How did water get in my hydraulics

[1gr8bldr]

I left my Bcat on the trailer through this ice and snow. When I went to unload today, it was jerky so after hitting the ground, I found a level spot to look at my floating bead. It could not be seen through the banana looking soup. I needed to get the trencher as well off the trailer so I figured I would add just a little hydraulic fluid and lift just enough to get out from under it, then shut her down. I only got about half a quart in when about that much came back out, except it was the banana soup looking stuff. How did water get in here? If it was on a job site, I would think somebody did this, partly because my fuel cap was gone. But it should not be the case since it was home. It has been left out in the weather before, not in snow and ice though. How could this be and how bad a mess is this gonna be to get all this out?

 

[Bobcatdan]

What model? I have seen on mid frames where the filler neck is by the radiator, the fill neck rub threw.

 

[1gr8bldr]

What model? I have seen on mid frames where the filler neck is by the radiator, the fill neck rub threw.

S250.

 

[Bobcatdan]

S250.

Only thing of the top of my head is check the hydraulic tank and the fill plug on top of it. That or the rubber filler neck has a hole in it. Hydraulic cal looks good?

 

[1gr8bldr]

Only thing of the top of my head is check the hydraulic tank and the fill plug on top of it. That or the rubber filler neck has a hole in it. Hydraulic cal looks good?

Wonder if I seal the fill spout with my hand and blow a low amount of air in to see if it reveals a leak????? Gonna be a pain getting this all out. Gonna probably take 3 changes to get it non contaminated. Luckly, I have had no attachment hose hooked up

 

[mmsllc]

Wonder if I seal the fill spout with my hand and blow a low amount of air in to see if it reveals a leak????? Gonna be a pain getting this all out. Gonna probably take 3 changes to get it non contaminated. Luckly, I have had no attachment hose hooked up

That is unfortunate. It does sound like a lot of water is getting in somewhere near the top of the tank since you said that as you added fluid, it all came back out. I could only imagine that if there was a hole in the hydraulic tanks filler neck, the you would be seeing a mess inside of the machine as the water started to displace the hydraulic oil. If that is not the case, maybe someone did mess with your machine. Either way, I would drain it out for sure & top it off with fresh fluid. Keep in mind that getting all of the water out will be very close to impossible. While I rebuilt a hydraulic lift cylinder on my #753, we found some water contaminated oil draining out of the barrel once we had everything opened up. What I am getting at is we have been topping off the hyd system for quite some time now (because of the seal leakage), so with all of that fresh hyd. fluid, where did that water come from & why did it not work itself back into the hyd. system? I think the simple answer is what I was saying earlier, getting all of the water out will prove to be expensive no matter how you try to do it.

 

[1gr8bldr]

That is unfortunate. It does sound like a lot of water is getting in somewhere near the top of the tank since you said that as you added fluid, it all came back out. I could only imagine that if there was a hole in the hydraulic tanks filler neck, the you would be seeing a mess inside of the machine as the water started to displace the hydraulic oil. If that is not the case, maybe someone did mess with your machine. Either way, I would drain it out for sure & top it off with fresh fluid. Keep in mind that getting all of the water out will be very close to impossible. While I rebuilt a hydraulic lift cylinder on my #753, we found some water contaminated oil draining out of the barrel once we had everything opened up. What I am getting at is we have been topping off the hyd system for quite some time now (because of the seal leakage), so with all of that fresh hyd. fluid, where did that water come from & why did it not work itself back into the hyd. system? I think the simple answer is what I was saying earlier, getting all of the water out will prove to be expensive no matter how you try to do it.

After 4 cycles of cheap fluid through the system, I have gotten most all the water out. Now I have put in the better BCat brand fluid. When I look at my sight bead, I can see 1/8 of milk on top and clear hydraulic fluid below. Almost all gone. Any use for this fluid that someone might want it? The last change was in good shape.

 

[mmsllc]

After 4 cycles of cheap fluid through the system, I have gotten most all the water out. Now I have put in the better BCat brand fluid. When I look at my sight bead, I can see 1/8 of milk on top and clear hydraulic fluid below. Almost all gone. Any use for this fluid that someone might want it? The last change was in good shape.

As long as you got the majority of the water out of the system, running the machine a few times a week should help warm the fluid up enough to "boil' off the remaining moisture out of the system. I'm not sure what BOBCAT advises on the interval of changing the hydraulic fluid, but where I've worked as a fleet mechanic, we simply dumped it once a year to try to keep the moisture level to a minimal. I think I would top it off & keep an eye on any signs of leaks. You should be ok! Just run the $hit out of her a few times a week. That'll ought to finish off the remaining moisture.