Log Splitter Overflows Hydraulic Fluid In Vertical Position

[TerryR]

It's more like your traktor's tanks can't swallow the amount of oil coming back from the splitter.

The tractor's hydraulics are not involved. It's a stand-alone spitter with it's own hydraulics. Here's a photo:


The tank is the large box that's also the axle. The vent is way on the left side, so if that side is low it can overflow when there's still plenty of room in the tank because the air is trapped on the high side of the long tank. Not a great design, but cost-effective I suppose.

My surprise is mine seems to overflow only when the ram is in the vertical position, like in this photo, and only when the oil is hot. It seems that more oil flows back to the tank in this position then when it's in the normal horizontal position for some reason.

 

[JAYBO1]

you may have too much oil in the tank.
check the fill level with the ram in the vertical position and retracted , oil needs room to expand when heated.

I have a 21 year old 31 ton MTD Log Splitter that I had that happen once or twice, and I checked the manual and it told me to leave the fluid down about and inch from the bottom of the fill tube. My reservoir is a hollow beam with the axles welded on each end. The fill tube has a 1" diameter hole drilled into the top of the beam, and a 1" diameter pipe 1" high welded over the hole with internal threads and a screw plug. You measure from the bottom of the hole to the fluid. When I put fluid in I put almost the amount it calls for and when I get close to what it calls for I start measuring. I hope this info was helpful.

 

[TerryR]

Thanks, Jaybo1,

Sounds like the same design as mine, which is half the age of yours. Except mine has a little dipstick attached to the plug on the fill tube. The oil is about half way between the full and add marks, which is about an inch below the bottom of the fill tube as you describe. Sounds like it's a common issue with this design.

 

[Jomamma]

Glad you got it figured out.
the only time my fluid came out the vent hole was when the vent side was a couple of inches lower than the other side

I had this problem today the vent hole seems to be the only spot it shot out from. It was far from level when I started it, my question is will it be safe to start it up again once it's in a level position?