FINDING A HYDRAULIC LEAK

[gunnner]

Trying to find a hydraulic leak on my Kobelco sk 015 excavator -----leaking pretty good---I calculated the leak costs me .45 cents per hour when using the machine.
Question: Will it leak just sitting there running OR does something need to be used, such as operating the bucket, tracts, etc..
I have it up on RR ties at the moment and it does seam to leak just sitting there running.

[Gary Fowler]

Could just be some seapage at a union or swage connection. $.45 per hour oil leak is miniscule. At about $10 per gallon, 45 cents per hour is nothing (6 oz). I have seen worn out cylinders leak much more than that.

[J_J]

Just wipe or clean the cyl, valves and fittings , and look for the leak.


There are dyes that can be put in the hyd system, and will fluoresce with a black light

[Clint S]

So does it leak sitting and not running??? It depends where the leak is if you would need to use a function for it to leak. Pressure line to a valve would leak all the time running, pressure line after a valve would only leak if valve opened. That should narrow down where to start looking
If it was 6oz per running hour I agree not bad at all , but 6oz an hour not running just sitting there would be an issue. As that's a gallon a day. Personally, depending on what it is when you find it would dictate whether to fix it or not. If it was a labor intensive job to fix it, I would let it go. An easy fix such as a line or something that could get worse and fail completely, bite the bullet.

[gunnner]

OK---Found the leak---Seams it only leaked when the tracts are moving-----I raised the machine up off the ground & spun the tracks for a few minutes----sure enough I found the leak. Was a conection on the hydro pump & leaking a steady drip. The conection is not easy to get to---had to use a 7/8 wench---was a tad too big---will go to the auto store & get the correct size tomorrow ( what ever that is ?)

Now that the leak is stopped the machine seams to have a bit more power/speed going uphill-----Just my imagination OR could a small leak cause loss of power/speed?

THANKS for Replies

[Zebrafive]

OK---Found the leak---Seams it only leaked when the tracts are moving-----I raised the machine up off the ground & spun the tracks for a few minutes----sure enough I found the leak. Was a conection on the hydro pump & leaking a steady drip. The conection is not easy to get to---had to use a 7/8 wench---was a tad too big---will go to the auto store & get the correct size tomorrow ( what ever that is ?)

Now that the leak is stopped the machine seams to have a bit more power/speed going uphill-----Just my imagination OR could a small leak cause loss of power/speed?

THANKS for Replies

7/8 is a tad too big, 21mm or 22mm is my guess, depending on how big a tad is

[oldnslo]

Now that the leak is stopped the machine seams to have a bit more power/speed going uphill-----Just my imagination OR could a small leak cause loss of power/speed?

THANKS for Replies

A steady drip with the tracks off the ground would be a larger leak with tracks on the ground while under pressure. So yes you could possibly see a change in spped from this leak.

[J_J]

If you are leaking at the relief pressure to cause demished operation, you should/will know it.

That means that some of those GPM's is going somewhere else.

It is going through the relief valve or leaking on the ground.

The flow could also be bypassng the hyd motor if worn, causing poor operation.

[gunnner]

Aaaaaah ----- So it was not my imagination bout the speed ----

BTW---A tad turned out to be .23mm ----( I bought a 22mm wench today---fits good )

THANKS for all the informative replies