water in hyd. cylinders

I just remembered another question i wanted to ask.I have water in the hydraulic system and I'm not sure on the best way to remove it from
the cylinders.I have drained the tank,blew out the discharge line and
replaced suction and pressure lines going from the control to the
cylinders.I was wandering about the cylinders,if there was a procedure other than removing the cyl. end cap and pulling out the ram to discharge the
tanted fluid?

Thanks,
Don

Hi Don,
How long has it been that way....you may want to pull the rods and inspect the cylinders for rust/pitting anyway. Also need to know that the cushion valves withing the pistons are working right and not rusted up. No easy way that I know of. I suppose it would be possible to remove and invert the cylinder so that you could drain the water off a low point after letting it settle awhile but wrestling those cylinders ain't much fun either. Best bet is probably pull the piston/rod with cylinder in place and check it all out so you know for sure.

Probably a good time to check seals, glands and piston rings/seals also.

Sure,

you can purge the cylinders by loosening/removing one end of the lines on the "return" from the cylinders. Put it in a bucket to catch the oil and then start the tractor up and move the cylinders to push it out. This calls for some planning so you don't get an oil bath! Lots of flow there if you move the cylinder full speed, so tie the end of the return line into the bucket, tie the bucket etc. Cylinders with valves in the pistons will allow oil to flow through the piston when the piston comes to the end of the stroke, so stop pushing when you begin to get clean oil out the hoses.

note, this is not the return line from the valve if you have a remote valve, separate from the pump, but the lines from one end of the cylinders to the valve.

Second note, If you use the tractor pump and push the cylinders with pressure, do both cylinders at the same time and when you have done one end, then you must hold the cylinder position, tighten the first lines and remove the ones on the other end and put in the bucket. May need to refill the tank with clean oil before you do the other end.

Probably easier to remove the pin from the rod end of the cylinder and tie/block it up so it can go full stroke without hitting anything before you start. That way you don't have to have a jack to hold the blade and/or tractor up while you replace the lines.

If you have some way to stroke the cylinder without cranking the tractor up and doing it that way, it would be safer, but less complete. I would not use air pressure to move the pistons. High pressure air may result in sudden movement of the cylinder and may damage things if the pistons slam into the heads, or hurt someone if they get in the way of the rod as it jumps out.

Like I said, the quick and dirty way!