Hydraulic System Care

10 Point Weekly Checklist for Proper Hydraulic System Care

Hydraulic system maintenance is a critical component to ensure your machinery stays in top working
order. Basic system maintenance can help you avoid an untimely and expensive breakdown. Here’s a
quick basic checklist that you should be familiar with.

10 Point Check: Any operator responsible for hydraulic system maintenance should, at minimum,
perform the following 10 point checklist as part of a weekly “quick scan” of every hydraulic system.

1. Check fluid levels. Add hydraulic fluid as needed (if needed). Not all hydraulic fluids are the
same, DO NOT MIX OILS! Use the same oil brand and viscosity grade that is specified.

2. Inspect breather caps, breather filters, and fill screens — DO NOT punch holes in screens in
order to expedite adding oil as this may allow contaminants into your system.

3. Check filter indicators and/or pressure differential gauges. Immediately replace any that show
signs of wear or other negative indications.

4. Visually inspect all system hoses, pipes, pipe connections for leaks, frays, bubbling, or chaffing
spots. Hydraulic fluid leakage is a common problem for industrial systems. Excessive leakage is
an environmental and safety hazard, increases waste streams and oil consumption, and, if
ignored, can reduce the system capacity enough to overheat and slow normal system operation.
Further, leakage is often an indication of seal wear or other compromise associated with
impending failure.

5. Check system temperature via built-in thermometers or hand-held infrared detectors. Normal

6. Visually inspect the inside of the reservoir for signs of aeration (via the fill hole using a
flashlight). Aeration is a condition in which discrete bubbles of air are carried along in the stream
of oil as it enters the pump. Visual signs of aeration in the reservoir are generally foaming
and/or little whirlpools taking small gulps of air into the suction strainer. Causes of aeration
include: low fluid levels; air leaks in the suction line, low fluid temperature, fluid too viscous to
release air or maintain suction at the pump, or faulty shaft seals. When air leaks are suspected
on the suction line, smothering these points with oil will usually pinpoint the leaks by creating a
marked change in pump noise. A pump ingesting air sounds as if it were gargling marbles.

7. Listen to pumps for the signs of cavitation. Cavitation is slightly more complicated than aeration,
but has some similarities. Cavitation occurs when air is released from the hydraulic oil during
momentary depressurization at the pump suction and then implodes onto metal surfaces upon
discharge. These implosions are extremely destructive to pump surfaces. A cavitating pump will
emit a high-pitched whine or scream. Causes of cavitation are the same as those of aeration
with the exception of suction side air leaks. How do you discern aeration from cavitation? One
way is to install a vacuum gauge on the suction side and make sure the pressure is equal to or
greater than that prescribed by the pump manufacturer. Foaming in the reservoir is usually the
telltale sign of aeration.

8. Inspect a small sample of fluid for color, debris, and odor. Keep in mind that visual inspection is
limited in that it will only detect signs of excess contamination.
9. Scan electrically controlled servo valves with an infrared thermometer. High valve and solenoid
temperatures (over 150ºF) usually indicate the valve is sticking or bypassing. Sluggish operation
and violent system “jerking” around valves is a sign of possible contamination.

10. Scan the electric drive motor for housing hot spots and rotor bearing temperatures using an
infrared thermometer. Any such finds and the system should be immediately tagged out and
serviced.

1. SYSTEM INOPERATIVE
 No oil in system, insufficient oil in system. Fill system. Check for leaks.
 Wrong oil in system. Refer to specifications. Change oil.
 Filter dirty or clogged. Drain oil and replace filter or filter element.
 Oil line restriction. Oil lines dirty or collapsed. Clean or replace.
 Air leaks in pump suction line. Repair or replace as necessary.
 Worn or dirty pump. Clean, repair or replace. Check alignment. Check for contaminated
oil. Drain and flush system.
 Badly worn components (valves, cylinders, etc.) Examine and test for internal or external
leakage. Replace faulty components. Check for cause of wear.
 Leakage. Check all components, particularly the relief valve for proper settings. Refer to
technical manuals.
 Excessive load. Check unit specifications for load limits.
 Slipping or broken pump drive. Repair or replace belts, couplings, etc. Check for proper
alignment or tension.
2. SYSTEM OPERATES ERRATICALLY
 Air in system. Check suction side of system for leaks. Repair.
 Cold oil. Allow ample warm-up period.
 Dirty or damaged components. Clear or repair as necessary.
 Restrictions in filters or lines. Clean and/or replace elements or lines.
3. SYSTEM OPERATES SLOWLY
 Oil viscosity too high, cold oil. Allow oil to warm up before operating machine.
 Low pump drive speed. Increase engine speed (check manual for recommendations.)
 Air in system. Check suction side for leaks. Repair.
 Badly worn pump, valves, cylinders, etc. Repair or replace as needed.
 Restrictions in filters or lines. Clean and/or replace elements or lines.
 Improper adjustments. Check orifices, relief valves, etc. Adjust per manual.
 Oil leaks. Tighten fittings. Replace seals or damaged lines.
4. SYSTEM OPERATES TOO FAST
 Wrong size or incorrectly adjusted restrictor. Replace or adjust as necessary.
 Engine running too fast. 
 Reduce engine speed.
5. OVERHEATING OF OIL IN SYSTEM
 Oil passing thru relief valve for excessive time. Return control valve to neutral when not
in use.
 Incorrect oil, low oil, dirty oil. Use recommended oil, fill reservoir, clean oil, replace filter
elements.
 Engine running too fast. Reduce engine speed.
 Excessive component internal leakage. Repair or replace component as necessary.
 Restriction in filters or lines. Clean and/or replace elements or lines.
 Malfunctioning oil cooler. Clean or repair.
 Insufficient heat radiation. Clean dirt and mud from reservoir and components.
  Malfunctioning component. Repair or replace.
 Reservoir too small. Recommended size is 1 1/2 times pump gpm.
6. FOAMING OF OIL
 Incorrect, low or dirty oil. Replace, clean or add oil as needed.
 Air leaks. Check suction line and component seals for suction leaks. Replace.
7. NOISY PUMP
 Low oil level, incorrect oil, foamy oil. Replace, clean or add oil as needed.
 Suction line plugged or too small, inlet screen plugged. Clean or replace. Follow
instructions packed with unit.
 Use of pipe fitting in inlet. Replace with correct fitting.
8. BLOWN SHAFT SEAL
 Pump: wrong pump shaft rotation. Replace seal. Refer to installation instructions.
 Motor: failure to hook up drain line. Replace seal. Refer to installation instructions.
9. LEAKY PUMP OR MOTOR
 Damaged or worn shaft seal. Replace seal. Check for misalignment.
 Loose or broken parts. Tighten or replace.
10. LOAD DROPS WITH CONTROL VALVE IN NEUTRAL
 Leaking cylinder seals or fittings. Replace worn parts.
 Control valve not centering when released. Check linkage. Check for spool binding.
Repair.
11. CONTROL VALVE DOES NOT CENTER (Binding)
 See Hydraulic Product Safety sheet.
 Valve linkage misaligned. Repair.
 Tie-bolts too tight (stack valves). Loosen as necessary.
 Valve damaged. Repair or replace.
 Handle bracket screws loose. Tighten.
12. CONTROL VALVE LEAKS EXTERNALLY
 Tie-bolts too loose (stack valves). Tighten as necessary.
 Seals damaged or worn. Replace.
 Back pressure or restriction in tank line. Check quick couplers. Use power beyond when
necessary.
 Cracked port or body. Replace. (see Hyd. Prod. Safety)
13. CYLINDER LEAKS EXTERNALLY
 Seals damaged or worn. Replace.
 Rod damaged. Replace.
14. CYLINDER LOWERS WITH VALVE IN “METER UP” POSITION
 Damaged or leaky load check. Replace check.
 Leaking cylinder seal. Replace seal.
 Use of a valve without loadcheck. Replace with recommended valve.