoughts: Are there any ways I can modify or fabricate a tool to help? Or maybe a specialty tool that wouldn't be too costly? I could resort to a chisel and hammer but didn't want to mess up the heads, I have several steel chisels and a brass one somewhere. The pictures make access look better than it really is but I can just get the socket on but there's no room for a swivel, extension or strong bar.
There is an 'open end wrench' type tool called a crows foot that might work.
I hate to tell you this Scout, but the "pump freshen up shop" did a crappy job. Those plugs have a teflon seal on them and I suspect they didn't fit new seals. If they did, I really don't think you'd be fighting with the unit right now. Just my thoughts.
croniekon- I may get a crows foot and try, but with the recess in the pump body a box end wrench wants to slip off and the smaller crows foot wrenched I have are flat. If they made one that protruded 1/4" plus that would be the ticket. The typical crows foot is wide but I have seen some snap on ones that look almost like a socket. willie- I really question the quality of the work. If the outside parts are loose and pump leaks, what else is not done correctly. It didn't leak before, so maybe atleast I know they were into it. When the first plug leaked immediately after start-up, I called the shop and they said the seal may tear after tightening and it's not a problem because the part that seals is still inside. All seals were on when I got it back but the one I tightend tore off and a couple other actually blew off with compressed air.
Well I called the shop and they said this is the first they've had any problems, just my luck. They said I can send it back and I reminded them just how time consuming that is, downtime and possible bad weather. Also, the stroke control valve is leaking where it mates to the pump body, just sort of wicking when wiped clean I start to see a sheen of oil. The shop offered to send me the o-rings and such but I don't know if I can install them without removing the pump. They suggested I check the pressures and see if it is now producing too much pressure causing leaks. I can't imagine it would be producing enough to cause leaks at the pump besides I had checked the torque on the plugs I could get to and they all turned just a little before clicking at 100 ft/lbs. I will have a set of gauges before the weekend. I know that was suggested in another thread I started, but when the machine started running good and my guy with the gauges didn't work out I didn't check pressures. I plan on taking pressure checks and then decide what to do. Questions: What do or would you guys do in a case like this? I want to be reasonable with the shop but want to be treated fairly. Is it necessary or would it be beneficial to have both the low and high pressure side gauges hooked up at the same time? The Deere manual shows it this way, but t I think this is because their gauges are both in a panel set up.
Ok, I'm really getting irritated at this point. "Hey hydraulic shop guys...the system has a main relief valve on it...it can't produce pressure more than it did before or more than system components (including pump) can handle!" Scout, you're in a bit of a pickle. Yes...pump needs to go back to shop to be repaired proper. But, if you don't have a good previous relationship with them, it's anybodys best guess as to whether it will be done proper. And this quote from post #4 really gets me, Take a look at this diagram. If that's a GF1 or JD1 Deere rotary pump, and that's what it looks like, item #1 is the cap(s), #2 is the seal, #3 is a shield...not a seal, item #4 is a spring, and item #5 is piston, that's it, nothing else, underneith that cap is system pressure, no seal other than item #2. And the weeping where stroke control valve is fitted to pump, again, that's something they should make right. There is no way, if a customer brought a hyd component to me, I worked on it, and sent it back to them leaking, no way would I say "I'll whup up some seals an send em to ya so you can install them". Just ain't no way.
Forgot about this question. Not sure what the Deere manual is showing, but you can't hook a low pressure gauge to a test port and then take system to full pressure, you'll peg out the low pressure gauge and kill it. You may be describing something like a Quadrigage which has different value pressure gauges, low to high, but has internal components to protect the lower pressure gauges from high pressure damage. http://www.mico.com/products/displaysubinfo.php?id=33
Willie- I appreciate your passion on this and can't help but think of your signature. Is there a way that the relief valve wouldn't work or does it 'fail safe'? Yeah, I checked around and two contractors didn't know of repair/rebuild shops. They get new pumps through the dealer but did say 'if you find a good place let us know'. This place has a drop box at two local dealers so I figured they must be ok. Well come to find out they can't bench test the units. Which I find odd as it doesn't seem to be too difficult to put together a test rig. An in the field repair I could see but not in a shop. That diagram looks like the one for my pump. I should have said 'shield' or 'sheath' instead of seal. It has a flange that protrudes past the head of the plug that I was concerned about if it tore while I tightened it. Sure enough the ones I tightened did tear completely off and two of the ones I hadn't tightened just blew off with compressed air. It looks like the shield/sheath is a 'pocket' of sorts for the actual seal (#2)to seat against and protect it from the spring. I am still concerned about the remaining portion of the shield bunching up under the plug. Again, I appreciate your passion for this. As you said I am in a 'pickle' cause I maybe able to do it myself and maybe just maybe save some time or else I pull the pump and just let them 'make it right'. It has two pressure test ports, one for standby and the other for charge. So I assume it's ok to hook to both at the same time as long as I get the gauges right. An extra hose and ends are about $25, so it seems it would be convenient but maybe not necessary to have two set ups. I know checking pressures is good anyway but it will give me some good information.
Here are the pressure test results. The pump certainly is not over pressurizing the system and causing the pump plugs and stroke control to leak.