Z482 powered log splitter

sean2857 · Sep 30, 2014

Just wondering if anyone else has ever built one. I burn firewood during the winter to help heat my home. Since I acquired a Z482 and a 10 inch I beam for free, I figured I would build a diesel powered log splitter. How do you think this engine would perform for this application?

coachgeo · Sep 30, 2014

Z482 will be PLENTY of engine for a log splitter. All your running is a hydraulic pump to move the ram with. Pleny of splitters use smaller aircooled diesels.

Z482 is used in Micro Cars in the UK

sean2857 · Sep 30, 2014

That's good to hear. I just have to wait for my new shut down solenoid and water pump and ill be able to finish it!

Billdog350 · Sep 30, 2014

Looks pretty slick. you will want to route your muffler as far away from you as possible, maybe 90deg it back toward the radiator or rear of the splitter. I have a 5.5hp Briggs and the worst part of the splitter is listening to that motor screaming along. That's another thing, whats the GPM of your pump and at what rpm? Most pumps are rated at 3600rpm but I would guess you'll want to have your diesel running less than that. Since you have plenty of power, you could run a gear overdrive via chain so your diesel can be purring along at 1800rpm and sipping fuel quietly while the ram moves back and forth with a decent cycle time.

Cycle time and overall PSI are your two goals for a splitter. With a decent 2 stage pump the PSI is not the issue, the issue will be GPM....you want cycle time down in the single digits if possible (~8sec)...you will see some splitters in the 17+ second times...that just feels like forever.

sean2857 · Sep 30, 2014

Im running a 25gpm valve with an automatic detent and a 16 gpm 2 stage pump. The pump is rated at 3000 rpm and its currently a direct drive set up. Im going to see how that works as far as fuel efficiency and engine speed. I was going to go with a pulley set up but I was worried about belts slipping. I think the direct drive will work pretty well. Im not realy looking for speed as much as im looking for power.

Billdog350 · Oct 1, 2014

If you're looking for power, what's your PSI? I've never stalled my 5.5hp briggs motor, it will hit the detent on the valve long before the motor stalls. I'm guessing I'm at 2500psi or so....I'll have to T in my gauge sometime to see what its actually set at.

here's an example of a 21hp 2cyl gas setup at northern http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200631585_200631585

They're running a 28gpm pump with 21hp, sounds like you sized your pump properly.

sean2857 · Oct 1, 2014

Billdog350 said:
If you're looking for power, what's your PSI? I've never stalled my 5.5hp briggs motor, it will hit the detent on the valve long before the motor stalls. I'm guessing I'm at 2500psi or so....I'll have to T in my gauge sometime to see what its actually set at.

here's an example of a 21hp 2cyl gas setup at northern http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200631585_200631585

They're running a 28gpm pump with 21hp, sounds like you sized your pump properly.

here's the info on the pump

First Stage: 16 GPM @ 650 PSI
Second Stage: 3.5 GPM @ 2500 PSI
Maximum pressure: 3000 PSI

The hydraulic cylinder i'm using is off of a 1970's bulldozer. its approx. 36 inches long with a 3 1/2 inch bore and 2 inch shaft.

Valve info:

25 GPM Single Spool Valve
In neutral position, both work ports blocked, pump unloads to tank
Pressure rating: 2750PSI
Capacity: 25GPM
Maximum Operating Temperature 180***8457;
Relief Valve Setting 2250PSI
Detent Release Pressure 1400PSI
Working Ports are 1/2 NPT
In/Out ports are 3/4 NPT

Billdog350 · Oct 1, 2014

You will likely want to crank up your relief valve pressure once you test the whole system for leaks and issues. Its amazing how a few hundred psi at the pump equates to TONS at the ram. http://knighthawksupply.com/calccylforce1.htm

With that relief setting your splitter is running at 10.8tons.

With a relief setting at 2500 you're at 12tons.

If you go full boat at 3000, its 14.4 tons.

olthumpa · Oct 1, 2014

Billdog350 said:
You will likely want to crank up your relief valve pressure once you test the whole system for leaks and issues. Its amazing how a few hundred psi at the pump equates to TONS at the ram. http://knighthawksupply.com/calccylforce1.htm

With that relief setting your splitter is running at 10.8tons.

With a relief setting at 2500 you're at 12tons.

If you go full boat at 3000, its 14.4 tons.

Thanks for the link

, that will come in handy/save some time.

sean2857 · Oct 1, 2014

Thanks for that website and info. I was wondering about all of that. I may have to upgrade the pump and valve down the road depending on how this setup works. I thought I would be getting more out of it than 14.5 tons.

Billdog350 · Oct 2, 2014

You're welcome guys. Hydraulics are pretty cool, its all about volume, PSI and surface area. Volume is about speed, surface area and psi will give you the force.

Larger the cylinder, the more pressure it will develop but the slower it will move. Step up to a 5" bore cylinder and you'll develop 25tons at 2500psi! Almost 30 tons at 3000psi.

However this is where you want to step up your GPM...more GPM will give you faster cycle time.

Rather than buying a very expensive high gpm pump, I wonder if you can plumb two pumps in parallel and run one off the front of your motor and one off the rear? Or maybe a chain/belt drive to a second pump? 32gpm, larger ram, you'd have a 10 second cycle time and be able to split anything you put on the splitter.

sean2857 · Oct 2, 2014

Billdog350 said:
You're welcome guys. Hydraulics are pretty cool, its all about volume, PSI and surface area. Volume is about speed, surface area and psi will give you the force.

Larger the cylinder, the more pressure it will develop but the slower it will move. Step up to a 5" bore cylinder and you'll develop 25tons at 2500psi! Almost 30 tons at 3000psi.

However this is where you want to step up your GPM...more GPM will give you faster cycle time.

Rather than buying a very expensive high gpm pump, I wonder if you can plumb two pumps in parallel and run one off the front of your motor and one off the rear? Or maybe a chain/belt drive to a second pump? 32gpm, larger ram, you'd have a 10 second cycle time and be able to split anything you put on the splitter.

You're giving me some pretty crazy ideas haha. the dual pump set up sounds pretty awesome. I can definitely pull that off down the road. WIth the direct drive set up i have now, I would just have to get a chain sprocket to attach to the drive shaft and mount another pump right next to the one i already have! The possibilites are endless HAHA!

olthumpa · Oct 2, 2014

I could figure it out on paper but that link makes it easier.

Thanks again.

sean2857 · Oct 2, 2014

Finally got to test out the splitter today. It didnt work as well as I expected. I beleive there may be an issue with the cylinder not being strong enough. Even at higher RPMs, the ram wouldn't push an 8 inch log through the blade. I also increased the pressure on the valve which made little difference. Im going to upgrade to larger cylinder this weekend. The Z482 ran great though!!

Billdog350 · Oct 3, 2014

That sounds suspicious, an 8" log shouldn't even need 4 tons let alone the 11 we calculated you should have with your ram. What kind of wood?

If you have a leaky/worn hydraulic ram, that would cause it to have less power than expected.

Also, I know you said your setup is free flowing when the lever is in the neutral/middle position, are you sure its plumbed correctly?

How is the cycle time?

Take a video if you can and upload on youtube so we can see what's happening.

That 16gpm pump you have should generate plenty of psi to split the wood. Did you bleed the pump and system by cycling the ram a few times? Is the reservoir large enough? I know when my splitter runs low on oil the ram will stop short of where it needs and have 0 power when the pump cavitates.

Edit: it just looked at your pictures and that cylinder looks very small for a log splitter. I think its even smaller than you think it is. My splitter (5.5hp briggs Didier unit) has a 4" ID bore.

It looks like this:

sean2857 · Oct 3, 2014

yea something definitely doesn't look right. what's the correct way to measure the ram? When I did it, I used a set of calipers to measure the outside diamiter.

North Idaho Wolfman · Oct 3, 2014

Without seeing exactly what and how you've piped it, I'm going with your ram is way to small, You need a 4" or better ram to make it work right.
Here are a couple of good examples.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Bore-x-24...ic_Hydraulic_Valves_Parts&hash=item46278952c6

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Bore-x-24...ic_Hydraulic_Valves_Parts&hash=item46278b8c85

I personally would go with the 5" for what you've built, you are also going to want to alter your Wedge, as the one you have will allow wood to just get stuck on it, think axe head design.

Bore dimension is the inside of the cylinder not the outside, so if your measuring 3 1/2" outside then it's closer to a 3" or 3 1/4" bore inside.
Also sounds like if your getting pitiful force out of it, either it's going into relief too soon or it's not building the pressure you think it is, tee a valve right at the input to the cylinder.

Billdog350 · Oct 3, 2014

OD of the cylinder is inconsequential. The ID is what you care about since thats going to be approx the area that's pushing on the ram. As Wolfman and I have said, a larger cylinder is definitely in order.

Rather than mess around with a 4", go straight to a 5". If the cycle time is too slow, then you mess with larger pumps or dual pumps.

I would look into a 4 way head if you get the splitting action where you want it. a nice 24+ ton splitter can usually handle a 4 way head. I welded my 4 way wedges back a bit from the vertical wedge so that splits the wood first in one direction, and then the horizontal ones hit it after....works well for 95% of the wood I split, and most of it has been oak lately.

sean2857 · Oct 3, 2014

Well after a little playing around today after work, I got it to work. I believe there was an air pocket somewhere in the system. I also played around with the pressure adjustment on the valve. Once that was done, I tried to split one of the bigger logs that I have and it actually stalled the engine, which was at idle speed. I started it back up and raised the engine speed slightly and it pushed right through the splitter like nothing. Unfortunately it also took the splitting wedge right off of the I beam. The welds held up great but the splitter itself actually cracked at the base. It turns out the metal I used was cast steel. I didn't bother to check since it used to be a snow plow blade and i figured it had to be hardened steel. I never gave it a second thought. Once I get the new (and wider) wedge installed, I'll put some videos up on YouTube so you guys can check it out.

sean2857 · Oct 4, 2014

Diesel powered log splitter: http://youtu.be/5wMIKNCgNS8

Z482 powered log splitter

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