Page 1 of 1

154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:40 pm
by Tucker08
I have recently resurrected my 154 and the last hurdle is the hydraulics not working. I have drained all of the old fluid out, put new in. Have replaced the filter, and have worked the lever. Nothing doing. I cannot get the pistons to budge. I have a 3 pt hitch and the lower hydraulics. Any thoughts on where to go from here? It did sit outside for a couple of years. Could the rams be ceased? I hear the pump try to work when I move the handle, but cant get anything to budge.

Also, I have hooked up my mower and it works great. The only thing is that I cannot get the throttle to stay in the fast position. I have to hold it there. Should I look at the governor or throttle cable first. I have lubed all of the connections, rebuilt the carb, and checked to see that the throttle rod is not binding anywhere...it is not. I have also checked to see that when the tractor is off I can move the throttle to fast and it will stay there and i am getting full swing out of the arm where it goes into the governor.

Thank you all in advance for any help you give.

Scott

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 9:20 am
by Eugene
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=77355&p=620348&hilit=throttle#p620348

Above, a previous discussion on the throttle lever not staying in position.

Tucker08 wrote:154 and the hydraulics not working. I have drained all of the old fluid out, put new in. Have replaced the filter, and have worked the lever. Nothing doing. I cannot get the pistons to budge. I have a 3 pt hitch and the lower hydraulics. I hear the pump try to work when I move the handle, but cant get anything to budge.
Since you can hear the pump labor when moving the control lever, the pump is functioning and control valve is functioning or partially functioning.

Does the tractor have a diverter valve or valves on the flat panel below the steering wheel?

Check to see if the mower deck, mid cylinder, has been locked out. Check to see if the 3-point cylinder has a lock out bar.

Could the rams be ceased?
Could be, but I would think it unlikely that both cylinders would be ceased.

Easiest cylinder to check would be the 3-point. Remove the lock out bar and add a bit of weight to the 3-point. Then, engine running, operate the control lever to see what happens - 3-point should lower then raise depending on control lever position. Next try would be to move the diverter valve(s) up and down, operate control lever to see what happens.

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 12:35 pm
by Tucker08
Thank you, Eugene. What do you mean by diverter valve? There is something protruding through a hole in the flat pannel between my feet and below the steering wheel. Is that what you are speaking of? If so, what is that I should do with it? Hydraulics are rather overwhelming to me, so I just want to be sure I am doing the right things. As for the 3 pt. Also, what is a lockout bar? Sorry for so many questions, and thank you for your help.
Scott

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 1:04 pm
by Eugene
Tucker08 wrote:What do you mean by diverter valve? There is something protruding through a hole in the flat pannel between my feet and below the steering wheel.
That is a hydraulic diverter valve. The knob is pulled up or pushed down to change which hydraulic cylinder your want to utilize.

If functioning properly you can raise the mower deck then operate the diverter valve. This should lock the mower deck in place, elevated position, and then permit the 3-point to work.

As for the 3 pt. Also, what is a lockout bar?
Since you have the diverter valve you probably don't have a lock out bar on the 3 point. To check, stand at back of tractor. The lock out bar should be to the right of the hydraulic cylinder and pined top and bottom to hold/lock the cylinder in the elevated position.

You operator's manual should have a photo of the 3-point lock out bar in the 3-point section. Also check the manual, hydraulic lift section, for a photo of the adjusting screw for limiting the action of the mid mounted cylinder.

I purchased my 154 just over a year ago. It had been sitting outside for years. It took a bit of lubricant and effort to get one of the diverter valves to operate. My 154 had two diverter valves on the panel. Next head scratching issue I had was figuring out how to use the 154's hydraulics.

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 7:42 pm
by Tucker08
I still can't seem to get it. The item protruding from the cowl seems to just be a plug. I can't see a lockout bar of any sort on the back. When I work the lever I notice a very slight movement on the lower piston. The tractor had a sickle bar on it before and my dad said the hydrolocs worked when he used it last. That was a while ago.

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 7:44 pm
by Tucker08

Here is what I see when I look at my rig.

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 8:58 pm
by Eugene
Tucker08 wrote:The item protruding from the cowl seems to just be a plug.
Looks like a plug with a knob on top, but it's a diverter valve. It works by lifting the knob up or down.

Do you have any weight on the lower, center mounted piston?

Did you check to see if the lower, center mounted piston was blocked out?

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 12:17 pm
by Tucker08
This is what the area where a diverter valve might be looks like. I can't see how I can raise that up and down. Perhaps I am wrong, but it seems to just be threaded into the top of the casting.

On another note! Thanks for your help...i fixed the throttle issue!!!

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:09 pm
by Eugene
Tucker08 wrote:This is what the area where a diverter valve might be looks like. I can't see how I can raise that up and down. Perhaps I am wrong, but it seems to just be threaded into the top of the casting.
The knob is broken off. Spray the threaded portion and the piston/plunger with quality solvent for several days.

The threaded portion screws into the end of the valve. After soaking in solvent for several days. Hold the side of the piston/plunger with something that will not mark or deface it. Looks like you have a lock nut. Loosen the lock nut. Then unscrew the threaded portion from the valve.

I replaced the missing knob with a bolt, couple of nuts and a large flat washer. That's because I'm frugal. AKA to cheap to buy a replacement knob.

From the photo, you probably should polish up the outside side of the valve.

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:35 pm
by Tucker08
Well,
The good news is that the deck is on, the throttle is fixed, and the tractor cuts a beautiful lawn. The bad news is that I still have no hydraulics.

I managed to get the diversion valve to work and have noticed that when I move the lever I am getting a slight movement in the hoses (meaning the pressure is changing in them slightly), but nothing at the hydraulic rams. I did notice when I pulled my filter off that there was a very narrow (X 1/2 inch long X 3/16 wide X 1/32 thick) piece of broken metal at the base of the filter. Like it may have broken somewhere in the system and been carried to the filter where it stayed. Anyone with knowledge of the inner workings of the pump, diversion valves, hydraulic main valve know where it could have come from...that will likely point to my problem. it almost appears like it could be a piece of a spring?

Thanks in advance!
Scott

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 9:02 am
by outdoors4evr
The part should have come from the transmission since that is where the oil originates. Might be a part of a broken shift fork??
Did you fill your transmission with HyTran or use some other kind of a gear oil?
Hytran is quite thin and a thicker oil may not work well as a hydraulic fluid.

You may need to help prime the hydraulic pump to get it started. Remove the filter and pour a cup or so of oil into the line that goes toward the hydraulic pump. Put filter back on, start tractor, and exercise cylinders.

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 11:36 am
by Tucker08
Thank you! I will try priming the pump! I did put HyTran in, so i should be set there. not sure about the metal. Someday I will figure it out!

Re: 154 Hydraulic Problems / Throttle Issues

Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2013 6:37 am
by gitractorman
It could just be that the hydraulic rams are stuck. Since this hydraulic system does not have down pressure, and relies on gravity for down, it is hard to tell if things are really working or not.

I just freed up the 3-point on my 154. After freeing up the selector valve, I could tell that the UP position was for the rear hydraulics (3-point lift). I used a ratchet strap from the top rochshaft down to the drawbar, cranked it down as tight as I could, then, with the tractor off, pushed the lift lever forward and the ratchet straps pulled the hydraulic cylinder down. Repeated the process until the cylinder was nearly compressed. Then released the straps, started the tractor, and pulled back on the lift lever. Tadaa, she works just fine! The ram seal was a bit sticky, so I sprayed a little Kroil on the exposed ram, and worked it back and forth a few times this way. Now she works perfect.

The mower deck (center lift) is a bit more difficult to do this with, but usually, someone standing on the mower deck will be enough weight to pull down even a sticky hydraulic ram. Don't stand way out on the end of the deck. Stand just under the platform on the left side, where near the rockshaft. That way you're not torquing the deck around.

Bill