MF40 hydraulic help please.

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

Hello all, I'm new to the forum. I have a MF40 loader. I recently
added a grapple to the loader bucket. It worked fine for a little
while (20min). Now the loader hydraulics only work when the
tractor is facing downhill. I have tried overfilling the fluid thinking
that the suction tube wasn't able to reach the fluid level. That didn't
really help. The 3pt lift works just fine. Im not sure if I hooked the
power and suction up right? I hooked it into the loader valve. I will
try to post a picture of my setup. But I would think it is hooked up
right just because it works periodically? Thank you for any help
that can be provided, this is a real head scratcher.

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

The outside port is the pressure port and the inside port is the return port I think. There is a 1/2" port plug that I put in between. Not sure if any of this is right. I have only found one picture on google that shows the outside port running to a backhoe??

vapet · Mar 27, 2013

Checked my MF40, has hoe on it, pressure line out of valve as you have. But the return goes to loader frame port next to bottom of diff lock handle. Have thought of putting grapple on bucket and using a valve on hitch cover as like the 135 massey and others.

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

Yeah I actually got to tinkering around this AM and found that port. It is now going there for the return. I also pulled the lines off the hydraulic pump and the pump was dry?? It has suction on the line and blows air out the pressure side. I tried to re prime the pump and I could see the loader try to move but nothing happened. Im afraid that my hydraulic pump may be FUBARed?? How would I know if thats the case, before I go buy a new pump?? Im thinking that when I had it hooked up wrong that it may have put strain on the pump and blew something up in it??

vapet · Mar 27, 2013

Sure there is enough oil in reservoir? Dipstick still on breather?

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

Oh yeah its over full. I hooked the suction straight to a full bucket and it sucked fluid but not very fast and pushed fluid out but only at about 200 lbs. So I think I have found the problem. I think it is the pump. I just wanted to make sure before I spent the money to replace it.

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

I have only had this tractor a few months but I dont know what stick in the breather you are talking about. The one under the seat is still there. Is there another one?

vapet · Mar 27, 2013

Dipstick is on the breather that screws into the loader frame directly above loader control valve. Should be checked with cylinders retracted.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 27, 2013

Did you add a power beyond valve from the existing valve to run the grapple? You can't just take the return line from the loader valve and hook up another valve. I doubt the problem is your pump but if you ran the pump dry, it may be hooped now. Talk to a good hyd. shop and tell them what you're trying to do before you cause more damage.

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

There is a breather cap. It doesn't have a dipstick in it though. Don't really see a place for one?

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

No I didn't add a power beyond adapter. But this tractor had a backhoe on it at one time. I just hooked it in where the backhoe was hooked. Its just an open chamber?? If it has pressure would it not work?? Sorry I dont know anything about hydraulic valves. But you think the pump is screwed now? I dont know how it went dry to begin with.

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

Vapet: Does where your backhoe hooks up have a power beyond valve or is it just hooked directly to the empty chamber on the bottom?

vapet · Mar 27, 2013

All I know about the valve is that it looks just like your picture, and yes the hoe line comes out the lower rear. The dipstick fastens to small chain coming off breather nipple. The best I remember oil level should be 15 in. from top.

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

Is this where it should be. Somebody has put some sort of red rubber seal stuff where it should be i think. I thought that the hydraulic fluid just circulated through this channel from the main case. Should I add fluid somewhere here?

vapet · Mar 27, 2013

Unscrew that breather, takes 1 1/4 wrench. Clean out around the nipple first, open end wrench, not much room.

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

Ok, I took it off and there is no way a dipstick could go straight down because there is a pipe that runs back to front about 4" deep looking into that hole. And I couldn't see any fluid because the pipe was in the way?

vapet · Mar 27, 2013

The dipstick was on a chain, have not looked down in there in a while. If nothing else take a tape measure and stick it down the hole to see how much fluid is in there. Like I said before the oil should be around 15 inches from top with all cylinders retracted.

Michael1212 · Mar 27, 2013

Does the fluid in this channel and the frame rail connect to the fluid in the main case?? I was thinking that the fluid went from this channel, to the loader, and then back to the case. It just all makes a circle, right? If so as long as there was enough fluid in the case then there would be enough in this channel. I would love for low oil to be whats wrong.

it would save me lots of $$.

vapet · Mar 27, 2013

This reservior is not connected to the tractor transmission case. Just guessing that when you hooked up more lines and so on that fluid level got low.

Michael1212 · Mar 30, 2013

Ok, I got it fixed. Just needed fluid in the loader fluid tank. I had no clue it was there. Thanks guys for your help you saved me lots of $$. And the grapple works great you do not need a power beyond valve adapter put in on this tractor, but you will have to plug the center hole in the valve to make that bottom port work. Again thanks for all your help.

MF40 hydraulic help please.

New User

New User

Member

New User

Member

New User

New User

Member

Well-known Member

New User

New User

New User

Member

New User

Member

New User

Member

New User

Member

New User

Similar threads