2001 Bobcat 331 hydraulic leak

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baxter

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Joined
Apr 6, 2013
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3
Hello, I have a 2001 Bobcat 331 (2050 hours) with a hydraulic leak on the final drive assembly. It is sweating fluid out of one of the allen bolts on the relief valve (very top of the final drive assembly). It loses about a 1/2 gallon every 4 to 5 hours working time. This is the block that is bolted onto the main valve block. Is this just a leaking / bad oring somewhere to have it leak out of one of the allen bolts? I would think it should leak out of the block body but might be taking its easiest route out. I also think there is 2 orings isolating the 2 ports beween the relief valve and main valve bodies. Any help, thoughts, or comments would be grateful.
 

melli

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Mar 25, 2012
Messages
149
Looks like one of the o-rings is shot...that would be my first guess, as anything worse would be out of my skill set (i.e. something wrong with relief valve causing high pressure etc etc)...seems simple enough to remove the four allen bolts. I'd be careful about not breaking them. Please let us know what you find...............I'm surprised mine haven't caused me grief given the horrible condition I found the compartment in when I got last year. Looked like it was packed with mud and salt to fester....2013-02-07 12.43.23
 
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baxter

New member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Messages
3
Looks like one of the o-rings is shot...that would be my first guess, as anything worse would be out of my skill set (i.e. something wrong with relief valve causing high pressure etc etc)...seems simple enough to remove the four allen bolts. I'd be careful about not breaking them. Please let us know what you find...............I'm surprised mine haven't caused me grief given the horrible condition I found the compartment in when I got last year. Looked like it was packed with mud and salt to fester....
Melli, thanks for the input and picture. My unit is leaking out of the very top allen screw in your picture (on the hose side). It is not a big leak but probably will get worse. I had an allen wrench on the bolts with an open end wrench for prying and not one of mine moved (I was putting enough force to bent my allen wrench). I an going to try a ratchet style allen key and a 1/2 in ratchet. Hopefully I dont shear one off. I dont know what else to do to loosen them off. There is no way to get any lubricant in there either. I am going to try to loosen them up by putting the allen ket ratchet head in first and tappin with a hammer.
 

jmatt20

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Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
127
Melli, thanks for the input and picture. My unit is leaking out of the very top allen screw in your picture (on the hose side). It is not a big leak but probably will get worse. I had an allen wrench on the bolts with an open end wrench for prying and not one of mine moved (I was putting enough force to bent my allen wrench). I an going to try a ratchet style allen key and a 1/2 in ratchet. Hopefully I dont shear one off. I dont know what else to do to loosen them off. There is no way to get any lubricant in there either. I am going to try to loosen them up by putting the allen ket ratchet head in first and tappin with a hammer.
i believe someone had a post about this problem earlier..his blocks had deteriorated to the point he needed to replace them ,as i recall they were quite expensive . after his post i removed my covers to have a look see,,packed full of dirt . i pressure washed them and noticed the same sort of corrosion you have on the bottom left corner of your blocks ..the damn things look like they are made out of the same stuff as sacrificial zincs you put on boats !!!! they are aluminum but even in the southwest without salt being used on our roads they corrode like mad ..i take my covers off very often now,wash out and clean,re-coat with spray paint ..
 

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