BX23 - Hydraulic Leak from Vent

[AMR]

I am happy to report that my BX23 is running like a champ. Right around 200 hours of work and going strong. Yard looks great and the new deer food plot already has visitors.

BUT, I am having a problem with a few drips from the vent under the seat. After mowing the last couple times I noticed a couple drops of hydraulic fluid on the floor under the machine. I tracked it down to the hydraulic fluid relief vent. I had this problem last year but the machine was over full and reducing the level did the trick. I hate the thought of killing my grass with this drips of fluid.

This year I am running just above the bottom line of the stick and the fluid still bubbles out. When I stop to empy the grass catcher I can see the fluid just bubbling out.

Is this a simple open vent or is there a spring that may be bad? Thanks for the help.

 

[Volfandt]

Can't help you with the answer but I would like to know also.
I would think that the fluid would have to get pretty hot to bubble out of the vent.
Were you working it hard and was it over 80 degrees that day?
Does the HST fan have all it's fins and is the HST's casting fins clean?
I've scanned both the HST and Hydraulic sections of my WSM and see no breakdown of the vent, matter of fact I didn't see any mention of it.
Perhaps this bump will help get an answer.

 

[jeffmazz]

I have a BX22 and my vent is an open type with a floating cap....no spring. I don't know for sure wether the 23 has the same type of vent but I would think it does. As Volfandt asked, are the cooling fins clean and is the cooling fan in tact?? What type of fluid are you using??

Keep in mind, the vent is there to allow expanding gasses and fluid out of the case. It isn't unusual for some fluid to be expelled when temps get hot. When I ran UDT fluid I had the same issue you are having. I switched to SUDT and I rarely get fluid pushing through the vent. I have to work her pretty hard in 80 degree F + to get any vent leakage.

One other thing, make sure you manually return your 3pt lever to neutral. Don't rely on the automatic return. Make sure it's in the center position after you raise or lower your deck/3pt hitch. If the lever isn't in the neutral position you will overheat the fluid and burn out the pump.

 

[HomeBrew2]

... WSM ....

See pg. 94 of the Parts Manual.

 

[rdsaustintx]

One other thing, make sure you manually return your 3pt lever to neutral. Don't rely on the automatic return. Make sure it's in the center position after you raise or lower your deck/3pt hitch. If the lever isn't in the neutral position you will overheat the fluid and burn out the pump.

This makes sense for raising the 3ph, but is it true for lowering it? Doesn't that just relieve the cylinder to the sump? I drag my BB around with the lever in down position all the time

Russell in Texas

 

[638]

Down is OK, That is the float position

ron

 

[jeffmazz]

Down is OK, That is the float position

ron

Agreed. I should have specified up only for returning the lever to neutral. Keeping the control lever in the down position shouldn't hurt anything.

I make it a habit of manually returning it to neutral regardless of wether the implement is up or down.

 

[workinallthetime]

ahh the smell of hot hydro fluid all day, my 23 did it the entire time i had it. Try sitting on the backhoe for 8 hours at 95 degrees, the smell will just about make you sick. My mechanical background in the automotive industry leads me to belive the a vent is supose to vent but i didnt like it either. i cant think of anything that has oil on a car that doesnt have a vent somewhere. I remember how upset i was the first time i walked into the barn and found that stain on the floor, i knew i rode her hard and put her up wet but not that wet. i got out the trace powder and sprayed the entire case down after i cleaned it up. took it out for some work and found the leak pretty quick, i felt dumb but it was over full also.
I wouldnt worry about it, but i would keep it full of fluid at all times.

 

[AMR]

Well, thank you for the replies. I will ask the shop to think of some way I can prevent hydraulic fluid from coming out of this vent. I hate the idea of having it drip on the lawn when I mow, don't need the grass to die and don't want this stuff in the well.

 

[Volfandt]

I finally found mention of it on pg 100 of the BX23 parts manual. Can't tell if it has any kind of internal spring loaded check valve or similar but the manual calls it a breather and it's mounted in the vicinity of the 3ph piston assembly.

Likes been said, most all liquid power system have to have some kind of vent/breather circuit to relieve air pressure as well as have an ambient air pressure reference point.

Still can't answer why fluid is bubbling out but that just don't sound right. Air/fumes = yes, fluid = I just don't think so.

Let us know what the dealer says.