Siphon for hydraulic oil....

[Richard]

In Sept, I bought a Terrain King, hydraulically powered mower. This is nothing more than a 15' flexwing mower but, instead of being powered by shafts on the PTO, there is a closed loop pump hanging on the pto to power the blades.

At the hinge location for the wings (on BOTH sides of the hinge) is something like a 3x4 boxed section. You can't "see" this part as it's simply part of the construction of the mower assembly. None the less, each wing has two of these chambers and these chambers are most of the reservoir for holding the hydraulic oil. I think the factory calls these the cooling channels or something like that.

There is then a "box" on the front of the mower that would have (what you would otherwise think to be) the hydraulic reservoir sitting there.

Meaning.... if you want to change the fluid, you drain the 'front' reservoir of fluid....you think you are done but, you've only drained (guessing) five gallons out of the (guessing) 45 gallons that it holds since most of the volume is sitting in these cooling channels.

Hope that painted a picture that makes some sense.

Ok, just got done adding a schematic of mower. The squared sections near the hinges are the cooling chambers I'm speaking of.... it doesn't show the front reservoir.

Here's my question.... Evidently the hoses on these are REAL tight. Guy who welded something on it for me had to take one off. They had a six foot cheater and TWO people twisting on it to get it off.

I want to get as much oil OUT as I can so I can flush it.

If it uses 45 gallons, I'm simply NOT going to do a couple drain/refils..... so how do I siphon out.

What I'm trying to find is NOT a kerosene heater type siphon hose with a squeeze ball.....I have one of those.

What can I use that might pull hydraulic fluid out faster and still be controlled? (so when my 5-gallon bucket fills, I can control flow as I move to next pail)

Also.... how do I get the oil out of the cooling chambers if the hoses are that hard to remove?

I'm wondering if by lifting the wings, some of the fluid (in the wing half) will gravity feed to the chamber on the chassis.....and then maybe push its way to the reservoir on the front of the mower. I could use my backhoe to lift the front/back to try to then let that oil move forward.

From what I understand, they didn't make any drain plugs in the cooling chambers so I'm a bit perplexed on how to do a "good" drain job and not mix half new fluid with half old fluid.

Thoughts??

 

[Richard]

Added:

The schematic shows the hoses that go to the lift cylinders NOT to the cooling chambers.

If you look at the chambers, you will see drawings that represent the couplings there but, no hoses.

 

[RNeumann]

If you insist I’d pump the fluid new through it.

 

[Richard]

Count me as being a dummy.....can you explain what your process might be?

I don't want to use 300 gallons to replace 45 (I don't want the new oil to mix with the old and take extra fluid to finally flush old out)

I want to drain 90% of the old then simply replace it. (I know I'll never get it "all" so I just want most out)

 

[Dirthog]

The only way to get it all out is to tear down the whole system. You could get a bit more out by removing the hoses off the cylinders and moving them manually you could also try and remove all the lines and blow air through the system but that will still leave quite a bit in it. We have to do this all the time when we have a excavator or something that comes in with a cylinder or motor blown up.

 

[Richard]

Gotcha. I had actually thought about that..... but thought for the work involved, if I can get the lion share out, I (hope) to be good.

Kind of like a general oil change in your car/truck.... dump old, replace. The old oil in the passageways, clinging to the interior parts will simply blend in with the new stuff. Generally that's 'good enough'.

I hope to get there with this. Might not worry about it until spring, I don't like doing t his stuff when it's cold.....and since I won't be cutting anything until spring, I might have time.

 

[oldnslo]

Richard,
Which hoses connect to the cooling chambers? Are there hoses between the main reservoir and cooling chambers?

 

[def38]

Buy a small 12VDC pump ( https://www.amazon.com/Amarine-made...8&qid=1545417772&sr=1-26&keywords=12+vdc+pump ) and drain old into a drum (I made a AG sprayer out of my pump which works well after you have used it to drain your mower)

Is there a filter anywhere in the system?

Also, is there contamination or some other compelling reason to change 45 gallons of hydraulic oil that only needs to lubricate bearings and gears. Sure, the old oil may have sheared down in viscosity but, who cares.

 

[Ken]

Buy a small 12VDC pump ( https://www.amazon.com/Amarine-made...8&qid=1545417772&sr=1-26&keywords=12+vdc+pump ) and drain old into a drum (I made a AG sprayer out of my pump which works well after you have used it to drain your mower)

Is there a filter anywhere in the system?

Also, is there contamination or some other compelling reason to change 45 gallons of hydraulic oil that only needs to lubricate bearings and gears. Sure, the old oil may have sheared down in viscosity but, who cares.

To keep the old fluid from mixing with new. elevate the hose to level where can add a gallon of red Diesel to then fill with the new. when the fluid you are dumping turns red shut off the flow and reconnect to pump.
This method is used in pipe lines where gas diesel lub. oil or what ever the pipe line company's need to transport.
ken

 

[RNeumann]

Count me as being a dummy.....can you explain what your process might be?

I don't want to use 300 gallons to replace 45 (I don't want the new oil to mix with the old and take extra fluid to finally flush old out)

I want to drain 90% of the old then simply replace it. (I know I'll never get it "all" so I just want most out)

I’d just pump each of the 6-8 cooling reservoirs out.