Very slow hydraulics

[Ambidextarous]

The linkage arms take a long time to start to lift and when they do they are very, very slow. Is this a blocked filter or something else fairly straightforward or is something nasty waiting to happen.The dipstick, (unfortunate choice of word there) beside the gear lever indicated the level was low but inside the safe operating marks.When i unscrewed the filler cap by the pto lever it was up to the threads so i poured about a gallon of hydro oil into the return flow cap behind the seat as i could see no trace of liquid when i looked inside. I can't see another dipstick for the back end.Could it be an airlock? As usual,any help would be gratefully received.

[super6954]

Hi
The plug by the pto lever is for gearbox oil only it has low and I believe full stamped on a flat face as you look at the casting beneath the plug it's for filling gearbox oil and showing level .
The dip stick by the gear shift is the hydraulics and back axle oil level. the gearbox and back axle/hyd oil are totally seperate, unless the oil seals that seprate them are leaking . so pour oil in The fill/ return plug on the rear hyd housing till it shows full on the stick by the gear shifter
sounds like you should have enough oil in it to work now. Whats the oil on the stick look like if its white creamy like chicken soup or a bad brown color like a night after of bad curry then it needs replacing .
There is a filter screen under the plate on the back axle where the drain plug is (held with 4 bolts). It could be that is plugged after probably a good few years of not being serviced in the past , so might be worth draining the rear oil about 40 ltrs if full then see what the filters like If your lucky its that clean it and make sure its not got holes in. If it does junks probably been through the pump .
if it's not the filter, I suspect leaking seals/valve or worn pump if your real unlucky.
Try that intake filter first it would not be the first time ive seen one plugged so much it was sucked square and a pig to get through the round hole
If you have a super major it could be filters or stuck valves mainly, But as you don't say I can't tell what tractor you have .
Regards Robert

[R W]

How long does the linkage stay in the raised position when the tractor is not in use.

[Ambidextarous]

I've had the tractor a year this month and when it arrived the hydraulics wouldn't work at all.After taking it to be fixed they still weren't right, they finally got them working at the second attempt.I seem to think it was a stuck valve.The oil on the dipstick is very clean,nothing nasty looking at all.When she has an implement on i lower it when i turn her off but if there is nothing on the back i switch her off with them in the up position but i tend to pull the knob out on the DAR to lock them there.I don't know why i do this, i just do.I'll try leaving it to see what the arms do as RW was asking.She lives outside under a tarp so working on her depends on it not raining.I'll try your suggestion about the filter and post again when i have something to report.Thanks for the help Super.

[Ambidextarous]

Forgot to say she's a '62 Super Major