410 FEL Leakdown?

[thebigc]

My 410 FEL has had a leaky LH lift cylinder for quite some time. Last week the bucket would start to drop, loaded or empty, so I decided it was time for replacement. I installed the new cylinder, which is a newer and different style from the original, and the bucket still drops. There are no leaks whatsoever on my machine. Does the system need to be bled after opening it up? Or is it possibly a bad SCV? The old cylinder was defintely shot but was this just a coincidence? Thanks in advance.

Donny

 

[RalphVa]

Have you tried wiggling the joy stick around? Those were the instructions I got for when connecting and disconnecting the hydraulic lines. Just wiggle it through up/down and curl/uncurl motions back and forth.

Haven't had this happen to mine yet, a 2004.

Ralph

 

[thebigc]

Ralph, that's the same procedure I use when connecting/disconnecting the FEL lines. I'm leaning towards a SCV issue. I hope they're rebuildable. The green paint on that replacement cylinder was VERY expensive and the worst part was that the problem wasn't solved. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I'm wondering if there is air in the system. Thanks.

Donny /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[kennyd]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm leaning towards a SCV issue. I hope they're rebuildable. The green paint on that replacement cylinder was VERY expensive and the worst part was that the problem wasn't solved. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I'm wondering if there is air in the system. Thanks.

Donny /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )</font>


Sorry, But the DSCV's are not rebuildable, the spools in them are a machined fit into the valve, there are no internal O-rings or seals.
Did you only replace 1 lift cylinder? Was is bent? Why could it not be rebuilt with new seals?.
Try this....Raise the FEL, place a jack under the bucket as high it will go. Lower the FEL onto the jack, Turn off tractor, Disconnect hoses. Then lower and remove the jack.
This will remove the DSCV from the system, If the loader still goes down, you still have a cylinder problem. If not, this test points to the DSCV. There is one other test I know, but it is a lot messier!

 

[thebigc]

Yep, only replaced the LH cylinder as it was the one that was leaking. I'll try that test of yours, to isolate the problem, in the AM. Thanks!

Donny

 

[thebigc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( There is one other test I know, but it is a lot messier! )</font>

And that's probably the one I learned from my dealer to determine that my RH cylinder had an internal leak.

So both of my lift cylinders failed at the same time; one externally leaking(an easy diagnosis) and the other internally leaking(not so easy but very messy to diagnose).

A word of warning: if you've got an older 410 loader and your cylinders fail like mine did, the replacements are of a different design and will require a new combination hose/solid line coupling to replace the solid line that runs along the cylinder. The new cylinder design isn't compatible with the original line so make sure you order one(or two) with your new cylinder(s).

Thanks,
Donny

 

[1Motorsportsfan]

Ok, so how do you determine which cylinder has an internal leak? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I know that one of my lift cylinders has blown a seal, found pieces of a seal in one of the hydraulic connectors, but don't know which cylinder is bad. Thanks.

 

[thebigc]

IIRC, I raised the bucket and then disconnected the return line from my suspected bad cylinder. If fluid just trickled out and then stopped, the cylinder was OK but if fluid just kept pouring out, there was an internal leak and fluid was just flowing right past some bad seals, which it was. Don't cycle the joystick like I did with the return line off or you'll have a Valdez-esque spill in your driveway. This test is messy enough done properly.

Donny

 

[kennyd]

Motor,
If one is bad or leaking, it is best to rebiuld them both in pairs. They both have the same # of hours and have cycled in and out the same # of times.

The rebiuld kits are not expensive...

 

[thebigc]

Two new cylinders and the FEL is working fine. One final thought: with the left cylinder obviously leaking for quite a while, I soldiered on with alot of dirt to move not thinking that the right cylinder is carrying most of the load. Probably why it failed, too.

Donny