Hydraulic question

/ Hydraulic question #1  

mapacer

New member
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Jan 19, 2009
Messages
3
I could use some help/suggestions with a problem with my L3400. A week or so ago it started fine but the bucket was real sluggish. I figured it was just the cold weather (15 degrees F) so warmed it a bit more and it worked fine. When I started it the next day the bucket, 3ph and p steering didn't work . there was a noise coming from the pump (on the ride side rear part of engine) and after running for 30 minutes the hydraulic filter was cold and there was no change in the bucket, 3ph and ps. ?? any ideas would be appreciated before I haul it to the dealer, thanks in advance.
 
/ Hydraulic question #2  
Depending on how cold the tractor actually got...what's the chances of there being a small amount of suspended liquid in the fluid, and this blocking up your filter.
 
/ Hydraulic question #3  
Did you check the fluid level?
 
/ Hydraulic question #4  
Check the rubber suction line going to the back of the hydraulic pump for a crack, lot of these were cracking, so Kubota has a better hose now.
 
/ Hydraulic question
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I'll check the hose for a crack, the level is ok and I was wondering also about some frozen water in the fluid. I guess it's safe to assume that the pump is not bad until these other things are looked at? Thanks.
 
/ Hydraulic question #6  
I'll check the hose for a crack, the level is ok and I was wondering also about some frozen water in the fluid. I guess it's safe to assume that the pump is not bad until these other things are looked at? Thanks.

Would think you would check those before jumping on pump but based upon warnings I have had...get fluid to the pump or it will be bad real quick. They don't last long dry.
 
/ Hydraulic question #7  
If you don't change your hydraulic fluid often enough it will build up water and freeze blocking the return to the pump. It's a bad deal as kthompson pointed out, a dry pump is a soon to be dead pump.

This is one of the stronger reasons I don't use the tractor in the winter as you should run it long enough and hard enough to warm the fluids up to full temp and hold them there for an hour or more. I just don't have enough stuff to do to get it up to temp and hold it there that long. Snow plowing is actually very light duty work and it's hard to get it up to temp by doing that. (I am talking about the hydraulic fluid temp - not coolant.)
 
/ Hydraulic question
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Problem solved. It looks like you called it EE bota. I put a little heat under the filter and it came slowly then seemed to flow well. I changed the fluid last year but I guess another change is in order. The pump had been running for a long time but hopefully there was just enough to keep it lubed. Thanks again to everyone for your input.
 
 
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