I heard a quick clicking sound and then the cylinder stopped in mid split. I'm guessing a connection just broke. What to do? Should I pull the cylinder off and bring it to a Hydraulic shop and let them rebuild it? It is a small cylinder off of an 8-ton splitter. Or is it easier to just find another used cylinder and put it into place. I'm in farm country so there are cylinders around. This is the unit, Brave EZ split 8-ton. Any ideas? Jags? Thanks
Log Splitter Cylinder Stopped
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highanddryinco
Burning Hunk
A quick clicking sound you say? My first guess would be the drive between the motor and the hydraulic pump stripped/broke/etc. That would be the best outcome.
Thanks, that sounds right - it was like the connection just broke. In the last year, I have broken the splitter's knive, the push wedge, and now this. This little Brave splitter is tough but it wasn't made for what I put it through. And I still have 15 cords of rounds sitting waiting to be split.
take a careful look at the drive coupler -clicking sound wood indicate sheared key one way 1/2 or the other. past that then its something in the pump. with out starting motor take off front or rear line to cylinder ,put valve in appropriate position and pull motor over ( again disconnect the spark plug prior) if you do not get a squirt of oil then it is definately pump or drive put line back on . pull motor over while watching drive coupler if possible or just take the coupler apart to check for sheared key. ( keyed on both halves)
Thanks - I think you guys are right. I'll take a look at the couplers between the pump and motor. This guy in the video obtained couplers and the center rubber piece from Tractor Supply. I will remove the 4 engine bolts to remove the engine so I can get to the coupling system. My log splitter's coupling is not vertical but horizontal. I hope these parts are universal so I don't have to special order them.
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The coupler is good. Everything is tight. When I pull the rope it all spins as one (I flooded it when I flipped it over to look at coupler). Maybe my hydro fluid just got low (small leak on top). I'll make sure to top it off. After that I'll do what you said blades, take the hydro oil line off to see if oil is being pumped when starter rope is pulled.
Well, I think I know the issue. I couldn't start it yesterday which is unusual (Honda GX motor). I tried again this am and it started. But it smoked badly - didn't clear after 45 seconds. I've blown the motor/rings. The coupler is good. There must not be any compression. I guess I could remove the plug and find a compression tool - but I don't think it is necessary. Time to start looking for a Harbor Freight engine sale. This splitter is too small for the wood I put through it - mostly Siberian Elm from quartered up big rounds. It splits it but it must have taken a toll.
highanddryinco
Burning Hunk
Something isn't quite making sense here or maybe we didn't get, "the rest of the story" the in original post. Going from a hydraulic cylinder that quit moving mid-split to a blown engine? Maybe you ought to pull the oil drain plug from the engine and then get back to us with what comes out of that hole.
EDIT: (After going back and reading the post where you flipped it over and it flooded.) You may have a crankcase which is now way overfilled. The overfill being gasoline, and thus a lot of smoke.
EDIT: (After going back and reading the post where you flipped it over and it flooded.) You may have a crankcase which is now way overfilled. The overfill being gasoline, and thus a lot of smoke.
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No compression = no force to move anything. The clicking sound was probably a piston ring breaking. I missed this at first. The smoking on the next day startup was from oil burning. I changed the engine oil this spring. I'm somewhere between a homeowner and a commercial wood seller. I pulled the Honda GX160 engine and took it back to the sprinkler shop where I bought it - it was 3 years ago so no warranty. They took no pity on me. I've probably split 40 or 50 cords with the little Brave in that time.
I probably need to buy a commercial log splitter. I see you have a Brave Dual Split - I always liked that machine - they don't make it anymore (too bad). This little Brave would be fine for a homeowner. I've used it pretty hard for 15 years. Brave makes good log splitters. My next engine will be the 4th. I found the Brave EZ split new but in pieces on the side of the road at an off-ramp in Salt Lake City. I got out and picked up most of the pieces. I called the company - they reported it stolen. The driver must not have secured it very well. I asked if they wanted it back - they didn't want it (it was a little scraped up and had some damaged parts).
I'll throw a Harbor Freight engine on it when they come on sale. It will be my backup/portable splitter. We have Lodgepole Pine in the mountains here and this little splitter is fine for splitting it. I have a 22-ton Dirty Hands that has a gunked up carb. Time to shift over to getting it running. I should have quit on the little Brave this year - the weld broke on the knife, the pusher weld broke too, and now the engine. Even metal wears out. I had the knife rewelded and ordered a new pusher. Might as well get an engine, too.
I probably need to buy a commercial log splitter. I see you have a Brave Dual Split - I always liked that machine - they don't make it anymore (too bad). This little Brave would be fine for a homeowner. I've used it pretty hard for 15 years. Brave makes good log splitters. My next engine will be the 4th. I found the Brave EZ split new but in pieces on the side of the road at an off-ramp in Salt Lake City. I got out and picked up most of the pieces. I called the company - they reported it stolen. The driver must not have secured it very well. I asked if they wanted it back - they didn't want it (it was a little scraped up and had some damaged parts).
I'll throw a Harbor Freight engine on it when they come on sale. It will be my backup/portable splitter. We have Lodgepole Pine in the mountains here and this little splitter is fine for splitting it. I have a 22-ton Dirty Hands that has a gunked up carb. Time to shift over to getting it running. I should have quit on the little Brave this year - the weld broke on the knife, the pusher weld broke too, and now the engine. Even metal wears out. I had the knife rewelded and ordered a new pusher. Might as well get an engine, too.
I can't see it being the engine
If it starts and runs then it will split wood.
I have a packer with a wore out Honda, smokes because it's wore out.But it starts first pull and reves up to drive the packer
Honda's are a very tough engine
If it starts and runs then it will split wood.
I have a packer with a wore out Honda, smokes because it's wore out.But it starts first pull and reves up to drive the packer
Honda's are a very tough engine
You are right it isn't the engine. I flipped the splitter over to look at the coupler. I guess this is a no-no. Oil is now in places where it isn't supposed to be and is causing the smoking. The oil will eventually burn off I'm told - and it will stop smoking. So, it isn't the engine, and it isn't the coupler. Next up? The pump. To test pump disconnect line, valve in forward, and pull - oil should squirt out line (I need to reassemble). Pumps are expensive. I'm guessing that if the pump is bad I want to rebuild it or find a used pump.
The stock pump is 2.8 gpm. The original B&S engine was 3.5 HP. The Honda engine now on the splitter 5.5 HP. I could go with a bigger gpm pump to increase power and speed? I see a bunch of 11 GPM pumps for less than $100. What happens if I install one of these? The pusher and knife are not engineered for this much force and will most likely come apart/break?
The stock pump is 2.8 gpm. The original B&S engine was 3.5 HP. The Honda engine now on the splitter 5.5 HP. I could go with a bigger gpm pump to increase power and speed? I see a bunch of 11 GPM pumps for less than $100. What happens if I install one of these? The pusher and knife are not engineered for this much force and will most likely come apart/break?
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brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
Watch the pump coupler when you try to split a piece of wood...see if the pump shaft stops spinning.
And yes, any engine that is going to be flipped over needs the oil drained and fuel at the very least shut off, if not drained.
You might wanna make sure your air filter is not soaked in gas/oil too.
And yes, any engine that is going to be flipped over needs the oil drained and fuel at the very least shut off, if not drained.
You might wanna make sure your air filter is not soaked in gas/oil too.
If the pump shaft stops spinning the pump is bad? That is, something inside that pump is shot? I looked up the exact part, 2.8 GPM pump, for this splitter, a little less than $300. Frick that! There is a Champion 9-ton used in my area for a little more than that. It is basically the same little machine. If I sell the Honda motor for $200 I don't lose much. The coupler it is about 4" off the ground so is pretty hard to look at. My trailer is full of wood waiting to be split so I don't have anything to put it on. Ok, maybe firewood.
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
No, coupler, or key sheared. If the pump is bad the shaft could still turn, but no oil output...or at least no real pressure under load. Hard to say for sure, lots of ways the pump could fail. If a pressure gauge was put on it, that would tell the story for sure.
Mirror.
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brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
I see thats a 2.7 GPM single stage pump...if it would happen to need a pump, I see a 5 GPM 2 stage on ebay for $160...the log splitter pump calculator I used says that lil engine will pull it no problem, and should speed things up a good bit, like full cycle time almost in half! (22 seconds to 12, in low pressure/high volume stage)
Set pump pressure to 2260 max PSI, that would be the same "8 ton" forces on the machine as now, just a lot faster.
NorTrac Cast Iron Two-Stage Hydraulic Pump, 5 GPM, 1/2in. Dia. Shaft, Model# | eBay
The NorTrac® 5 GPM all cast iron two-stage hydraulic pump is a CBT gear pump that consists of a big displacement, low-pressure pump combined with a small displacement, high-pressure pump. Ideal for log splitters, presses, machine tools, and trash or refuse compaction products. Clockwise rotation.
www.ebay.com
I missed this earlier...that 5.5 HP would pull a 11 gpm pump...that would really speed things up, (5.5 second cycle time!) but if you like to run for long periods when its hot out, the oil temp will run much hotter with 11 gpm pump. (1.5 gallon system capacity)
Set pump pressure to 2260 max PSI, that would be the same "8 ton" forces on the machine as now, just a lot faster.
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Well, I bought the Champion 9-ton used but in good condition. It was only $400. It looks better (besides the engine) then the Brave EZ split that I'm scrapping. I'll sell the Honda GX engine and the Brave separately. Maybe someone will who has some parts can bring the EZ Split back into use.
brenndatomu, I think you may be right. The coupler on the pump side looks to have slight metal damage to the shaft by where the key is. It spins like it is suppose to by hand but I bet it slips under load. Oh well, I'm not putting everything back together to find out. I have a lot of splitting to do. I like these little splitter designs. Yes, they are slow. But they are easy to move and can be lifted into a trailer. I don't mind the low to the ground design. It makes it easy to roll wood pieces onto the beam instead of having to lift. Surprisingly, the 8 to 10 ton splitters cut most wood, but occasionally I have to use a sledge to knock a round loose.
brenndatomu, I think you may be right. The coupler on the pump side looks to have slight metal damage to the shaft by where the key is. It spins like it is suppose to by hand but I bet it slips under load. Oh well, I'm not putting everything back together to find out. I have a lot of splitting to do. I like these little splitter designs. Yes, they are slow. But they are easy to move and can be lifted into a trailer. I don't mind the low to the ground design. It makes it easy to roll wood pieces onto the beam instead of having to lift. Surprisingly, the 8 to 10 ton splitters cut most wood, but occasionally I have to use a sledge to knock a round loose.
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