BX2230 hydraulic issue

[cmyoung2]

I think I screwed up big time. Took the loader off my BX2230 for the first time since I had the tractor, mabe 5-6 years. Easy to disconnect, then just started mowing. Did not know you are supposed to connect two of the tractor hoses together. After about 30-45 minutes of mowing, smelled hydraulic fluid. It was leaking/pouring out somewhere around what I think is the pump, under the seat. The housing and rear PTO shaft were hot, left a trail of fluid in the yard about 10-15 ft. I shut it off as soon as I realized there was an issue. Up to that point everything was operating fine, hydrostatic drive was ok, steering was ok. So, where and how do I start looking for damage? I have the body off, fuel tank off just to see. I plan to refill the fluid and put it together enough to crank it to see if I can see a leak, or could it have been just a relief valve? Any ideas appreciated. And now I know those tractor mounted hoses have to be connected.

 

[JWR]

You've already gone way too far ! I assume you are using an LA211 loader on that BX2230. I have that on my BX2200.

When you take the loader off, the hoses adjacent to the right side of your engine side panel come apart with spring-loaded quick disconnects. The hoses and connectors are purposely arranged such that the males and females mate up and are pretty much impossible to get wrong. Once they are back together they take care of themselves until you get ready to put the loader back on. I hope you did not take some hydraulic connection loose besides those quick disconnects. If that was all you did, you probably lost quite a bit of hydraulic fluid running around without having put them together. Lord knows what all you took apart -- body off, fuel tank off !!! Good Lord Stop !

All you need to do (based on what you have told us) is to connect those hoses that relate to the loader, refill the hydraulic fluid in the chassis (it is all one cavity/sump), use your owner's manual and make sure you are refilling the right place and checking the level, put your tractor back together and go ahead using it... I hope there is not more you have yet to tell us !!??

If you dismantled something else or took hydraulic lines loose somewhere else or ... ? Who knows.
Some leak occurring up under your seat makes no sense as having any relation to having taken off the loader. After you have everything put back together correctly, clean it up and see if there is still hydraulic fluid emerging from strange places when you operate the machine.

p.s.: This seems far-fetched to me BUT I suppose there is some freak circumstance where (failing to connect the hoses normally going to the loader) your tractor and hydraulic pump need to be able to make circulation around that circuit you failed to connect, AND if the system needs that circular flow path, maybe it relieves pressure some other way via a relief valve or something up under the seat area ??? Never heard of such a thing but maybe ...

 

[TractorTech]

I was thinking about this too. JWR is right. You are taking it too far. Oil does not circulate through loader quick couplers unless the joystick is activated, with or without the loader attached. There are no hoses to connect without the loader attached.

I had a customer with a BX2200 with an oil leak under the chassis. The supply line to the power steering motor sprung a leak. The line is in a sleeve with the returning for the steering motor and was hard to find what was going on. I had to take the hoses out of the sleeve, reconnect and check for leaks.

The heat on the PTO housing is probably from normal usage.

 

[JWR]

Yes, the more I think on it, the more Tractor Tech is probably right. It is probably just coincidence that you have some fluid issue back up near the seat AND you have been messing with the loader. Two unrelated issues. So just get it all back together, fill your hydraulic reservoir, and then see what if any problems are left.

And Oh By The Way , I have had to replace darn near every hydraulic hose on my BX2200 over the last 20 years. Spring leaks and what a mess.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

BX2230 unless you have the 4 hose loader valve for use with the front implements the 3 hose valve stays with the loaderwhen taken off and has the valve and relief on the loader. Not connecting the 2 hoses back together will dead head the hydraulic pump.

 

[JWR]

BX2230 unless you have the 4 hose loader valve for use with the front implements the 3 hose valve stays with the loaderwhen taken off and has the valve and relief on the loader. Not connecting the 2 hoses back together will dead head the hydraulic pump.

BY "dead head the hydraulic pump" you mean it leaves the hyd pump trying to force fluid through a plugged line? So maybe that situation COULD set off some pressure relief back in the middle of the tractor?

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Call It what you want but have not seen where my BX 2230 has a relief inside the transmission housing until you get to the 3 point valve There is a flow priority valve for the steering upstream of the hydraulic block for the loader.

 

[cmyoung2]

Update. The rear axle seal blew out, as in completely out of the axle housing. Does not appear to be damaged, but I have to get some fluid to fill it back up. I think not having the loader hoses connected caused pressure buildup and too out the weak point. My loader hookup has three hoses, not 4 like the new ones. I will post back when I get it back together. If I have to replace that seal, that looks fairly easy.
Thanks

 

[JWR]

That is what I suspected. Two of your hanging hoses will mate to each other with the quick disconnects. I can't remember if the other hose just dangles and has protective rubber cover or what.

 

[cmyoung2]

Final update, and thanks for the responses.
I just put the rear axle seal back in place with a little Permatex. Mowed for a couple of hrs today and everything seemed fine. So I learned a lesson that for once didn't cost me much, left a hydraulic oil burn streak in my daughter's yard about 6" wide by 15' long, and got a chance to clean parts of the tractor I have never seen, and don't want to ever again.