Steiner 430 Max Diesel Hydraulic Issue

[Industrial Toys]

I wonder if someone can help me with this. I was using this machine for an hour or so in -3 degree C temps, blowing snow. Then all of a sudden, the blower (which is quite heavy) would no longer lift, at all, regardless of engine RPM! The power steering works normal, as does the chute rotation. The engine changes tune slightly when you try and lift the blower.

I have not tried it again with the oil cold. I use JD low viscosity transmission oil in all my equipment, including hydrostats.

Twice I have run the tractor low on oil because I left that stupid vent open on the side of the engine and lost my oil but never to the point where the tractor would not move. Lately, I have noticed the pump whining more then I thought it should, and now with the failure, it doesn't. It's quiet! The tractor only has around 400 hours.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[DirtyHandsCleanSoul]

Sounds like you are low on oil.

If you are not low on oil, try it again with cold oil. Cold oil is thicker so any small leaks in the pump or cylinder wont be as bad with cold oil. If it works with cold oil you have a pump or lift cylinder problem. The way to diagnose would be to plug in a pressure gauge and see what the pump puts out.

But really it sounds like you are low on oil.



I would have angled the chute and steering in whatever direction that contracts the cylinders fully. This would have dumped all that oil into your reservoir raising the level slightly. Then I would have tried to lift again, might have been enough to drive it to the shop. Farmer's dirty secret.

[Industrial Toys]

I confess, I didn't check oil level as I figured that I had hydraulic power in other circuits and it is a bit of a hassle to check. Anyway, I just checked it, and it's fine. Started the machine which was at sub zero temps and the blower still will not lift. Pump just growels. Chute and steering work and pump also growels.

Maybe like me, it's just sick of winter!

Seems like the relief on the pump is possibly not working. Although I have never touched a hydraulic pump. Not even sure where it is on this machine. I've never felt like this machine had enough hydraulic power, even though they don't have a lot, so I am to understand. Not as much as any other sub compact tractor.

How quickly can one ruin a (presumabely gear) pump, running short of oil?

As far as the trick of gaining oil. Yes, I know that. Have to lower the 3ph and loader on my JD to find enough oil to raise the hoist on my drump trailer.

I have never noticed that the hydraulics behave much different from hot to cold. The main lift cylinders do however have a tendency to leak down with a heavy load.

[eddieb1965]

Make sure the pin (bolt) that connects the raise-lower cylinder to the front lift assembly isnt broke.It has happened to me numerous times.Use of harder bolts doesnt work either,use a grade 5 and make sure the shank goes most of the way thru (or all the way thru) and use a nylock nut. Eddie

[coolconnection]

I had a steiner and the hydraulic cylinder broke the lift right around the pivot bolt. Had to tear it all out and get it welded.

[DirtyHandsCleanSoul]

Its an axial piston pump. Whining or running it low usually means cavitation which will ruin a pump within hours.

Our little 420 could pick the rear tires off the ground if you lifted something heavy, and we had counterweights on the rear. Even with the extra weight; if we couldn't push it we would spin the tires. We used that machine commercially and it was on its second engine. I would say yours is lacking something.

[Industrial Toys]

Good News. It was just the bolt at the lower end of the lift cylinder. I actually thought there were two cylinders. I guess I don't know much about this machine. That's the good thing about things going wrong, you learn! I would have sworn that if I had someone try and lift the blower while I tried the spool valve, it would have gone up! Shows how wrong you can be. If I had tried the valve for a longer time, and the cylinder had gone to end and bypassed, I would have clued in, I guess!

Great! One less headache (and potential expense) I have to contend with!

Thanks for all the help, info and input.

Just as a side note. I never really thought much of the Steiner tractors and bought it just for a particular application that I thought it would be good for. However, the longer I have it, the better I like it. It is quite capable, and lots of fun to use!