743 drive issues

[HMD]

G'day everyone, I have a bit of a problem with my 743. I will be ordering a bronze filter for it today to see if that makes a difference however am not convinced it will. The problem started after I repaired the mount for the top pin on the tilt ram and one of the fittings on the tilt ram that was sheared off when it let go. I drove the machine back to the truck and loaded it with no drive issues what so ever. Over the next two weeks I did a lot of cutting grinding and welding to piece it back together. The machine lost a bit of fluid in this time however I would say only about 4 litres max. when I put it back on the tilt ram was pretty well empty. So happy with my repairs I drove the Bobcat off the truck and once on the level ground it started getting noisy and hard to steer so I put some oil in it and tried again. This time it went ok for about 30 seconds then went downhill to the point where the levers would go slack and not do anything then I could feel a surge through them and they would regain "feel" but would be extremely hard to steer and noisy and wouldn't last long before going slack again. When I shut it down I can hear glug glug glug in the hyd. tank. Lift is a bit chattery sometimes but works, tilt is fine and machine worked fine before repairs, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Tazza]

With the cab up, is there a big hose going from the pump to the left side of the machine? or is there a square block mounted to the top of the hydraulic pump? Only the machines with the square block have the bronze filter.
From the way you talk, i assume you are from Australia too?

 

[HMD]

With the cab up, is there a big hose going from the pump to the left side of the machine? or is there a square block mounted to the top of the hydraulic pump? Only the machines with the square block have the bronze filter.
From the way you talk, i assume you are from Australia too?

G'day Tazza thanks for the reply. You're right mate I am from Australia. My machine has the square block on top and the filter lives behind that large fitting on the middle hose. Apparently there are two different t sizes so I had the bloke at the shop check it against my serial number so all good there. I guess what I'm looking for is any suggestions if this bronze filter doesn't do the trick. Cheers.

 

[Tazza]

G'day Tazza thanks for the reply. You're right mate I am from Australia. My machine has the square block on top and the filter lives behind that large fitting on the middle hose. Apparently there are two different t sizes so I had the bloke at the shop check it against my serial number so all good there. I guess what I'm looking for is any suggestions if this bronze filter doesn't do the trick. Cheers.

Start with the filter, i actually had a 731 that had the bronze filter and had this exact issue. I was lucky enough to use degreaser/diesel and compressed air to clean my filter out. It worked great after that. The issues you detail sound the same as what mine did before i cleaned the filter.
If that doesn't fix it, you may need to tidy up the pump a little.

 

[HMD]

Start with the filter, i actually had a 731 that had the bronze filter and had this exact issue. I was lucky enough to use degreaser/diesel and compressed air to clean my filter out. It worked great after that. The issues you detail sound the same as what mine did before i cleaned the filter.
If that doesn't fix it, you may need to tidy up the pump a little.

Changed the bronze filter the other night and went for a spin around the house paddock and all I can say is wow! What a difference, I thought it drove smooth for an old machine before but it drives near brand new now! The lift and tilt however are still quite noisy/groany and were quite smooth prior to all this. Any ideas? I will change the main filter today if I get a chance, this may or may not help. Otherwise stoked to be moving again!

 

[Tazza]

Changed the bronze filter the other night and went for a spin around the house paddock and all I can say is wow! What a difference, I thought it drove smooth for an old machine before but it drives near brand new now! The lift and tilt however are still quite noisy/groany and were quite smooth prior to all this. Any ideas? I will change the main filter today if I get a chance, this may or may not help. Otherwise stoked to be moving again!

The noisy lift/tilt is probably just the air in the system from the filter change, hopefully will settle down. Give it some time to purge the air out of the oil.
That is exactly what i thought too. My 731 wouldn't drive up a hill or turn in a circle, cleaned the filter, it flew up the hill and did donuts with ease. The filter is in a place pretty well no one knows about but is very important.