Bobcat x331 mini

[HFservicesNC]

I have recently got a older body style bobcat mini excavator and it did alright when i got it but now a week later i am having a few Hydraulic problems. First of all my rotating speed is very slow and my boom retract is also slow. The crawl, rotate, blade up and down functions awe very jerky a lot of the time and take a little bit to respond. I believe that it may feel a little under powered but its had to tell being that i never used the machine when it was new. The right side track is pretty week unless you use the left to help it but i figure that is the the motor going out. I also filled up the hydro tank because it was low and used the machine the next day and the vent was overflowing with foamy hydraulic fluid. I have replaced the filter and cleaned the drain filter. when cleaning the drain filter i found a little bit of brass which i figure came from the final drive but im not that worried about that. I would jus like all the other functions to work fast and without jerking.

My current rotations per min are - 3 manufacture specs are 9.3 rpm VERY SLOW

 

[joispoi]

Hmmm...that doesn't sound good. Before switching out any parts, what is the condition of the hydraulic fluid? Foaming could be from water mixed with the fluid or air in the fluid. Cheap hydraulic fluid might foam (although I've never experienced this myself). Every function on that machine relies on hydraulics. If the fluid it bad, it won't function as it should.

If the foam is due to air in the hydraulics from running the machine too low on hyd. fluid, let the machine sit for an hour. Make sure the fluid is at the right level, then follow the purge procedure to remove the air from the hydraulics.

Otherwise, air could be entering the fluid from a faulty suction line between the pump and the tank. Or....the seals could be failing on the pump and allow air to get sucked into the hydraulic system - there will usually be some sign of leaking around the pump if this is the case.

 

[mikebramel]

you definately want to check your suction line to the pump. It sounds like one of your main pumps is going out (brass, slow functions to half circuits)

 

[HFservicesNC]

i have noticed leaking around the pump seams. can i take the pump apart and tel how bad it is if its worn. can the pump be rebuilt and if so where do i get parts

 

[joispoi]

You could try these people: http://www.loaderpartssource.com/bobcat-parts/bobcat-hydraulic-pumps I've never dealt with them. They advertise seal kits, but you may be better off with a rebuilt unit.

 

[HFservicesNC]

Ive taken pump off and apart and looked it over. from what i can tell it looks to be in really god condition. so im thinking its the suction lines for sure

 

[joispoi]

The pump may not have any parts that look "busted" from a visual inspection, but it could still be worn beyond the tolerances. The only way to know for sure is to test it. Either find a place that can bench test it or put it back in the machine and have a mechanic come out and test both flow and pressure.