Log Splitter (Speeco?) Rebuild UPDATE

[tebenhoh]

Original post here:

Log splitter tank flange/fitting?

(Sorry, trying to do this on my phone. Orange tank with blue arrow is what I’m looking for, black tank is what I found for sale. Splitter is what I bought to rebuild - no specific model info; has 5.5 BS with a 16gpm pump, and 4x24 cylinder. I know it needs a smaller pump (or larger motor), and a...

www.hearth.com

My rescued-from-the-woods (when I bought it, he said that’s where it had been sitting the past 3 years) splitter is finally finished!

Our little portable air compressor crapped out; now it’s a hydraulic oil tank more than doubling the original tank’s capacity, plus what the added return filter holds.
I went through the engine and did all of the basic maintenance. I also added a drain hose to the oil plug, and rerouted the exhaust - it previously blew right at the control valve and hoses. Works great, but it’s still loud.
I replaced the 16 gpm pump with a new 11gpm Speeco pump from Surplus Center, as well as all of the fittings and hoses. And to top it off, a new Energy control valve.
It runs and cycles great sitting in the garage; I’ll add more once I have time to grab a few logs and give it the “real” test. Cheers and be safe!

 

[tebenhoh]

Yep, it splits wood! Time to tame that pile of rounds. (Of course I find the output shaft seal leak on the engine AFTER it’s all clean and back together. To be monitored and repaired.)
Thanks again to everyone for sharing your experience and suggestions from my original “what to do now” flanges and fittings post. Be well!

 

[tebenhoh]

Meant to put (Speeco/Didier?) in the title; whatever or whichever it is, I’m happy to have a working log splitter!

 

[DonTee]

Good work man. I like how you used things you had to get it up and running.

I have an ancient wood splitter. It’s slow but works. I’m always on the lookout for a faster splitter that I can get a good deal on. Sitting out in the woods for 3 years sounds like my kind of deal

 

[Corey]

Neat rebuild. Not sure why it would be too slow? Looks like a fairly typical 4" cylinder and you mention 11gpm pump. Guess no restrictions / foaming oil on the hydraulic side?

My only worry would be the muffler pointing straight up. One pop up rain storm while you have the splitter uncovered and taking a lunch break or 'plan to get back to it tomorrow' and that thing could act as a funnel to fill the engine with water. The length/mass might not play well with a moderately vibrating engine, either, but that is going to be more of a fatigue issue vs instant failure.

 

[tebenhoh]

Good work man. I like how you used things you had to get it up and running.

I have an ancient wood splitter. It’s slow but works. I’m always on the lookout for a faster splitter that I can get a good deal on. Sitting out in the woods for 3 years sounds like my kind of deal

Thanks, Don! Without rebuilding the frame/axle setup of the splitter, I have limited room for a tank where it’s shown here; I couldn’t find anything commercially available that would fit between the tire and the cylinder so my options were find something to repurpose, or have one custom built. I’m glad I saved the old compressor tank!

 

[tebenhoh]

Neat rebuild. Not sure why it would be too slow? Looks like a fairly typical 4" cylinder and you mention 11gpm pump. Guess no restrictions / foaming oil on the hydraulic side?

My only worry would be the muffler pointing straight up. One pop up rain storm while you have the splitter uncovered and taking a lunch break or 'plan to get back to it tomorrow' and that thing could act as a funnel to fill the engine with water. The length/mass might not play well with a moderately vibrating engine, either, but that is going to be more of a fatigue issue vs instant failure.,

Thanks, Corey! I think Don meant his splitter is slower than he’d like. Mine cycles fine for how I use it - it will split up to a 24” length, but I try to keep my rounds around 18”, so there are a few extra seconds each cycle as the cylinder travels those 6”. No faster than I need to move, it’s ready to go by the time I can load another log. Two 8ft truck bed loads since Sunday, and it splits great for how I’ll use it!
Initially I was worried about the hydraulic oil temps; the hand test on the tank still felt too hot with my limited experience. Yesterday, however, splitting in full sun, with a daytime temp of 91F in the shade, the highest readings on my infrared gun were 128F and 129F on the return end of the tank after running/splitting a good 30 minutes. The filter showed 120F, and the pump housing was 104F. The suction end of the tank was cooler at 118F - this all seems within spec according to what I’ve read here.
Good eye on the exhaust/muffler! I had changed it before I started splitting; I noticed how much it was vibrating when I ran my initial trial split and found that pesky engine oil leak. This is how it is now…
I had it shorter and straight, but my final install is angled. My dilemma has been trying to keep it off of the cylinder, hoses, valve, and plastic fuel tank. It will be stored indoors, so I’ll have to keep a spare soup can handy if it looks like rain.

Oh, and I decided to fix the engine oil leak as long as I still had all of my tools out and scattered about; one new output shaft seal, and one new crankcase/sump cover seal later and life is good! (I had never used grease on a paper seal before, it works like a charm and was recommended by the old-timer who welded my tank fittings.) No leaks, and after an initial 2-3 pull start, she’s fired first pull every time once warmed up.
Cheers!

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Mine was sitting out in the woods for a while before I got it. It looked a lot like yours. I got my hands on a ford windstar axle that I shortened up a bit, and that raised it up a lot for a nice working height.

 

[Eman85]

I've used a splitter with small tires and low to the ground like that, no fun for my back. I'd want to get those exhaust fumes away from the operator too.

 

[tebenhoh]

Isaac and Eman;
I may indeed change the working height at some point, someone on here rolls theirs up onto ramps to raise it while they’re splitting. I suppose having everything table, or truck bed, height would be ideal; for now it saving my back from swinging the maul!
(I stand forward of the engine enough that I’m out of the exhaust flow. If I 90’ it straight back then it’s right at me when starting, or adjusting choke/throttle, etc., and about on top of the plastic air filter cover. 🤷‍♂️)

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I was just looking at mine, and the only part that's still original is the wedge. 🤣
The engine got replaced by an electric motor, the pump got replaced, the tank, valve, and cylinder got replaced, and the beam and axle got replaced.