LogSplitter No power on stroke or return

[finishsuper]

I just purchased a homemade log splitter on the cheap, and got her home. Son wanted to try it out with me, so we started it up and threw a log on. When we pushed the lever forward to extend the cylinder, the engine began working hard and the piston moved slowly until it reached the log and then it was too much and the engine died. Restarted it back up and tried to retract the piston, but even then, the motor was under a lot of load trying to pull the piston back in.

This splitter has sat for quite a bit (hence the sale) and I'm new to hydraulics. The fittings are tight, the hoses are good shape, the reservoir is better than 3/4 full and the fluid looks good, the piston is in great shape (no discoloration or rusting on the piston shaft), the motor starts good and runs good with no load.

Here are some specifics:
Engine: 5HP Honda OHC
Pump: Northern 1056 2 stage

Should I be looking for air trapped in the system? A clog somewhere? (I don't see a filter, where would it be?). Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

PS I can provide pictures or more information as needed.

 

[J_J]

There should be a return filter on the tank.

Put a 3000 hyd gage on the valve IN port in a tee, and take some readings.

If you have air in the lines, it will purge itself when the rams is working.

What happens when you retract the ram and hold the lever, does the relief activate?

Are there any QD's in the hyd system, and if so, re-seat them.

Some pictures would be good.

 

[finishsuper]

I don't have access to a gauge right now, and probably won't be able to get one this weekend, so will have to do the ole "poke and hope" method for now.
Here are some pictures: I still don't see a filter. Maybe I need to install one?

Ran it for a bit this am and it seems to be a bit better today: the ram extends fully with no load, and the motor runs fairly decent. On the retract though, the motor works quite a bit, almost to failure.

I put a log in the cradle and as soon as I made contact, the motor quit. Will try to upload the vids to YouTube and then post links here, so you can see and hear.

Thanks for the reply and information.

 

[finishsuper]

Here are links to 2 YouTube vids. One showing the splitter running with nothing in the cradle, and the other with a log in place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0iqVVW4BQM&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve2cNi7PK64&feature=youtu.be

 

[wdchyd]

Engine dying is either pump is not automatically shifting into power displacement (smaller gear set) or you have engine issues (bad gas ect..??)

If the pump doesn't shift down to the high power mode (slower) then your engine is trying to push too many gpm's resulting in engine stall

A flow meter would troubleshoot this condition if it was hyd related.....not sure if a hyd guage would tell ya much other than what the pressure is when it stalls

engine should have enough power to go into pressure relief if the pump is kicking into second stage

 

[wdchyd]

Here are links to 2 YouTube vids. One showing the splitter running with nothing in the cradle, and the other with a log in place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0iqVVW4BQM&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve2cNi7PK64&feature=youtu.be

Can't see vids

 

[J_J]

This is what shows on your link.

This video is private.
Sorry about that.

Add a return filter as soon as possible.

 

[J_J]

wdchyd,

Just saw that you were selected as Member of the Month.

Congratulations, you contribute a lot to this forum and others, and we all appreciate it very much.

 

[finishsuper]

I think I fixed the YouTube vids. Sorry about that.

 

[J_J]

The vids are working now.

It sounds like the relief did not relieve enough.

There is the main relief and the kick off relief.

You might remove it , clean it and re-install/or replace.

A new log splitter valve can be had for $60.