Loader and bucket leak down over night on ck25 with kl130 loader.

[P.L.]

My ck 25 has just over 2,000 hours. Recently I've noticed that while running the machine with a full bucket or even the pallets fork with an empty pallet, the bucket curls down rapidly on it own, so I have make sure I keep it curled or it will dump the load. The last two nights I left the bucket curled all the way back and the loader half way up. When I come back in the morning the bucket is curled all of the way forward and the loader arms are down. At first I thought it may be leaky cylinders, now I'm thinking bad valve. Any input as to what the problem is or how to diagnose it would be great. I really want to pin point the issues before I change out a bunch of stuff that I don't need to.

 

[Gittyup]

I don't know much about these things. But, given the hours, the speed of the leaks, and the fact that it's both functions, I suspect it's the seals in the valve. But with those hours it may be the seals in everything.

 

[SSdoxie]

There are no seals in the valve that hold against work port pressure, internal sealing/leakage is controlled through close tolerance fit of the valve spool OD to valve bore ID. The seals at end of the valve spools only prevent return to tank oil form dripping on the ground.
1 way to check if leakage is in cylinder or the valve would be: next time you park tractor the same way with bucket partially raised and rolled back, disconnect the couplers at the valve going to the loader. If there is still leakage in the bucket cylinders, the cylinders need resealing. Amount of lift arm drop over night is probably normal or close to it.

 

[pilotman]

QUOTE=SSdoxie;3621499]There are no seals in the valve that hold against work port pressure, internal sealing/leakage is controlled through close tolerance fit of the valve spool OD to valve bore ID. The seals at end of the valve spools only prevent return to tank oil form dripping on the ground.
1 way to check if leakage is in cylinder or the valve would be: next time you park tractor the same way with bucket partially raised and rolled back, disconnect the couplers at the valve going to the loader. If there is still leakage in the bucket cylinders, the cylinders need resealing. Amount of lift arm drop over night is probably normal or close to it.[/QUOTE]

How do you disconnect the couplers, wouldn't pressure from the raised bucket prevent it.

 

[VictorW]

I've never disconnected my loader lines for the purpose you need but I imagine my bh with pressure in the lines is the same. Pressure usually still lets them disconnect but connecting is harder and usually needs bled off to connect. If your lines won't disconnect, put a block or 4x4 under the bucket for it to rest on. After the lines are disconnected, remove the block or 4x4.

 

[P.L.]

Thank you I will try disconnecting those lines. If that does not work any ideas of where to look next?

 

[VictorW]

There are two places you could do the quick disconnect connections first. One is at the top of the loader mount on the right side where you would disconnect to remove the loader and the other is under the right floor board at the actual valve. I don't know your loader year but mine is the older style where all the lines go into the arms and then into the front cross member. There is an inspection plate on mine and if you remove that, there is a distribution block that the lines connect to. I was present when the dealer installed the loader and he had to remove the plate to tighten up the lines because of a leak. As mentioned, with the lines disconnected and if the lift and bucket roll reasonably stay, the cylinder seals are good and it's the valve. If the arms and roll move, it's the piston seals in the cylinders which can be replaced. If it's the valve block, you'll probably need a new one but I believe you can get various parts if you know what is malfunctioning. As mentioned, it doesn't have fluid flow seals but steel rods called spools that move back and forth in a very close tolerance bore. I never had mine apart before but there may be flow check valves that could be leaking. A valve block schematic would show them. I had some problems with my bh valves on a KB2375 and flow check valves are in these. You'll just have to narrow down where the leak is, (cylinder piston seals, valve block) and then repair or replace what is leaking the fluid.

 

[/pine]

I would also check the nuts (or sex bolts) at the bottom of the spools (remove the caps)...it is possible that they are slightly loose and the spool is not returning to complete center...

 

[art]

If like other loaders get the kits for the cylinders.... To see if it is them, just take the hoses off the opposite end of the fill side for lift or roll back and oil should come out while sitting static. Most manufactures accept up to six inches an hour for static drop as being good.

 

[P.L.]

I disconnected the quick connects today for the loader. The curl cylinders leaked down fairly rapidly. The lift cylinder did not seem to leak down much. I did replace one of the lift cylinders in the last two or three years. I guess I be rebuilding both curl cylinders and one lift cylinder. Could leaky cylinders cause a loss in lifting power/ability?