Big leak

[ericjump]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and to the Bobcat 863,
I purchased a very used 863 and it has sat for 6 months or so, went out to get it running, pulled the battery, cleaned it up, charged it, put it back in, checked the fuel and oil in engine, noticed the hey fluid was not showing on stick.
It started right up but when I tried to move it or raise forks it would not move.
put stick in Hdy tank and it is all but empty, I knew it had a leak but it has almost completely leaked dry. Raised the cab and can't tell right off what's leaking, here's where I can use some advise, How do I determine what's leaking, I hate to put many gallons of fluid in it just to have to change a hose and loose the fluid. Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks
Eric

 

[FJRDarksider]

Was there oil in the reservoir to begin with? The other question is, is there visible oil leaking out or a pool of oil under the seat that can't drain out cause the fore/aft drain holes are plugged......

If not, then remove the chain case plug at the front. If a good amount of oil spills out then I suspect the motor seals are the issue and are pushing fluid into the chain case.

 

[ericjump]

Was there oil in the reservoir to begin with? The other question is, is there visible oil leaking out or a pool of oil under the seat that can't drain out cause the fore/aft drain holes are plugged......

If not, then remove the chain case plug at the front. If a good amount of oil spills out then I suspect the motor seals are the issue and are pushing fluid into the chain case.

When I bought it it worked fine, I could see Hdy fluid on dipstick, drove and hdraulics worked, it sat for about six months, now tank is almost empty, (used a stick to measure oil in tank). Pulled battery, cleaned up and charged, started right up, but no hay, won't move. Raised seat and I can see some fluid in pan underneath and a fitting or two that are wet. Would you recommend putting some fluid in (a gallon or two, see if it works and getting out where I can pressure wash it and then check for leaks? What fluid to use? Will regular "Tractor Fluid" that I buy at Tractor supply work? Thanks for your help

 

[mrbb]

first off running it with low fluids can do major damage to pumps and other things,, so I would NOT be running till you fill things to correct level!

next as asked above, do you see BIG puddles under machine where its NOW parked since you bought it?, as there should be, as if its that low on fluids, they must have gone some where

as for moving it, I think on this model, if someone sat in the machine(or you some how wired the hand controls) and pushed the levers ion the direction you want it to go
you should be able to tow it at a slow speed to maybe some place close where you can wash it,(or tow it onto a trailer and move it farther that way)
I would recommend you buy some good de greaser and soak things good , before washing, this will help in getting things a lot cleaner with less work!

once you get it clean, you can also, but some Dye you can add to the hydraulic fluid, this will help find the leaks faster, as they will stand out better with the dye in them, once you get the dye, you can add proper hydraulic fluid(call your local dealer to ask what type of fluid to use, not all machines use the same fluid, and you want to use what the OEM calls for)
once you have the right fluids, (I recommend you also buy a new filter or two), so once you find and fix leaks, you can replace filter with a new one)
so again once you have correct fluids, add I would suggest adding enough to get to the MIN level on dip stick, tor level on tank!
this way your not starving any pumps of fluids and doing any damage to them!

then start machine, bring up to temp LOOKING for obvious leaks, at hoses or where ever!

once up to temp, if you STILL cannot find leaks, , shut it of, and let it sit and watch for leaks, and the dye to show up!
then fix where leaking,
it MIGHT be worth buying a set of hydraulic caps and plugs, so if you need to remove fittings you can both stop them from leaking or draining your system, but will also keep dirt or debris from entering your system by plugging openings, there worth having if you plan to own this machine or others , good stainl;ess steel ones IMO are best, but they also sell cheaper plastic plugs and caps that can work OK too
look on amazon or ebay or likes for deals, and right now black Friday crap things may even be on sale, so a good time to invest if you have the means or desire!

other food for thought for you to consider,
another good investment is buying a service manual, or maybe someone here can offer you a free downloadable one,, there very much worth having / investing in, online searches can normally find them, or some times used ones can be found on ebay/facebook market place and so on if you wanted a real hard copy of one(dealers sell them too but will be way costly most times from them))

 

[ericjump]

first off running it with low fluids can do major damage to pumps and other things,, so I would NOT be running till you fill things to correct level!

next as asked above, do you see BIG puddles under machine where its NOW parked since you bought it?, as there should be, as if its that low on fluids, they must have gone some where

as for moving it, I think on this model, if someone sat in the machine(or you some how wired the hand controls) and pushed the levers ion the direction you want it to go
you should be able to tow it at a slow speed to maybe some place close where you can wash it,(or tow it onto a trailer and move it farther that way)
I would recommend you buy some good de greaser and soak things good , before washing, this will help in getting things a lot cleaner with less work!

once you get it clean, you can also, but some Dye you can add to the hydraulic fluid, this will help find the leaks faster, as they will stand out better with the dye in them, once you get the dye, you can add proper hydraulic fluid(call your local dealer to ask what type of fluid to use, not all machines use the same fluid, and you want to use what the OEM calls for)
once you have the right fluids, (I recommend you also buy a new filter or two), so once you find and fix leaks, you can replace filter with a new one)
so again once you have correct fluids, add I would suggest adding enough to get to the MIN level on dip stick, tor level on tank!
this way your not starving any pumps of fluids and doing any damage to them!

then start machine, bring up to temp LOOKING for obvious leaks, at hoses or where ever!

once up to temp, if you STILL cannot find leaks, , shut it of, and let it sit and watch for leaks, and the dye to show up!
then fix where leaking,
it MIGHT be worth buying a set of hydraulic caps and plugs, so if you need to remove fittings you can both stop them from leaking or draining your system, but will also keep dirt or debris from entering your system by plugging openings, there worth having if you plan to own this machine or others , good stainl;ess steel ones IMO are best, but they also sell cheaper plastic plugs and caps that can work OK too
look on amazon or ebay or likes for deals, and right now black Friday crap things may even be on sale, so a good time to invest if you have the means or desire!

other food for thought for you to consider,
another good investment is buying a service manual, or maybe someone here can offer you a free downloadable one,, there very much worth having / investing in, online searches can normally find them, or some times used ones can be found on ebay/facebook market place and so on if you wanted a real hard copy of one(dealers sell them too but will be way costly most times from them))

It is sitting a shed with gravel, there is evidence of aa big leak under the rear of the machine, I raised the seat and there is a puddle in the plan I can see from above. Should I pull and clean the pan and replace? It has quite a big Hdy tank, can I just put a couple,e of gallons of fluid and run it to see where leak is, or do I need to fill it (8-9 gallons)?

 

[laurencen]

need to put enough fluid to safely run it, myself at least to the low oil level, oil is cheap compared to replacing a pump

 

[Tlawdogg]

Clean it up, wipe it up the best you can.
Get or set up good lighting. Fill tank to just above lowest level mark! Fire it up . Start looking for leaks, ooozing, sprays, ect. It is usually apparent where its leaking. Hoses get old and give out. I have an 863F and it did the same as you describe. I found two bad hoses. I removed ( Plugged up the ends with the correct Hyd Caps ) took hoses to my local Napa who made the exact hoses same day.
Good luck & keep us posted!
Do not start it or try to move it without Hyd fluid at least at the Low level on stick!!!!
Like Laurencen Said!
You do not want to FRY your Pump!!

/// you can take the side access plates off on left & right side see if it's full of Hyd fluid in the side channels. That is where mine was all found when it leaked down.

 

[mrbb]

It is sitting a shed with gravel, there is evidence of aa big leak under the rear of the machine, I raised the seat and there is a puddle in the plan I can see from above. Should I pull and clean the pan and replace? It has quite a big Hdy tank, can I just put a couple,e of gallons of fluid and run it to see where leak is, or do I need to fill it (8-9 gallons)?

like stated, you do not really want to run the machine without proper fluid levels, or you can ruin very costly parts to replace, way more than the costs of a few gallons of fluid!

and yes 100% clean everything the best you can before REFILLING, the cleaner something is the easier it is to find where the leaks are
not to mention, a clean belly pan is safer, less likely for fire and collecting debris that can soon rub thru a hose and shorting the life of your hoses in general!

a clean machine is, just easier to care for and maintain and do Pm's on! plus it can add yrs to the life of the machine and increase its resale value down the road (if you ever plan to sell it that is)

they sell DYE for fluids at most popular auto parts stores, its cheap and easy to use, just make sure what you buy is made for the fluids you pl;an to add it too
it can make finding leaks way easier as well