Help....Wood splitter fix

[Green Acres Homestead]

Cylinder goes all the way to splitting position automatically and will not retract. I assume this is a valve problem. Before I go buying a valve is there anything else that can go astray that would make this happen?

Thanks

 

[triptester]

If the cylinder rod will not retract the piston inside the cylinder may have come apart from the rod. The piston and rod are held together with a single large nut.

 

[jinman]

When you move the valve lever to retract, do you hear any loading of the splitter's motor? If wouldn't be much unless the cylinder is binding. I'd take the retract line off the cylinder, put it in a bucket, and try the retract position on the valve to see if fluid was getting to the cylinder normally. While the hose is off, try pushing the rod back into the cylinder by hand. These tests will tell you if you need to pull the cylinder apart and check internals.

 

[pat32rf]

Even if it IS a valve problem, the "O" rings, etc for a valve can be bought for 10% of a new valve cost...

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

Thanks. I will give this a go.

 

[J_J]

Did you happen to change the valve for any reason, or install a new valve?

Is the valve reversed?

Are the hoses correctly installed?

What valve are you using that it extended the automatically?

Any pictures of the valve?

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

No changes were made. Splitter was working now it is not. As for going ahead automatically it is not suppose to do that. Sometime as soon as I start the motor the cylinder goes out. Not sure what type of valve that is on it. I am thinking the valve must direct the pressure to push out the cylinder and will not redirect the flow to retract.

By the way thanks for all your help!

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

I will post valve picks tomorrow. Just came off a 3 day fishing trip and not feeling to well.

 

[triptester]

Depending on the brand there is one stud or bolt in the detent section at the rear of the valve that is loose or broken. That bolt compresses a spring to center the spool. The loose part may also be blocking the spool from going back.

 

[J_J]

Here is an inexpensive log splitter valve.

Surplus Center - 1 SPOOL PRINCE HCSVG0002/LS3000 LOG SPLITTER VALVE

Another thought I had was that if the nut came off the piston, the fluid might push the piston and rod out, but on retract, the fluid might only push the piston back and leave the rod extended.

A hyd gage would help fix just about all your problems by providing the info for you to make right decisions.