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[Jwood]

I'm just saying its worth a shot all you have to do is start the machine that's where I'd start if it was me run the ram to the end of the stroke and hold it for a couple seconds.

[Jwood]

Found this online, again I'm no expert.

 In order to quickly and effortlessly cut through wood for use in your fireplace, your log splitter relies on hydraulic pressure. To ensure that your splitter is working at its optimum level and continues to cut your logs as efficiently as possible, you will regularly need to complete some maintenance on it. An integral part of any maintenance schedule is bleeding the hydraulics, but how exactly do you do this?

Step 1: Put on a pair of safety glasses to ensure that your eyes are protected in the case of flying debris.

Step 2: Extend the hydraulic ram to its maximum forward position. On powered models, this can be achieved using the ram control switch and on manual models, this can be achieved by pumping the handle. Remove the oil filling plug by turning it counter-clockwise.

Step 3: Release the hydraulic ram by turning the release screw counter-clockwise. Let the ram retract until fluid flows out from the plughole you opened in the above step. You will then need to quickly turn the release screw clockwise to stop the ram from retracting any further.

Step 4: Replace the oil filling plug, making sure it is tight before attempting to use the log splitter again (a loose plug can allow air to enter the hydraulic system and cause all sorts of problems).

As you can see, bleeding the hydraulics of your log splitter is actually a fairly simple process and is one that you will quickly get used to completing as a part of any regular maintenance schedule. Remember to replace the drained hydraulic fluid with brand new fluid and you will be good to go.

[mlappin]

Long as your pump is getting oil, it will work. A bit of air in a cylinder versus a minimum of 1500 lbs of hydraulic pressure....air looses.  Drain the oil out of the tank, check the screen in the tank, clean if required, reassemble. If desired the supply line to the pump could be removed and a pan placed under it, dump a couple of gallons of oil in the reservoir and see how fast it runs out. It's never happened to us, but I've heard of supply hoses collapsing internally and cutting off the flow of oil, have also heard of fuel supply hoses doing this.

I'm no expert either but I do repair almost all the hydraulics on the farm and have even worked on some hydrostats which can carry up to 5500lbs of pressure, if the pump is getting oil, it will displace the air.

Me thinks something else is causing the pump not to get any oil. Could even be as perverse as the key has sheared on the shaft that drives the internal pump gears. I've had this happen on spray pumps, shaft turns, even moves fluid till x amount of pressure is obtained then they fall flat on their faces and nothing happens.

[slimjim]

Been there and done that, good post mlappin

[trz]

Talked to Sean at Speeco and these are the tests he asked me to run.


  To test the pump

Disconnect supply line from the pump to the valve at the valve. 
Cap it off
Try to start engine

If engine starts and runs, pump is BAD.

Test cylinder

Disconnect return line at the filter
Disconnect line at far end of the cylinder
Use air compressor to pressurize cylinder
If you can blow fluid or air out of the return line seals in cylinder are
BAD.

When I did the pump test the engine started and ran for about 15 sec.  Then locked up and quit.
  Disconnected pump from motor and motor ran fine but the pump was locked up

    Called Sean back at Speeco and he said it sounds like the pump was failing g and the test was the last straw. So, I guess I will be buying a new pump and hopefully he was right.

[mlappin]

Thats kinda disheartening, only two years old and the pump took a dump?

[slimjim]

Friday night build, hopefully there is a warranty!

[whitepine2]

  Don't think pump is bad if you capped the line it deadended and stalled the engine this is what the man said if engine ran pump is bad but it didn't run so pump good. Now test piston like the man said you will need to have a good connection for air as it will take some PSI's to move oil. Before you do that I would crack a line to piston then slowly pull valve and see if you got pressure
at cracked line try both line's to piston if no pressure may be valve that is not working. You might try to crack the return line from the valve with engine running and see what you have for pressure, just crack fitting slowly as oil will be flying if pump is good. Hope this helps.

[trz]

Whitepine2 ..The pump is locked up, won't turn at all.

[slimjim]

Any Warranty? is there possibly a foreign object inside the pump.

[farmboythegreat]

or a kinked suction line

[whitepine2]

Whitepine2 ..The pump is locked up, won't turn at all.

O.K. but is the line still capped this will stop pump,you cannot compress fluid?
If you uncapped line and pump is still not turning then trouble with pump did you try turning pump by hand or with a hand tool?

[trz]

Took pump completely off and disconnected both lines ..it's locked up.

[whitepine2]

Took pump completely off and disconnected both lines ..it's locked up.

        CRAP Too bad we tried. Could take pump apart as it's not working but try
going back to where you bought it and see what they will do for ya.

[mlappin]

Took pump completely off and disconnected both lines ..it's locked up.

        CRAP Too bad we tried. Could take pump apart as it's not working but try
going back to where you bought it and see what they will do for ya.

If it's going to be warrantied don't take it apart, they may assume you buggered it up by messing with it.