Installing a 2 spool SCV on a JD 2320

Hey guys,
I read nearly everyday topics listed here and enjoy it alot. I'm new to the site and hopefully someone here can assist me with a problem. I have a JD 2320 and I'm installing a 2 spool SCV to control a grapple attachment I'm making as well as other hydraulic attachments. I did not buy the JD brand valve because JD only offers a single spool. I purchased a Brand hydraulics 2 spool valve from Northen Tool. I installed it by using the power beyond ports on my tractor. I installed hoses from the spool outlets and connected them to quick connect adapters that I purchased from a JD parts dealer. After hooking everything up according to the directions there is no power in the valve. The valve is getting the fluid supply but it is not building pressure. I disconnected the input and output lines that are connected to the tractors power beyond ports and installed a pressure gauge to check the pressure coming from the tractor. The gauge read NO pressure. There is no pressure coming from the power beyond ports. Is the power beyond ports suppose to flow the fluid with pressure? If not, how am I going to get pressure in my SCV that I have installed? Also, I was not sure wich ports on the tractor's power beyond ports is input and output. I hooked the valve up using both lines in both postions (in and out) and still no pressure to operate a cylinder. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Lt220

Welcome to TBN

Did you install the "plug", part #23 in the valve block on the tractor? If not, then that is the problem. Your new valve is in parallel with your existing valve and not in series.

Jim does a good job of show this in this thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/hydraulics/100228-adding-power-beyond-3-spool.html

Thanks for the great input and pictures....this is certainly my problem. What's bad, I contacted 4 different hydraulic techs from 4 different John Deere dealers and none of them told me that I had to have this threaded plug inside the valve. Of course, that probably doesn't surprise you. I will purchase this threaded stud and hopefully, I will have power to my valve. Thanks again.

Lt220 said:

Thanks for the great input and pictures....this is certainly my problem. What's bad, I contacted 4 different hydraulic techs from 4 different John Deere dealers and none of them told me that I had to have this threaded plug inside the valve. Of course, that probably doesn't surprise you. I will purchase this threaded stud and hopefully, I will have power to my valve. Thanks again.

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Glad to help It will work perfectly once the plug is installed.:thumbsup:

Show your install...upload some pictures!

I talked to my local John Deere dealer and the threaded insert is $.98. Wow, cheap fix to my problem.....the only thing cheap on this project! Hopefully, I will get it and install it in the next few days. I will post pictures. Thanks

You mentioned about no pressure. How did you connect the gage? You will only have pressure when a valve is activated, otherwise, the hyd fluid is just flowing through all the valves in series. If the PB port was plugged before, then the fluid flow was from the return port of the FEL to the 3pt. With the PB plug installed, the fluid will flow through each valve in series until it gets back to tank. With a gage in the system before the first valve, you will see pressure when any valve is activated.

Lt220 said:

I talked to my local John Deere dealer and the threaded insert is $.98. Wow, cheap fix to my problem.....the only thing cheap on this project! Hopefully, I will get it and install it in the next few days. I will post pictures. Thanks

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Good. That will fix you up for sure.

I recieved the power beyond plug today and got it installed in the block. Got all my hoses and fittings hooked back up and the SCV works great. I will be posting pictures of the finished product soon.

Lt220 said:

I recieved the power beyond plug today and got it installed in the block. Got all my hoses and fittings hooked back up and the SCV works great. I will be posting pictures of the finished product soon.

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Sometimes is nice to say I told you so:thumbsup:

Here are several pictures of my 2 spool SCV that I recently installed on my JD 2320. The valve is a Brand hydraulics 2 spool loader valve. I modified the joy stick handle so it would be more comfortable and easier to use. I used a local industrial supply store for all of my fittings and hoses. I ordered the female quick connect couplins and dust covers from greenpartsstore.com. They have most of the offical JD parts at a fraction of the cost and usually ship it the same day. I made all of my mounting brackets from 1/8" plate steel. I installed 4 quick connect couplins on the rear. I also installed 2 quick connect couplins on my right side loader mast. This will allow me to hook-up my grapple. The front couplins are connected to two of the rear couplins with 3/8" tees. This way I can have a dedicated set of couplins for my hydraulic top link and use the other couplins for either my grapple or my hydraulic offset mower that I made. I am still waiting on my male quick connect couplins to ship before I can use the top link......but I have tested the valve and it works great.