L245DT 3PT Problem

shootem604

Member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L245DT with Kubota (Arps Model 22) FEL and Kubota B/L4520B (Woods 650) BH
Apr 23, 2018
875
18
18
British Columbia
That's essentially the same way the loader is plumbed in on mine. Looks good.
 

JRaf

Member

Equipment
L245DT
Oct 15, 2019
47
6
8
Los Olivos CA
Okay. Pics attached. No, I've never done a pressure test. But you're making me think a little harder about all this:
On another thread I described a leak I had on the end of that splitter block that leads to the rock shaft port. I suspect the problem was simply a bad O ring but not until after I braised that joint on the block. It no longer leaks but my work was a bit of a mess.
Might it be possible that some of that bronze brazing rod migrated inside the joint and didn't stick? It might have hung on for a while and ultimately come loose and wound up inside the rock shaft cover. It might have traveled through the veins like a kidney stone until the passage got too narrow... but where would it get stuck? The veins and ports are pretty big and open and something fairly large would pass through until the passages got too small. There wasn't anything in the relief valve but I obviously haven't managed to get the control valve open. And things get pretty tight in there, right?
It's a theory. (Of course I'll feel incredibly dumb if I do find a bronze fragment in the line somewhere, but at least it's an old tractor and not actually my kidney.) Nothing solved yet but again I'm thankful for all the help, NIW and everyone else.
 

Attachments

JRaf

Member

Equipment
L245DT
Oct 15, 2019
47
6
8
Los Olivos CA
Okay. I pulled off the rock shaft cover again and removed the position control valve. I brought it to my shop, measured everything, took pictures as I went, followed the WSM, and with some difficulty managed to disassemble the thing. I was hoping to find some obvious and drastic bit of damage or foreign object. I didn't find that. There was a slightly torn O ring (one of four internal O rings). There was a couple of tiny flakes of metal, might have been solder. There was no dirt, no grime. One of the little valves was slightly stuck in the body but came out with a little coaxing. The spool and shafts had no burrs and were smooth. The springs were whole and seemed robust The valves and seats had no cracks. I was considering ordering springs but I didn't, instead blew everything out, reassembled with hydraulic oil, and replaced all the O rings internal and external. The valve spools and the poppet shafts seemed to move smoothly on their springs.
I torqued the plugs, put the valve back in the rock shaft cover, bolted it up, and somewhat resignedly started the tractor up. I maneuvered the position control lever and to my surprise the rock shafts went up and down! I reconnected the rest of the hitch and everything works!
Hopefully that will end the problem, but I think I will buy a pressure gauge and some appropriate fittings, and measure everything from the pump down the line.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Jun 9, 2013
28,286
4,853
113
Sandpoint, ID
Okay. I pulled off the rock shaft cover again and removed the position control valve. I brought it to my shop, measured everything, took pictures as I went, followed the WSM, and with some difficulty managed to disassemble the thing. I was hoping to find some obvious and drastic bit of damage or foreign object. I didn't find that. There was a slightly torn O ring (one of four internal O rings). There was a couple of tiny flakes of metal, might have been solder. There was no dirt, no grime. One of the little valves was slightly stuck in the body but came out with a little coaxing. The spool and shafts had no burrs and were smooth. The springs were whole and seemed robust The valves and seats had no cracks. I was considering ordering springs but I didn't, instead blew everything out, reassembled with hydraulic oil, and replaced all the O rings internal and external. The valve spools and the poppet shafts seemed to move smoothly on their springs.
I torqued the plugs, put the valve back in the rock shaft cover, bolted it up, and somewhat resignedly started the tractor up. I maneuvered the position control lever and to my surprise the rock shafts went up and down! I reconnected the rest of the hitch and everything works!
Hopefully that will end the problem, but I think I will buy a pressure gauge and some appropriate fittings, and measure everything from the pump down the line.
If the problem come back, pull the front cover, that's where any debris would get stuck, it's where the smallest ports are at.

I wish you luck!

If you test the hydraulics, you only need to test one location, the pressure will be the same everywhere. ;)