Hydraulic manifold cracked

[Tracy]

I'm on the final stage of rebuilding my '54 Major, after a complete rebuild i fired up the engine for the first time yesterday. Engine runs great, by i tried using the hydraulic lift, and when it reached it's highest point i heard a crack. Oils started pooring out of the hydraulic manifold. It seemed that the lid cracked at the topleft bolt. Could this be a faulted pressure valve of faulted O-ring somewhere?

Secondly, can this be repaired and how should i try and do that? It's casted iron, so welding could be tricky. I know the best option is going for another manifold, but they are hard to find and very expensive.

[Brian]

Not quite sure what you mean by "hydraulic manifold" Tracy.

The pressure comes from a pipe in the centre of the rear axle then via a second pipe to the valve chest at the front of the lift. If your Pressure Relief valve jammed, I would have expected the pump to fail. I had it happen once and it blew the 5000 psi pressure guage and split the pump in half but did not damage any casting or "O" ring.





Piston and pressure pipe to the valve chest.



Valve chest.

[Tracy]

Brian, i used your picture to mark where the crack occured, maybe that will explain a bit more. It's not a big crack, but it's gone all the way from the top to the left side, all around the bolt, and it leaks hydraulic oil there.

[henk]

You could try and find a machine shop. It's not a hard job to make a new one.

[easy.start]

High Nickel cast iron welding rods are relatively cheap (especially for the amount you would need to weld) and are easy to use if using an inverter welder (or arc welder really). Search on the online auction site.

Take the chest off, lay it flat, grind a channel to fill with weld and bolt back on! Only one thing, why did it crack there in the first place

I'd be doing some basic visual checks first before welding it back together

[oehrick]

And if you are not comfortable welding it and don't have a tame welder handy, a good clean and degrease and SifBronze braze will also work if you have a decent sized propane torch, Thermalite or Durox building blocks (dry!) make a good base and back for a temporary hearth to keep the heat in.

[easy.start]

And if you are not comfortable welding it and don't have a tame welder handy, a good clean and degrease and SifBronze braze will also work if you have a decent sized propane torch, Thermalite or Durox building blocks (dry!) make a good base and back for a temporary hearth to keep the heat in.

True oehrick I'm sure though Tracy, if you have a vintage tractor, you will no doubt know folk who can repair this fairly easily. It wasn't too long ago (15-16 years) cast iron was a bit if it cracked. However, technology now allows competent DIY welders to have varying amounts of success, but I won't post the photos

[oehrick]

You are quite right easystart but on something of this thickness full penetration welding and melting the corner off if too hot or leaving a leaking crack if not hot enough still remains a bit of a challenge. Unless I missed it I don't think Tracy mentioned a location and some of our number can be pretty remote !

How about weld for strength and if a leak remains degrease again and braze over as a compromise ??

Still begs the question if this is a recent failure due to some sort of pressure 'event' or an age old fatigue fracture which has finally let go - insufficient info so far

[Brian]

It will be pretty strange if that corner alone cracked off due to pressure as there are so many other bolts holding the valve chest on that have not failed. Could possibly be some object between the gasket/front housing that stopped the chest seating properyly when it was tightened down.

[henk]

I was a bit dissy I think. Thought the crack wat at the place of the word but now I see it's the corner. A bit hard to machine that part.

[easy.start]

I agree oehrick and Brian. Having over the past year stripped and rebuilt my first blue Fordson, including the hydraulics, it seemed odd to me too that only this top left cracked off. As you mention Brian, the chest is indeed well bolted on. Makes me wonder whether the chest was securely bolted on or, as suggested, wasn't seated correctly for some other reason.
I would weld it as the chest is bolted on in so many other locations and this corner bolt serves to sandwich the gasket Or braze as I've had some success brazing the exhaust manifold on the P6 and stick welding a block of a MH, although my daughter was pretty miffed about her sandpit being emptied for the purpose

[henk]

I would try to braze it. I think it will give less change to crack somewere else due to tension. Warm it up before on a heating plate. Let it coole down in sand to slowdown the cooling