L 48 hydraulic problem after splitting wood. Help

[Steve w]

Hi I m new here and have had some problems with my l48. I had a wood spliter hooked up and split a few cord s with no problems as I had last year. The way I have it set up is using the backhoe I hook up my lines to the 2 lines that come out of the right rear of the tractor. I do this so that I can leave the hoe on the tractor while I split my wood. Easier than trying to get to the quick connects with the the hoe on. Anyways after splitting wood and hooking the hoses back up for the hoe. It doesent lift the loader or the hoe at idle. I have to rev the engine up to get it to lift. The curl functions work fine at idle and the hidrostat works fine as well. Seems like the power steering is not as great as well. I ve changed the filters as well as tryed everything I could find on the net. I took the pump shaft out today to see if the coupling was striped but the splins look great. Haven't done a flow test or pressure test because I don't have the equipment. I wondered if anyone has any ideas of what could cause the change in the tractor. It s not the first time I ve had the splitter on. Any help would be great. Thanks a lot

 

[Bulldog]

Check all the hyd couplers. Sometimes they get trash or something like that and may not be locked up good or may be preventing flow.

 

[Steve w]

I ve looked in the couplers and taken them out and put them back with no differance. I also have tryed both valve positions on the back of the tractor and still no differance. When I used to pull the but pass rod the hydraulics would make a different noise but now there's no change. Don't know if that could be part of the problem.

 

[Shadow]

Replace the couplers that you unhook for the power beyond for the backhoe. Typically if one goes bad, it's the female. However, if your pump isnt "laboring", I'd think something could have happened to your pump. Need to do a flow test and test relief pressure also.

 

[Steve w]

Ok I ll look at the cuplings. I ll have to go to a shop for the flow and pressure test. I thought that because the curl function seems fine that it wouldn't be a pump issue but maybe just wishful thinking. Thanks.

 

[rbargeron]

Steve - on the L48 the rear connectors and selector on the right side are for the backhoe swing circuit. It's a handy independent circuit for powering things like a splitter (or a grapple in my case).

The other backhoe functions (and 3-point hitch) get flow from a second pump which has connectors and a selector valve on the left side. I'd exercise and double check the left side selector's position. It sounds like a diverter port might be partially open somewhere. The loader is powered from this pump too. The steering uses a third pump. Only the reservoir is common to all three hydraulic systems and the HST. (these rigs have a lot of pumps - two more inside the hydro!) Hope its something simple. Take care, Dick B

 

[Billdog350]

I thought the backhoe was a closed loop attachment. If you're not using the backhoe you have to hook the couplers together to allow fluid to flow.

The log splitter is an open loop attachment.

Not sure if this caused an issue with your tractor.....I would think it was operating against the pressure relief and maybe the pressure relief is damaged or popped open with debris?

 

[Steve w]

That makes sence if it s closed loop. Do u know where the releaf valve is located and I d check it out.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

It's not a closed loop system, it's an open loop.
Yes the relief valve can be stuck open.

 

[cb750k8]

Dont know your tractor but my guess is the relief valve. Find it. take it out and have a good look at it.
good luck

 

[Steve w]

I took out the releaf valves this am and they appear to be closed and a little dirty fluid came out but nothing obvious. I tryed it again and no better so I m leaning more towards the pump unless u guys think that the screen could be pluged in the suction tube

 

[Steve w]

The diverter valves used to make noises when I would switch them back and forth with the hoe on but now I get no real response. The left rear one works cuz when I pull out on the rod the hoe will not function but the right side lever makes no noise or change when switched back and forth. Maybe someone will know what has made this to change. Thanks

 

[garycz]

my dealer has told me (i am looking at a new tractor) that kubota does not recommend running a splitter of tractor hydraulics, creates an overheat issue with fluid and pump, sounds strange. An option may be getting a pto pump and reservoir for splitter and not monkeying around with tractor systems

 

[rentthis]

Steve, smack me in the head if this is stupid. Is it possible that when you disconnected the log splitter that you left enough of the tractors fluid in it to lower the level enough for the tractor to not operate properly. Some log splitters require a lot of fluid. Depending upon how the splitter was oriented when disconnected, you might have left enough in it to cause the problem.

 

[rbargeron]

The diverter valves used to make noises when I would switch them back and forth with the hoe on but now I get no real response. The left rear one works cuz when I pull out on the rod the hoe will not function but the right side lever makes no noise or change when switched back and forth. Maybe someone will know what has made this to change. Thanks

Does the backhoe swing function work ok? Swing operates off the pump and system feeding the right side. (Its pump is forward of the main pump up front). Any chance the splitter got connected to the left-side fittings? The symptoms described sound like the issue is in the main hydraulic circuit, not the swing circuit.

Years ago I blew out some pump seals by connecting into the system upstream of the relief valve.

 

[Billdog350]

my dealer has told me (i am looking at a new tractor) that kubota does not recommend running a splitter of tractor hydraulics, creates an overheat issue with fluid and pump, sounds strange. An option may be getting a pto pump and reservoir for splitter and not monkeying around with tractor systems

My dad runs an external pump and resi on his L48 and it works great for him. Might be a good idea regardless of your pump issue.