Power steering cylinder

[Merleman]

Hello everyone this is my first post. I have 1968 ford 4000 3 cyl diesel. I have been having issues with my power steering cylinder. The power steering works good not great but after about an hour of running the tractor, the cylinder is very hot to the point where if you left your hand on the cylinder it would burn you. I have searched for answers but have not found any similar posts thats why i am making this post. I have attached a picture of the cylinder. Any help will be appreciated this is my first tractor and am willing to learn and work on it.

 

[ErnieD]

Cylinder won't make heat. Pump and relief valve will. If it was a concern to me I would purge and flush hydraulic system and refill with synthetic hydraulic oil/fluid.

 

[Jim.ME]

Cylinder won't make heat. Pump and relief valve will. If it was a concern to me I would purge and flush hydraulic system and refill with synthetic hydraulic oil/fluid.

I won't say this is his problem but a cylinder with a bad internal packing will make heat from oil being forced by the restricted area around the failing packing.

@ Merleman, touching something is not a good temperature check especially on a system that could run 200 degrees plus when working, 120-140 degrees is about all most can keep a hand on. Use a temperature gun/infrared thermometer to check the temperature of the reservoir and the cylinder after it has been running the two should be about the same. If the cylinder is much hotter it is likely a bad internal packing. If you hold the cylinder in a hard stop to make oil bypass you may even see the temperature, go up in the area the piston is at inside the barrel.

 

[Sean in PA]

Anywhere that the fluid can flow, but with severe restriction to the flow, will cause heat.

 

[Merleman]

I won't say this is his problem but a cylinder with a bad internal packing will make heat from oil being forced by the restricted area around the failing packing.

@ Merleman, touching something is not a good temperature check especially on a system that could run 200 degrees plus when working, 120-140 degrees is about all most can keep a hand on. Use a temperature gun/infrared thermometer to check the temperature of the reservoir and the cylinder after it has been running the two should be about the same. If the cylinder is much hotter it is likely a bad internal packing. If you hold the cylinder in a hard stop to make oil bypass you may even see the temperature, go up in the area the piston is at inside the barrel.

I finally got a chance to run the tractor after several days of rain. I used a temp gun and after an hour and a half of bush hogging the cylinder and pump are both reading right at 200 degrees. Would this be hot or normal temps?

 

[Jim.ME]

I finally got a chance to run the tractor after several days of rain. I used a temp gun and after an hour and a half of bush hogging the cylinder and pump are both reading right at 200 degrees. Would this be hot or normal temps?

I would say normal.

Did you try turning it hard against a stop and holding it there? Aim or temp gun at where the cylinder's piston should be and see if the temp climbs as you hold it there.

 

[sotxbill]

180 to 220 are normal for hydraulic fluids being pumped and pressurized,, if you run the system long enough.. It actually helps boil off moisture. Anything above 250 and you might move to synthetic or add a cooler.

 

[Merleman]

Thank you everyone for the information!

I have a leak on the hose that is clamped now. Should this hose be clamped? Or should I replaced it with a crimped fitting?

 

[Sean in PA]

Both ends of both of those hoses should all be crimped fittings.

 

[Jim.ME]

It looks like fuel hose, that is the wrong type of hose. Should be a pressure rated hydraulic hose with proper crimped fittings. And I am guessing the brass adapter does not have the right threads and seating arrangement to match the port in the cylinder. It should be a hose similar to the other hose.

 

[Merleman]

Thank you. Looks like I inherited someone's handy work lol. Is that pressure or return line? The other end of the line goes to a metal line where it is hose clamped again and that metal line goes to the reservoir. I assume its return line.

 

[Sean in PA]

The parts drawing says that line is the return line. The pressure line can experience up to 850 psi if you turn the steering wheel to full stop left or right. Depending on how clean the filter is, that return line can experience up to a few hundred psi. The cleaner the filter, the lower the pressure on the return line.

 

[Destroked 450]

This photo is of the lines on my 68 4000 just before I converted it to hydrostatic steering

The pressure line is a factory replacement but the return is original
It’s a heavy nylon braided hose with clamps, not a crimped hydraulic line
I would find a good straight fitting and use at minimum fuel hose rated for fuel injection which is at around 100 psi rated