Small spray of fluid--is this normal?

[montyhp]

I overloaded my FEL with a round bale. The arms would raise the bale, but the spear wouldn't curl. After doing this I noticed a small spray of oil on the concrete around where I had been moving the bale. This also happens to be where I park my tractor (so I can't really tell if it is happening under normal conditions).

So I turned on the engine, loaded the loader by lifting the front end of the tractor, and went over all the hydraulic lines with a white piece of paper. No leaks that i could find. If I am overloading a cylinder am I activating a relief valve that is putting out a fine spray?

I will keep a close eye on things, but the loader seems to be operating normally. Anything else I should do?

Montyhp

 

[kennyd]

Absolutely not normal. The seals and hose should be able to contain anything the pump can put out.

There could be a hose getting ready to burst, but only leaking now when it's bent a certain way.

 

[irwin]

And check your hydraulic line connections, you might be having a seal seep under full pressure.

 

[/pine]

be careful, anytime the pump (tractor) is running there is a danger of pressure injuries when there is a leak in the system...

 

[Transit]

So I turned on the engine, loaded the loader by lifting the front end of the tractor, and went over all the hydraulic lines with a white piece of paper. No leaks that i could find. If I am overloading a cylinder am I activating a relief valve that is putting out a fine spray?

Montyhp

I understand the problem. I think you are not loading the FEL enough to case the leak. What you are experiencing with overloading the FEL is a stall, the load is too great to be lifted and the system pressure is limited to a maximum by a relief valve. Lifting the tractor off the ground with the FEL is not duplicating the load imposed by the bale.
If the cylinders weep over night, try wrapping a sheet of paper around the suspect and see what the morning beings, or do the same and overload the FEL with a bale.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

be careful, anytime the pump (tractor) is running there is a danger of pressure injuries when there is a leak in the system...

Surgery after a hydraulic injection...

 

[First one]

Holly sh.. are you serious :shocked:I never would have thought.So what happens ,is it like they have to remove it by cutting it out or what?
To receive a injury like that ,would you have to be very close to a leak ?

 

[montyhp]

Thanks, all. Especially for the surgery picture. I will try to recreate the situation. I wear eye protection, gloves, long sleeves, etc, and use paper to try to locate the leak. They taught us all about injection injury at Air Force industrial hygiene school.

Montyhp

 

[J_J]

That injury was caused by a hydraulic hose burst at the fitting while the guy was operating a hyd torque wrench. Although he had a glove on, the hole you see was the impact area. The other ares of destruction was done by the surgeon trying to get all the hyd fluid out. They did save the guys hand.

On an OC system, you usually only have high pressure when you are operating a valve, or a cyl is under pressure caused by a static load. Example, A raised bucket of material

 

[montyhp]

I loaded the FEL with a round bale, went over everything with the white paper test, no leaks. I guess all I can do is keep my eye on things.

Montyhp