When to change hydraulic filter on log splitter? Possibly solved?

[oil pan 4]

I bought my log splitter about a year ago and ran the heck out of it. Split all the wood from 3 huge four and five foot diameter trees plus a whole pile of knotted wood I was saving for later.
I was going to change the hydraulic filter this year since it was new.
Then I salvaged some pressure differential indicator gauges, that were being tossed. I had no idea what the green and red scales represented. So I hooked one up to shop air. The needle starts to move at 5psid and the needle touches red at 20psid which is perfect. The hydraulic filter starts bypassing around 20 to 22psid.
The filter says 20gpm and it's on a 14gpm system so it will probably be in the red when it's cold.
So what do you think change the filter when the needle stays in the red after it's warmed up?

 

[jeepman3071]

I tend to change mine every other year, the filters aren't too expensive, I think the last one I bought for mine was a Luber-Finer made by Champion labs for $7 or so.

 

[nomas]

Change the filter and be done with it . Don't over think it . 7 - 10 bucks a year is nothing .

 

[thastinger]

Sounds like a solid plan, wouldn't expect a sealed system like that to get much contamination.

 

[Rand]

Sounds like a solid plan, wouldn't expect a sealed system like that to get much contamination.

I will probably change mine after 20-25 hours... first time.
after that maybe once every 5 years... or it starts rusting.

 

[oil pan 4]

I will probably change mine after 20-25 hours... first time.
after that maybe once every 5 years... or it starts rusting.

5 years? I'll be sure to break loose the filter when I change the engine oil so I can actually remove it after 5 years without a hammer.

 

[Rand]

5 years? I'll be sure to break loose the filter when I change the engine oil so I can actually remove it after 5 years without a hammer.

I only anticipate 10-25 hours of use a year and hydraulic system is pretty sealed no combustion byproducts etc.
would you change it every 10 hours of use?
After the initial break in how much junk is going to be in the oil to catch?

Changing the engine oil at 5 hours (next time I am at the location of splitter) and then every couple of years or 50hours ~~.

 

[oil pan 4]

I changed the engine oil after about the first 5hrs, which was probably the 2nd or 3rd day I had it. All I have done to the hydraulic system is top off the fluid because it was low when I bought it.
I was saying I would break the hydraulic filter loose and retighten the same filter just break the bond between the metal and o-ring and get it wet with some oil so the metal isn't bonded to the rubber after several years.

 

[Rand]

I changed the engine oil after about the first 5hrs, which was probably the 2nd or 3rd day I had it. All I have done to the hydraulic system is top off the fluid because it was low when I bought it.
I was saying I would break the hydraulic filter loose and retighten the same filter just break the bond between the metal and o-ring and get it wet with some oil so the metal isn't bonded to the rubber after several years.

I slightly misinterpreted your point. That isnt a bad idea.

5 hours for me was about 1 day but the second day I was solo working it so it was going slower without someone else to swap out with.
(one guy load the log, one guy run the ram. swap out to stay fresh) Probably has about 8 hours on it.. been pretty impressed with the 25ton champion for $1099 at rural king.

 

[Creekside]

Ours has been done twice in 40-50 years.I bet the large portion of splitters never have maintenance period.

 

[oil pan 4]

I put on the psid gauge.
At idle cold, about 90F here right now the needle is pretty close to the lowest reading of 5psid. At full speed it's about halfway up the green scale, I'll say 8 to 10psid. The filter has plenty of life left. I think it's a 1 inch 12tpi thread, no name part number 6001.
I did break the filter loose only it took everything me and my little 10 inch strap wrench could muster.

 

[oil pan 4]

I'm going to try a wix 57123 or wix a31a06ga, neither one has a bypass, which is fine as the filter head has one built in.
The 57123 is rated for 12 to 14gpm 8 micron. This runs a 14gpm pump so not the best option.
The a31a06ga is rated for up to 22gpm, 6 micron, -14 to 256F but it's expensive, a least double the price of the 57123.
Should be the last filter it ever needs as long as I don't get full of water, shell out a pump, ect.

 

[oil pan 4]

I went to the O'Reilly's since they sell wix filters and they said they don't even know if they can get the wix a31a06ga, but if they can it will be $90.
I can get a 57123 anywhere.

 

[dnewton3]

Most hydraulic filters on tractors, etc are typically anywhere from 200-400 hours of service.
I would think a filter on a log splitter should be similar.

 

[oil pan 4]

Yeah I'm going to put the over size filter on and not worry about changing it ever again unless I get water contaminated or shell out a pump.

 

[oil pan 4]

Well I can forget about the A31A06GA. They're made to order, up to 4 months to get one and I have to pay shipping, so it would be about $100.
A $40 wix 57123 that I can get tomorrow is looking pretty good.

 

[oil pan 4]

57123 filter is on and tested. It cut the back pressure down significantly. I'm going to say just about half. At 90f the return pressure was 2/3 to 3/4 up the scale at full speed with the old filter now it's 1/3 to half way up the way up the scale.
At idle cold there's no reading so it's less than 5psi.

 

[oil pan 4]

This morning it was 60F. I fired up the log splitter, at idle was showing 10psi back pressure, big difference from 90F.
I let if warm up for several minutes, it hit 70F and I used it to split sever knots and small stumps.

 

[oil pan 4]

Well I modified the log splitter to run at 4,000rpm. Now I'm seeing about 15psi of back pressure at 90F running 4,000rpm.
I think I'll go ahead and get that wix a31a06ga hydraulic filter on order and replace the 57123 when it gets in the red.

 

[oil pan 4]

When I ordered the filter I saw the price on hydraulic fluid 5 gallon buckets.
I went ahead and ordered a rain proof hydraulic filler cap. The log splitter came with a filler cap that was just a pipe plug with a hole drilled in it....
For $30 it will save a lot of hassle.