440 icd / 831 loader hyd. fluid level

[hughy]

new to site ,new to track loaders. would like to know if hyd. fluid is checked with loader all the way up ? would not have bought this machine without finding this site first. thanks!

[JimAnderson]

Hughy,
Position of bucket does not effect fluid level in tank.Fluid applied to
one side of the piston is offset by an equal amount flowing back from the other side as the piston moves.
JimAnderson

[hughy]

thanks for the reply jim. the problem im having is when loader is down it reads a little over full, all the way up hardly any oil on stick.

[JimAnderson]

Hughy,
The condition you describe sounds like the way a single acting
hydraulic system works.The cylinders on an 831 should all be double
acting.Check and see if you have down pressure by trying to raise
the front of the machine off the ground with the bucket.If there is no
down pressure then someone may replumbed the loader so that one
side of the piston is open to atmosphere.JimAnderson

[hughy]

the bucket will raise front end without a problem, let off the lever and it goes back down on its own . also wont pick up much weight very far . also plumbed for the #50 backhoe, dont know if that matters. hoe does work , not mounted now , and t handle on valve is in the up position for the loader hyd. the other 2 hyd. cyls. on loader work fine . thanks for your help.

[Lavoy]

There will be a difference in the level from down to up. The ram side of the cylinder has much smaller displacement than the non ram side, so as the arms go up, the oil level goes down. That is why you check the oil level with the bbucket down, otherwise it would overflow the reservoir when you let the arms down.
Lavoy

[JimAnderson]

Hughy,
I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I am persistant.
I went out to my 440 loader and checked the fluid level with the
bucket on the ground and it was full.I then raised it to full height
and guess what.The fluid just touched the dipstick.This loader works
well so I figured there is something I'm missing.When the loader is
at ground level the side of the piston with the rod attached is
full of oil.When the bucket raised then the side of piston without the rod is
full.There is quite a bit of difference in volume because the rod is fairly
big in diameter and the lift cylinder has quite a bit of stroke.This
difference in volume is about the same as tank level volume difference
between raised and lowered.In answer to your original question I
would check fluid levels with the bucket on the ground.Boy do I
feel dumb.JimAnderson

[hughy]

lavoy and jim, thanks for the replies. do you think the lift problem could be in the control or lift cyls. ? thanks!

[Lavoy]

If you are plumbed for a hoe, make sure tha the diverter valve is not partially open.
Lavoy