Gary Layton
Well-Known Member
I am working on dredging out a 70-year-old pond and yesterday was in the back part of the pond when a hydraulic hose to the boom cylinder burst. There was an immediate rainstorm of oil and I tried to briefly get the boom lowered but pressure failed quickly enough that did not work.
I got the cat shut down and decided to go ahead and look it what was going on immediately. It occurred to me later that it would have been a reasonable time to just sit and relax a minute while I figured out my next step. Luckily I went ahead and got out of the cab and flickers of flame caught my attention in the back diagonal corner of the engine area. There was fire coming up around the exhaust. Apparently when the hose burst the oil was aerosolized and I figured that's probably what caught fire first. FTR...my CAT320C uses 10W40 oil for the hydraulic system and I'm assuming it is more readily flammable than standard hydraulic oil.
I scrambled over to the compartment box where the stairs are and got the fire extinguisher out and made my way up the totally oil slick stairs to the engine compartment. I was able to open the compartment though it was already hot and was able to put out the fire before anything burned or melted. I'll know for sure once I crank it back up I guess.
I had to set up a ladder on the track to be able to access the high point where the hoses are. I've got a background in tree work so I was able to safety off while working on the ladder and bouncing around with the 4 ft steel breaker pipe.
I removed the first hose first with great difficulty. The end where it was first was very tight and I could not break it free. I decided to try the other end and when I got to it, that distal end was already loose.. like hand tight. Apparently, when the hose burst it somehow cracked the seal and made it easy for me to remove that fitting. I asked the hydraulic mechanic at the shop how that fitting could have been that loose. He said they have been known to break loose when they burst. It's a flat face fitting and that may have something to do with it?
Anyway, once I got it free, I understood how the other fitting needed to turn and was able to bounce the pipe breaker bar on the monkey wrench that made me able to get the tight nut off. I also went ahead and removed the second hose right beside it since I have easy access right now and the system is going to have to be refilled with oil.. probably 15 gallons.
I just left the hydraulic shop with two new hoses. $200 each.
I got the cat shut down and decided to go ahead and look it what was going on immediately. It occurred to me later that it would have been a reasonable time to just sit and relax a minute while I figured out my next step. Luckily I went ahead and got out of the cab and flickers of flame caught my attention in the back diagonal corner of the engine area. There was fire coming up around the exhaust. Apparently when the hose burst the oil was aerosolized and I figured that's probably what caught fire first. FTR...my CAT320C uses 10W40 oil for the hydraulic system and I'm assuming it is more readily flammable than standard hydraulic oil.
I scrambled over to the compartment box where the stairs are and got the fire extinguisher out and made my way up the totally oil slick stairs to the engine compartment. I was able to open the compartment though it was already hot and was able to put out the fire before anything burned or melted. I'll know for sure once I crank it back up I guess.
I had to set up a ladder on the track to be able to access the high point where the hoses are. I've got a background in tree work so I was able to safety off while working on the ladder and bouncing around with the 4 ft steel breaker pipe.
I removed the first hose first with great difficulty. The end where it was first was very tight and I could not break it free. I decided to try the other end and when I got to it, that distal end was already loose.. like hand tight. Apparently, when the hose burst it somehow cracked the seal and made it easy for me to remove that fitting. I asked the hydraulic mechanic at the shop how that fitting could have been that loose. He said they have been known to break loose when they burst. It's a flat face fitting and that may have something to do with it?
Anyway, once I got it free, I understood how the other fitting needed to turn and was able to bounce the pipe breaker bar on the monkey wrench that made me able to get the tight nut off. I also went ahead and removed the second hose right beside it since I have easy access right now and the system is going to have to be refilled with oil.. probably 15 gallons.
I just left the hydraulic shop with two new hoses. $200 each.