Log splitter running hot

[OldMassey44]

Alright so I got my log splitter going with a 15hp engine. Used it for 30min/1hr roughly and noticed the hydraulic fluid was getting quite hot. I used a digital thermometer and it showed roughly 190F. It was quite hot outside as well but I'd like to know if that is too warm for anything. I'm open to any suggestions on how to cool this thing down a little. Any ideas for a homemade oil cooler?

 

[caterpillar guy]

Well that is not that bad for the ambient temperature if it is up around 80or more. If you want to cool it more You need to ad an oil cooler to it before it goes back to the reservoir PRobably would also need to put a fan on the cooler. IF it just stays up by the buildings you could just use a box fan up next to the cooler if not then a fan running of either the engine or an electric fan. Other option would be to0 use a water and flow it over a cooler or through it like an oil cooler on an engine. Then run water through a radiator to cool it with a water hose running into the radiator or a fan on the radiator. About the only practical options for it.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Don't run the engine at full throttle. That looks like about a 5 gallon reservoir, and that pump can cycle the entire contents of that reservoir multiple times a minute at full throttle. There will be a point at which the cylinder doesn't move any faster no matter how much more throttle you give it. Any more throttle just wastes fuel and heats the oil that much faster.

A larger reservoir would keep the oil cooler, or at least slow down how fast it gets hot.

You can get a ready-made oil cooler from ebay or amazon for under $100. You can get a self-contained oil cooler for those cheap Chinese mini-excavators complete with fan for about $60. They're good for about 15GPM.

"Home brew" you need some kind of radiator-like object. Even an actual car radiator would work. Just send the return flow from the valve through the radiator, and then into the reservoir. It will also add a couple of gallons of capacity to the system.

 

[caterpillar guy]

When dad peddled mail he used to drive those big buicks . They had the 455in them and the transmissions would go out from all the stopping and he would run them hard in the winter too with the snow and no body ploed out the boxes. So he would run in on the snow till he got to the box with the front end riding up on the snow then back off of it. and go again to the next box. We got prety fast at changing them out for him. So after a couple he cut the AC coil off and used it for a transmission cooler. He didn't have any trouble after that with them. Sure was happy not to have to change them. Got so we could have one out in and back in in a couple hours after it was up on the blocks. That is why I hate cutting wood in the summer it is hard on all those things to do with wood. Including me.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

There is no reason it should be running that hot. I've got a MTD from the eighties with a reservoir half that size.... not much bigger than the cylinder. Hardly gets warm.

You have a restriction somewhere in the system , either during the valve being in neutral in the return circuit, or during the stroke of the cylinder ( loose parts covering ports) , or the valve is not centering.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

There is no reason it should be running that hot. I've got a MTD from the eighties with a reservoir half that size.... not much bigger than the cylinder. Hardly gets warm.

You have a restriction somewhere in the system , either during the valve being in neutral in the return circuit, or during the stroke of the cylinder ( loose parts covering ports) , or the valve is not centering.

Yeah but it probably has a little 3-5HP Briggs and a little bitty pump.

Look at this machine. It's got a 15HP engine and a HUGE pump. I'd guess the pump to be around 20GPM.

 

[OldMassey44]

I flipped the hose around that goes to the rear of the cylinder so it's farther away from the engine heat, I also now see that the hydraulic fluid must be contaminated to some extent since the filler cap is full of white froth. I'm sure it would contribute to heating the fluid to some extent but could the engine possibly be sitting too close to the cylinder? What are some good ways of checking out the valve if there's any restrictions or issues? Tearing it completely apart? If I push or pull the lever any amount other than full tilt then the engine starts to sound like it's under load, if the ram is maxed out in either direction if I hold it for say 5 seconds, the engine would die. I don't think it should be that way but I'm not sure what to do about it. I'm not very familiar with hydraulics but I'm trying to learn

 

[OldMassey44]

I will also see how a throttle adjustment will affect things

 

[Janicholson]

I will also see how a throttle adjustment will affect things

Is it set up for open center operation, A return from the valve to the reservoir. If not, it may be running deadheaded against the relief valve in the pump. That will cause the engine to labor as much when placing a log, and have less load when it is just beginning a push to split. Jim

 

[Fritz Maurer]

Yeah but it probably has a little 3-5HP Briggs and a little bitty pump.

Look at this machine. It's got a 15HP engine and a HUGE pump. I'd guess the pump to be around 20GPM.

The problem is still restriction. That great big pump bushed down to 1/2 hose and that little valve probably takes 3 hp just to circulate the oil at speed.

Being that this machine was set up wrong to begin with, now the cheapest way out is an oil cooler , unless he wants to put the correct pump on it, but probably won't want to sacrifice the speed that he is used to.

 

[OldMassey44]

Is it set up for open center operation, A return from the valve to the reservoir. If not, it may be running deadheaded against the relief valve in the pump. That will cause the engine to labor as much when placing a log, and have less load when it is just beginning a push to split. Jim

I believe the fluid runs through the valve and back to the tank when the cylinder is sitting "idle"

 

[OldMassey44]

I believe the fluid runs through the valve and back to the tank when the cylinder is sitting "idle"

In other words.... I think it's setup for open center operation. Bare with me as I learn these terms

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

Looks to me like the exhaust is blowing right onto the back end of the cylinder and hydraulic hose fitting.

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

Yeah but it probably has a little 3-5HP Briggs and a little bitty pump.

Look at this machine. It's got a 15HP engine and a HUGE pump. I'd guess the pump to be around 20GPM.

I hadn't noticed that but yoy are right.

 

[OldMassey44]

Yes it was pointing right at the one hydraulic line but I have since flipped that line around farther away from the exhaust and re-directed the exhaust with a pipe going straight up so I don't have to inhale exhaust the whole time

 

[OldMassey44]

The problem is still restriction. That great big pump bushed down to 1/2 hose and that little valve probably takes 3 hp just to circulate the oil at speed.

Being that this machine was set up wrong to begin with, now the cheapest way out is an oil cooler , unless he wants to put the correct pump on it, but probably won't want to sacrifice the speed that he is used to.

I wouldn't say I'm used to this machine at all, I bought it as a project. When this pump fails, what would you recommend as a replacement?

 

[OldMassey44]

Don't run the engine at full throttle. That looks like about a 5 gallon reservoir, and that pump can cycle the entire contents of that reservoir multiple times a minute at full throttle. There will be a point at which the cylinder doesn't move any faster no matter how much more throttle you give it. Any more throttle just wastes fuel and heats the oil that much faster.

A larger reservoir would keep the oil cooler, or at least slow down how fast it gets hot.

You can get a ready-made oil cooler from ebay or amazon for under $100. You can get a self-contained oil cooler for those cheap Chinese mini-excavators complete with fan for about $60. They're good for about 15GPM.

"Home brew" you need some kind of radiator-like object. Even an actual car radiator would work. Just send the return flow from the valve through the radiator, and then into the reservoir. It will also add a couple of gallons of capacity to the system.

I adjusted the throttle down quite a bit and still after 45 min. of use the oil was around 180-190f

 

[Fritz Maurer]

I wouldn't say I'm used to this machine at all, I bought it as a project. When this pump fails, what would you recommend as a replacement?

There are dedicated two stage log splitter pumps out there, they offer both speed and power. Try Northern Hydraulics, or Baum Hydraulics might have them too.

 

[OldMassey44]

There are dedicated two stage log splitter pumps out there, they offer both speed and power. Try Northern Hydraulics, or Baum Hydraulics might have them too.

What about a 2 stage would affect the heat situation?

 

[Fritz Maurer]

What about a 2 stage would affect the heat situation?

Yes... it won't heat up at all because even in high range it will be substantially less than your current pump.... like maybe half.... I agree w/ B E that looks like a pump off a backhoe.