• Please be sure to read the rules and adhere to them. Some banned members have complained that they are not spammers. But they spammed us. Some even tried to redirect our members to other forums. Duh. Be smart. Read the rules and adhere to them and we will all get along just fine. Cheers. :beer: Link to the rules: https://www.forumsforums.com/threads/forum-rules-info.2974/

hydraulic woes

martinf

New member
Hi all,
Wouldn't you know it...on the long holiday week with nightly grooming needs our groomer bbreaks down. It a mid nineties LMC 1800 with tiller and trackers on the back. The auxilary hydraulic circuit has a 7 valve set up for running the front blade and stuff on the tiller. Anyways, lots of hydraulic fluid has started coming out of the little weep holes on the black plastic ends of three of the seven valves.

I am assuming that 3 valves wouldn't fail at the same time so I'mtrying to figure out what is the origin of this problem. I first pulled apart the diverter valve thinking that it i isn't letting excess pressure to go back to the tank. Nope, All ok there.

I'm also wondering if even after I've fixed the source of the original problem, I'll still have to pull apart the leaking valves because the seals are permanently blown

That's as far as I've gotten. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Martin
 

Red130

Member
I assume that the leaking is happening all the time, not just when those 3 valves are actuated? Do you happen to have a pressure gauge you can install on the return side to verify there isn't a restriction between the diverter and the tank?

I feel for you, its one of the worst possible times to have a problem.
 

martinf

New member
Thanks, good idea. I didn't have a gauge with so I just cracked open the return line to make sure there'd be no pressure from a plugged return line...and still leaking on all three valves, tho not as much. But one thing Iwonder now is, even if it was an obstructed return line, maybe when the pressure blew past the seals on the eelectric valves it damaged the seals and they'd leak even if there was not abnormallyhigh pressure!

Those vavle assemblies look pretty daunting to repair out in the field.....
 

Red130

Member
I wasn't clear on how fast you're losing fluid. Were you able to add some fluid and get back in, or is your machine parked out on a trail somewhere? At your operating RPM, what is the magnitude of the leaks? Sorry I know a little bit about hydraulics (only a little) but nothing about your machine.
 

martinf

New member
Hi Dave,
The groomer noticed that the tracker wasn't able to go up and so then he knew something was wrong and limped it in. I think it had run out of fluid in the tank...I know, I'mcrossing my fingers that the pump isnt shot.
But limped it in means its sitting in front of the shed cause he couldn'tlift the tiller to back in. Sigh.

My diagnosing has only been at slightly above idle. The fluid is coming out of what iI'mcalling a weep hole in the middle of the button end of the housing of what iI am assuming is the solinoid.

I'll be heading up tomorrow after church to do a more involved diagnosis.
Martin
 
Top