Tilt cylinder leaks down on 773C

[jcalla]

I was using my 773C today & all of a sudden I noticed the tilt cylinder on my grapple bucket leaks down real fast. My question is how do I determine if the problem is the cylinder or the valve body?

JPC

 

[gatractorman]

It's messy, but tilt the bucket/attachment all the way back then remove the line from the base end of cylinder then start machine and try to tilt back again and watch where the oil comes from, cylinder or hose. 99% cylinder.

 

[J_J]

I was using my 773C today & all of a sudden I noticed the tilt cylinder on my grapple bucket leaks down real fast. My question is how do I determine if the problem is the cylinder or the valve body?

JPC

With a leak like that, does the relief valve activate when you go full extend or retract?

Does it do that with engine on/off or both.

 

[RickB]

Non-contact infrared thermometer with a laser pointer. Fast, mess-free troubleshooting of cylinder problems. Identify a blown cylinder packing, prove that a cylinder is sound, find the bad piston seal in a pair of cylinders plumbed in parallel without spilling a drop of oil. Works every time for me.

 

[jcalla]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I found a test procedure in the service manual. However, I am curious about infered testing to locate the leak. Since the oil is hot already, how would it find the leak?

JPC

 

[RickB]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I found a test procedure in the service manual. However, I am curious about infered testing to locate the leak. Since the oil is hot already, how would it find the leak?

JPC

Start with cold oil. However, oil rushing past a leaking piston seal (or any small orfice) will generate more heat than the surrounding body of oil or metallic mass that contains it.

 

[brain55]

Start with cold oil. However, oil rushing past a leaking piston seal (or any small orfice) will generate more heat than the surrounding body of oil or metallic mass that contains it.

I will have to try this next time.

Brian