Hydraulic problem / questions

[Farwell]

Do not know if this is a possibility, once in a while I accidently move the control for my rear remotes when they are not connected to anything, the same symptom that your are describing takes place with my loader and continue that way until I put the lever back into the neutral position. This is a bad thing for my tractor and could cause my hydraulic pump some serious damage. Do not know if you have a set up like this on your tractor, if you do it could be your problem.
Farwell

 

[Farwell]

Do not know if this is a possibility, once in a while I accidently move the control for my rear remotes when they are not connected to anything, the same symptom that your are describing takes place with my loader and continue that way until I put the lever back into the neutral position. This is a bad thing for my tractor and could cause my hydraulic pump some serious damage. Do not know if you have a set up like this on your tractor, if you do it could be your problem.
Farwell

 

[Marlowe]

I'm no expert, but i've had my share of hydraulic problems. Some things I've learned:

Small tractors have a hydraulic system on them meant to operate primarily the 3pth. While they will produce the pressure needed to operate a FEL, it will usually be slow when compared with the ones designed for that purpose.

Hydraulics work better in cool weather. I've noticed that my tractor FEL gets really slow and noticeably weaker on a hot day, especially after I've worked it hard for a while. The oil heats up, gets thinner, and less pressure is produced.

The hydraulic pump is a gear mesh type pump, for lack of better words. I've had a great deal of experience with these pumps when I was an outboard mechanic. They use similar, although much smaller pumps in the trim systems. Trim systems experience similar failures such as slow action and lack of power. It was almost always something in the valving rather than the pump. The few times it was a bad pump it was caused by water contamination; not likely in a tractor. I'm sure tractor pumps go bad and lose pressure, but I'd expect another problem.

One problem we share that I know is not right; that change in engine tone when the implements are lifted all the way. Mine does that when the 3pth is all the way up. I've adjusted my stop to keep it from topping out, but it should go into a float mode at whatever postion you set the lever at and relieve the pressure on the pump. If it doen't, something is out of whack. I suspect mine is some sticky linkage on the hitch activator since it works better when I lube it. I haven't cornered the problem yet though , so for the time being I go with the stop on the lever adjustment to keep away from full up. I can run the FEL all the way up without leaving the pump in a bind, as long as I don't hold the handle down when the loader reaches its full travel. If you have an issue with your pump being in a constant bind it would definitely heat up your oil excessively causing a loss of pressure.

Another thing I've learned about tractor hydraulics; it's hard to find someone who really understands how and why they work, let alone why they don't.

Good luck with it. I know how frustrating it can be. Other than wheel bearings, the only thing I've ever needed to fix on my tractor has been the hydraulics.

Tom

 

[Marlowe]

I'm no expert, but i've had my share of hydraulic problems. Some things I've learned:

Small tractors have a hydraulic system on them meant to operate primarily the 3pth. While they will produce the pressure needed to operate a FEL, it will usually be slow when compared with the ones designed for that purpose.

Hydraulics work better in cool weather. I've noticed that my tractor FEL gets really slow and noticeably weaker on a hot day, especially after I've worked it hard for a while. The oil heats up, gets thinner, and less pressure is produced.

The hydraulic pump is a gear mesh type pump, for lack of better words. I've had a great deal of experience with these pumps when I was an outboard mechanic. They use similar, although much smaller pumps in the trim systems. Trim systems experience similar failures such as slow action and lack of power. It was almost always something in the valving rather than the pump. The few times it was a bad pump it was caused by water contamination; not likely in a tractor. I'm sure tractor pumps go bad and lose pressure, but I'd expect another problem.

One problem we share that I know is not right; that change in engine tone when the implements are lifted all the way. Mine does that when the 3pth is all the way up. I've adjusted my stop to keep it from topping out, but it should go into a float mode at whatever postion you set the lever at and relieve the pressure on the pump. If it doen't, something is out of whack. I suspect mine is some sticky linkage on the hitch activator since it works better when I lube it. I haven't cornered the problem yet though , so for the time being I go with the stop on the lever adjustment to keep away from full up. I can run the FEL all the way up without leaving the pump in a bind, as long as I don't hold the handle down when the loader reaches its full travel. If you have an issue with your pump being in a constant bind it would definitely heat up your oil excessively causing a loss of pressure.

Another thing I've learned about tractor hydraulics; it's hard to find someone who really understands how and why they work, let alone why they don't.

Good luck with it. I know how frustrating it can be. Other than wheel bearings, the only thing I've ever needed to fix on my tractor has been the hydraulics.

Tom

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Do not know if this is a possibility, once in a while I accidently move the control for my rear remotes when they are not connected to anything, the same symptom that your are describing takes place with my loader and continue that way until I put the lever back into the neutral position. This is a bad thing for my tractor and could cause my hydraulic pump some serious damage )</font>

Yikes! What ype of tractor is this? ( I may want to avoid that brand ). I guess my NH remotes spoil me since they auto kick to neutral whent he cyl reaches it's max travel.. or if they get moved with no QD in them..

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Do not know if this is a possibility, once in a while I accidently move the control for my rear remotes when they are not connected to anything, the same symptom that your are describing takes place with my loader and continue that way until I put the lever back into the neutral position. This is a bad thing for my tractor and could cause my hydraulic pump some serious damage )</font>

Yikes! What ype of tractor is this? ( I may want to avoid that brand ). I guess my NH remotes spoil me since they auto kick to neutral whent he cyl reaches it's max travel.. or if they get moved with no QD in them..

Soundguy

 

[Farwell]

Soundguy,
The tractor is a 1965 John Deere 2010. On the left side of my steering column are two control levers, one for my rear remotes and the other for my 3pth. Once in a while I bump the rear remote lever and for some reason it causes my FEL to stop functioning. The FEL has separate controls on the right side of the tractor tied to the hydraulic pump and through a Prince control valve. I do not know what causes the problem other than the possibility that the rear remotes are capped causing the oil flow to stop or slow down similar to plugging up the open center on the Prince valve. The remote lever must re direct the oil flow from the FEL control to the rear remotes. This is just conjecture on my part but it is the only theory that I have been able to come up with.
Farwell

 

[Farwell]

Soundguy,
The tractor is a 1965 John Deere 2010. On the left side of my steering column are two control levers, one for my rear remotes and the other for my 3pth. Once in a while I bump the rear remote lever and for some reason it causes my FEL to stop functioning. The FEL has separate controls on the right side of the tractor tied to the hydraulic pump and through a Prince control valve. I do not know what causes the problem other than the possibility that the rear remotes are capped causing the oil flow to stop or slow down similar to plugging up the open center on the Prince valve. The remote lever must re direct the oil flow from the FEL control to the rear remotes. This is just conjecture on my part but it is the only theory that I have been able to come up with.
Farwell