Slow Hydraulics

[muz123 1,191]

Anyone know why my 520-H takes about 5 minutes to lift up the snow blade in cold weather and is there anything I can do?

 

Thanks,

Muz

[slammer302 2,154]

I would say because the fluid is cold and thicker when it cold so ur not getting as much pressure and fluid to the hydraulic cylinder. Has the fluid been changed recently if not I would change it and the filter and make sure you let it warm up well before using in cold weather

[AMC RULES 36,945]

I've read switching the fluid to Mobil 1 will help too.  

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,491]

From the operator manual

 

Garry

 

[smoreau 658]

Common problem. I have several eaton 1100 tractors that all have mobil 1 in them, all are better with it, but one takes about 1 min before it will lift. Before I changed it took up t 8 min to lift.

[can whlvr 991]

mine has tranny fluid and lifts immediately,even when its -20

[muz123 1,191]

Thanks for all your help and advice! ill try the mobil 1. Also i have not changed the fluid or the filter in at least 100 hours. 

[AMC RULES 36,945]

Might should change it twice then. 

[muz123 1,191]

I guess i will change it, then and put mobil 1 in it and see what happens.

 

thanks,

 

muz

[smoreau 658]

With Mobil 1 I change it every 2-3 years depending on how much use. I don't have a large yard and its hard to get a lot of hours on all of them, so its about 100 hours on each change, One issue is you only get about 3 - 3 1/4  qts ot when you change it.

[muz123 1,191]

Do you use 20 or 30wt?

[smoreau 658]

10w30 Mobil 1 in 5qt jugs from Walmart

When filling the trans, pull one of the top bolts of the trans that the seat stand is bolted to and it will fill much faster.

[pfrederi 17,146]

I changed my 418A (Eaton) over to mobil One.  The lift becomes operational  a bit sooner than before but not a whole lot.  And it is pricey stuff.  My older Electro 12 (Sundstrand) runs on ATF and she will pick up her blade immediately.

[smoreau 658]

ATF will work in a eaton as I have had 2 tractors that I got had that in them from the PO. The problem with running ATF is whan you tax the trans when its hot you will do internal damage to the pump as ATF doesn't have the lubrication abilitys that engine oil has. I run my tractors HARD sometimes and I hear a lot less growling when the trans is under heavy load and hot with Mobil 1 in them. I have one that woll lift emedatly no mater what the temp is and I have one that takes about 1 min to lift at around 0deg. The one that lifts imediatly had ATF in it when I got it and thats the V Blade tractor. It has 10w30 Mobli 1 know and still lifts at any temp.  The other is my Grass cutter 417, It takes about 1 min to lift and before I got it it would take about 8 min without mobil 1. All my other eatons are in the between them If its that cold out, LET IT WARM UP FIRST!!! It doesn't mader what you put in it for fluid ATF or motor oil, It needs a few min to get the fluids flowing for correct operation. Pushing these tractors when its that cold your just asking for problems!!

Edited December 27, 2014 by smoreau

[pfrederi 17,146]

Don't get me wrong I was not proposing putting ATF into an Eaton.  Just observing that the Sundstrands with ATF seem to get going faster in the cold than the Eatons.

 

Also from my observation the slightly faster start up using Mobil One vs regular 10w-30 oil isn't worth the price difference to me.  I didn't see any marked improvement in performance with the Mobil One this summer while mowing either.

Edited December 27, 2014 by pfrederi

[squonk 38,908]

The main benefit of Mobil 1 is the high temp and anti-shear capability over the Dino oil. I use it in my Sunstrand main mower machine and change it every year right after the big show regardless of hours.

[MalMac 1,328]

This is a very common problem that most of the Eaton 1100 have. Do not worry about it. Mobil one does help somewhat. I have got several 1100 and each one acts different. Just let it warm up and you will be fine.

[muz123 1,191]

Thanks for the info Malmac 

[cyrus 4]

thanks for all the info regarding the Eaton 1100's cold weather issues.... i have a 416-h and a 520-h, the 416 has zero cold weather hyd issues....the 520 takes 5-10 minutes to "warm up" when its between 10-15 degrees, the 416, about 1....i thought i was losing the hyd pump in the 520. glad to hear its common to have a long warm up time with the eaton's. 

[chevrat68 19]

I don't have any auto transmissions but I was just wondering if a hydronic fluid like an ISO 15 would work? A lot of large rental truck fleets use them in the lift gates in cold weather. Or maybe super UDT 2 from Kubota would work? Just curious.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Edited February 19, 2015 by chevrat68

[alswagg 128]

Well one of my D's hydraulics slowed down on last sunday morning.  Both are parked outside under a Shelter Logic tent.  The prior evening the temps dropped to -23f not including the wind chill.   I started up the snow blower on Sunday at -5f and yes the lift did not work.  I let it idle at around 1500 for about 5 minuts, still did not lift.  Let run for another 5 minutes or maybe longer.  Finally it lifted but sure was slow.   Now this tractor has ATF in the system.  The other is a loader backhoe, That tractor has straight synthetic power steering fluid, but the OEM pump does not utilize the center or rear three point.  The bucket has its own pump as well as the back hoe.  Either way, the drive pump and motor sounded alot smoother on the back hoe with the synthetic power steering fluid.  If this happens again, I will soon be changing the ATF out for a better fluid for winter operations.  I opted for the Synthetic power steering fluid for its non foaming capabilities in hydraulic applications.  Al

Oh, I should have reported this is up at our cabin in Northern Michigan.