L4400 fel not working

[bsamot69]

Most unusual that all four cylinders go kaput at once.

I'm conflicted here. @TheOldHokie would tell you to replace them all. I'm the type that likes to know why and how, it carried over from my earliest days. So let's do this:

Measure one of each cylinder so we can shop. We need
* Cylinder diameter
* Rod diameter
* Length, center-to-center, when rod is completely extended
* Length, center-to-center, when rod is completely compressed
* Diameter of the connection pin on the rod end
* Diameter of the connection pin on the cap end
* Width of the rod end
* Width of the cap end
* Picture of each end

If you have a good hydraulic shop available, you could take them there and have them check them out. If they just need seals, you'll come out ahead replacing seals. But your symptoms suggest more serious problems, so I wouldn't have them do anything more. Have $300 for a new cylinder in the back of your mind.

Since you're about to spend some money, let's review. For
$1200 cylinders
$500 12 hoses & connectors
$300 joystick valve
$2000 total
you'd have new loader hydraulics. You might not need all of this right now, of course. But, before we start spending your money on hydraulics, are you reasonably sure that the structure of the loader is good? Is it square, do the pivot points move ok and without too much slop?

Data sheets

That would indicate more than a seal failure. No, capping it now wouldn't add anything.

Repeat the steps in posts 168 and 171 on the other three cylinders and report back.

I have some pictures of the piston end/seals. I don't know what that chunky stuff is..it is hard as rock. The inside diameter of cylinder my micrometer can't reach so, I measured the spacer rings on each seal assembly. I'll send photo of cylinder inside, not great but it may be helpful
The iD for tilt cylinder is 1.890 inches
The rod end width of tilt cylinder is 2.845
The cap end width is. 2.120
The lift cylinder ID. 2.110
Rod end width. 2.871
Cap end width. 2.196.
Hope this helps

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Data sheets

I have some pictures of the piston end/seals. I don't know what that chunky stuff is..it is hard as rock. The inside diameter of cylinder my micrometer can't reach so, I measured the spacer rings on each seal assembly. I'll send photo of cylinder inside, not great but it may be helpful
The iD for tilt cylinder is 1.890 inches
The rod end width of tilt cylinder is 2.845
The cap end width is. 2.120
The lift cylinder ID. 2.110
Rod end width. 2.871
Cap end width. 2.196.
Hope this helps

Well, that explains a lot. That chunky stuff is what's left of the piston rings. They're probably made of a filled teflon-like material.

I'd say you're in the market for new cylinders. We need length, open and closed.

 

[bsamot69]

Well, that explains a lot. That chunky stuff is what's left of the piston rings. They're probably made of a filled teflon-like material.

I'd say you're in the market for new cylinders. We need length, open and closed.

The extended and compressed length should be on the sheets I sent you

 

[Hugo Habicht]

I'd say you're in the market for new cylinders. We need length, open and closed.

He has them apart now. Is it not possible to find new piston seals?

 

[PoTreeBoy]

The extended and compressed length should be on the sheets I sent you

Sorry, I saw those other pictures and got distracted. It'll be a while before I get back on this. You can go to the Magister site and look around.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

He has them apart now. Is it not possible to find new piston seals?

We could, but did you see his pictures of the bores? I've been paying $100 lately for seals. Honing the bores would probably be at least that much if they're repairable. Then the rods and ? For $300 we can probably find new cylinders and know they're good.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

We could, but did you see his pictures of the bores? I've been paying $100 lately for seals. Honing the bores would probably be at least that much if they're repairable. Then the rods and ? For $300 we can probably find new cylinders and know they're good.

No, sorry, did not see that.
You are right, not worth it.

 

[bsamot69]

No, sorry, did not see that.
You are right, not worth it.

Explain about the bores. What should I be looking for as far as inspection?

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Explain about the bores. What should I be looking for as far as inspection?

Forget the bores. They should be smooth, polished with a very thin film of oil. Have you opened them all?

I need the i.d. of the lift cylinders. Also, a good overall picture of each cylinder so we can see both ends. While you're at it, how about a couple of overall loader pictures? Which nuts fit those fittings, -06 or -08?

 

[Russell King]

Explain about the bores. What should I be looking for as far as inspection?

The bores of the hydraulic cylinders need to be a well machined surface that is fairly smooth and cylindrical so that the seals can seal well and don’t get worn out quickly.

Since your seals seem to have failed completely, the steel piston on the rod has probably been in contact with the walls and heavily scratched the surface.

Since the seals are “expensive“ it may be more cost effective to just replace the complete cylinder instead of paying for a complete repair but that is up to you to determine. You can certainly take them to a repair shop and get an estimate on the cost to repair them. But have them all repaired at one time so the shop can verify that all can be repaired or not. I don’t think you want just one odd cylinder in a set to be replaced since the geometry might be a little different. (I am assuming that you have a two sets of two cylinders.)

I can’t see inside the cylinders well enough to tell if they are pristine or trashed. I can’t see if your rods are bent or damaged. I don’t know how expensive it would be to repair or replace the cylinders. You can figure all of that out yourself by taking the cylinders to a repair shop and getting them to quote a repair price. You can locate replacement cylinders or have the shop quote you replacements. Then decide what you want to do.

You can also just remove the FEL and use the tractor while all this is transpiring but that will be difficult without hydraulic power to the FEL but not impossible. But to use the FEL you must have working cylinders. That is your root problem currently = bad FEL cylinders.