Hydraulics Down - 3510

[MarEng]

Disconnected the backhoe yesterday for the first time since new (3 years). Even with the subframe it went like a dream.

Problems began when I reconnected the hydraulic feed hose. FEL and the 3-point only work intermittently. Lots of air going through the pump. Reservoir is full. I've excercised the FEL and the 3-point to try and work the air out but it gets worse, not better. After about 5 minutes of this I shut it down to avoid any (more?) pump damage.

Any suggestions on trouble shooting? I know quick connects leak sometimes. Would a tight covering of electrical tape be enough to test the various fittings to see which is leaking or is there a better method? I have a local shop (not Branson, but good guys) who I don't mind taking it to - I just don't want to take the time to load and bind if there is something simple I can try first.

Any help appreciated.

Brgds, Will.

 

[MarEng]

Oh yeah - one more question - does the PTO always spin? When I removed the PTO cover I noted the shaft spinning. The PTO speed selector was in the neutral position. When I press the clutch it stops but when the clutch is out the PTO seems to loaf along. When I engage the PTO at either speed it goes much faster.

I did not try grabbing it to see if I could stop it. When I put the PHD on it still spins slowly when the selector is in neutral.

 

[MicroPilot]

Oh yeah - one more question - does the PTO always spin? When I removed the PTO cover I noted the shaft spinning. The PTO speed selector was in the neutral position. When I press the clutch it stops but when the clutch is out the PTO seems to loaf along. When I engage the PTO at either speed it goes much faster.

I did not try grabbing it to see if I could stop it. When I put the PHD on it still spins slowly when the selector is in neutral.

This seems to be fairly normal for these tractors, mine does it and others on here have reported this also. On my tractor I can grab it with my hand. No force on it at all. It also doesn't always spin.

 

[Stimw]

I would try hooking the hoe back up and see what changes. You might be sucking air in the quick disconnect or something else weird.
The PTO shaft will coast when out of gear it's OK.

 

[MarEng]

Took the tractor to the shop this AM. Counter man spent 15 minutes going over it on the trailer - hoping he could find something obvious and keep me from having to unload. No Joy.

Guess we'll wait and see what they find.

Thought about putting the hoe back on but this has been a month of 1 step forward and 2 steps back - time to let somebody else chase my gremlins. I did tape up the return to see if it was sucking air - nothing changed.

All this and my brother just called. He's gotten crosswise with the City of Houston on a drainage project and been ticketed. As soon as the tractor comes back the hoe goes back on and it gets a ride south.

 

[MarEng]

Heard from the shop yesterday. They at first suspected a collapsing hose. Gauged everything on the pressure side and all was well. Went to the suction side and when they jumped out the filter all became right with the world. Filter is a cross-over (CarQuest) with less than 20 hours. When they tore it down they found the filter housing/base packed with trash. I'm guessing this was three years of accumulation in the dead leg return while the BH was on that got dumped all at once.

Current problem is getting a filter. The local Branson dealer is 45 miles away, so the local shop asked about fitting a cross-over filter instead. Local Branson dealer said no but will not offer any reason why this cannot be done. Based on other discussions here it can apparently be done and has been done on this tractor. The local shop foreman said in his 25 years his experience has been that, "a hydraulic filter is a hydraulic filter." Said he'd love to get his hands on a KUKJE filter to see what makes it so special.

Local shop suggested changing to a different filter mount with a full flow bypass that mounts a US standard/commonly available filter. He's working up a price now.