failure mode: damage caused by aeration and cavitation Both aeration and cavitation produce bubbles in the oil supply to the pump. The collapse of these bubbles causes erosion and pitting, especially of the port plate in the seal land area between tho inlet and discharge ports of the plate, See Illus- tration 21 llustration 24, 4 port plate siiowing erosion caused by 2er- ation or cavitation Severe cavitation or restriction of the oil supply can also cause slippers to be pulled off piston assemblies, retraction plates to become convex or break and retraction bearing bolts to fal. See the section, Other Factors Affecting Pumps & Motor Life, for more information about aeration and cavitation. sources of failure mode: Aeration: Low oil level ‘An air leak at the pump suction line. ‘An air leak at cyinder rod, seals or cylinder line connections. A loose hose or tube connection near or above the oil jevel in the tank. Bent, damaged or missing parts in the tank causing agitation of the oll Reliot valve set too low. Excessive operation over the relief valve. Cavitation: Oil of the wrong viscosity for ambient temperature. A collapsed hose in the pump suction line. ‘A plugged or restricted suction screen or pump inet linefailure mode: damage caused by piston seizure Indications of the piston seizing in the barrel as nbly include discoloration, polishing and/or ening of the piston. Piston seizure can occur (00% at any time from first start-up to several thou: sand hours into the life of the pump. See llustra- tions 22, 28, 24 and 25 Imustration 22. An with i urple, can range from the size of @ tingerail to 3 mm wide by 50 mm long (60 x 2"). Discoloration can be ata joints 180° apart or at three points 120) the piston, he insice clam polished area where thi ton wil also usually will De- 2 to the bottom of re} and sl n striking the retraction beating oF bolls, may prevent the piaten from being easily removed. While t may be moved up and down in the bar: rel bore, the piston wil probably need 7 the bottom to be driven outWustration 24, Duri positoned in the arindar during the final grind, trate or chatier as esulls in a number of equally spaced th of the piston and known as ated by the piston o areas along the the leit, Labing @ to loting usvally occurs at cd by equally spaced shiny igth of the piston. The piston on the right ed marks around the naterial becoming traoped beiween the pis- the effects of a pis nn against the wear llustration 25. This wear plate show ‘on that sezed, lost a slipper, and plate unti the ball on the piston for the slipper was com pletely wor away sources of failure mod Foreign material in the hydraulic system generat- ed either from insufficient cleaning after a prev- us failure or during assembly eccentric barrel bores. Lobed pistons or tapered/ Improper priming or breaking-in of the pump. See the section entitled Rebuilt Pumps.failure mode: damage caused by broken retraction bearing bolt(s) Broken retraction bearing bolts can cause a ma- jor pump failure. If not detected soon eough, slippers can be pulled off piston assemblies, the retraction plate can break into several pieces and considerable damage done to the lower part of the pump. See illustrations 26 and 27. liystration 26. A swashplate with broken retraction bearing bolts 18 stration 27. Examples of a new and broken bolt ‘sources of failure mode: Improper use ot unloader valve (motor grader only). This is most likely to occur during cold weather when the valve is used to facilitate en: gine starting. When the valve is operated, the pump is at maximum flow (swashplate at maxi- mum angle) and system pressure is at minimum. ‘When the valve is released, the pump returns im- mediately to minimum flow (swashplate at mini- mum angle) and system pressure goes to stand- by or first stage. Retraction bearing bolts can fail if the oil has not become warm before the un- loader valve is released. Bolt failure may also occur during warm weather if the valve is used repeatedly. For instance, ‘when using the valve to relieve the engine of the hydraulic load, thereby making more power avail able to the drive train to move the machine through muddy conditions or when blading tough material Implement loading which can result in repeated stroking (changing swashplate angle) of the pump. Oil of the wrong viscosity for the ambient temperature A restriction in the suction line. Loose or improperly tightened retraction bearing bolts. (if whole bolts are found with broken bolts, loose bolts are usually the source.)& failure mode: inability of the pump to develop maximum output sources of failure mode: A loose/missing plug in the end of the servo valve (illustration 28) The wrong combination of parts (illustration 29) Hustration 28. If the small plug in the end of the servo Valve is loose oF missing, pressure ol behind the large pis- ton in the servo valve can be dumped, allowing the swash- plate to remain at its minimum angle (minimum flow) Mustration 29, The wong mix of parts, lice this servo lin {above} when used with a servo piston with a trough dried lubrication hole and with an earler swashplate insert |betow) win a lube nole, can hamper output. Pressure oil behind the large piston in the sarve valve can leak through ‘ne piston, lik and insert, and cause the swasnplate to re main at ite minimum angio (miaimum flow)zals (illustration NOTE: On hy excal ers, this condition can be necting the signal line from the pump. the line and leaving the sig atmosphere. Oil trickling fr ing ti checked by di al port o ation of the system seal; a few drops normal a damaged minute) afailure mode: erratic travel (hydraulic excavator) or slow implement sources) ot sallare moder Maximum angle stop wear into the swashplate Servo link wear into the swashplate insert, caus. which alters the maximum angle limit (Ilustration ing swashplate angle to change (Ilustration 31 32), Hustration $1. A servo link has worn into this swashplate washolate angle. Insert woar at tammtion of the and changed t ively low hours could indicate 1e maxmum angle stop has worn ito this ling in an increased maximum angle and no flow. I, on a hydiaulc excavator, a new pump IS in jethor with a pump with a worn maximum angle ss8Vve travel grit Could resut from the differences in pump flow. A readjustment of the maximum angle stop (on the older pump wil solve the citicuty