Leak in a Hyster forklift

Ignoramus21579 fired this volley in news:m7udnfKBa4Q9V_7SnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

I couldn't tell you what Hyster uses for that model (or even the model, since you didn't include it).

HOWEVER, a lot of hydraulic implements use common Type-F Automatic Transmission Fluid as the hydraulic oil. (some use common motor oil, too. There are actually a few that use 'real' hydraulic fluid, proper.)

Have you ever checked the color of the oil in the "fill here" port?

LLoyd

ATF (auto trans fluid) and PS (power steering) fluid were usually red waaaay back when I wrenched. Now, PS fluids are all colors.

Watch your steering fluid level and your hydraulic tank level, checking each for their color as you go.

Let us know what you find out.

-- The greatest justice in life is that your vision and looks tend to go simultaneously. -- Kevin Bacon

Most likely transmission fluid. Fluid is cooled through the radiator so it could be at any point to and from the tranny. A model and serial prefix would help

jeff fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Most fork lifts are hydraulically driven. If they have a transmission at all, its a manual job just to change the ratio between the traction motor and the drive wheels -- but usually they do not have a tranny at all.

Likely as not, the red fluid IS the hydraulic fluid for the whole machine

-- lift, drive motors, steering, everything. A lot of hydrostatic drive machines use Type-F ATF as the primary working fluid.

LLoyd

If it makes you feel better, my hyster leaks here too. Mine comes out the hole in the bell housing. I'm pretty sure it the torque converter. I got a bid of $2000 to fix it. I do a lot of my own maintenance but not too exicted about taking a forklift apart.

I park mine on the dirt, now the leak don't bother me.

There just one oil for hyster, does both tranny and hydraulics.

karl

I guess I would have to dissagree with you LLoyde.

Iggy has a Hyster. Knowing the model would be helpfull but being a Hyster tech I'll wing it.

Most forklifts are not hydraulicly driven.

An electric lift could be driven by either electric or hydraulics, most are diven by electric motors because issues with heat. All forklifts have a hydraulic pump which is used to run the hydraulics.

An IC lift on the other hand will have either an automatic or manual transmission, The auto tranny will be cooled throught the radaitor while manual is internally cooled.

The model will determine what fluid is used to cool it.

Its a big job. are you sure that it's not coming from on top of the tranny. I've seen oil flow a ways before it drips out of the bell housing

don't park it near your well if you have one

Not so

jeff fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

If you're a Hyster tech, I'll defer to your judgement.

Lloyd

Thank you sir. It really is difficult to trobleshoot something without a bit more info that Iggy has provided. I do enjoy electronics and metalworking and greatly enjoy your post.

Sounds like you're an expert. Something I could use. This is my second shyster, the first leaked at the converter and I never knew it had a tranny fluid separate. A guy offered more than it was worth and it went down the road. This one is a manual with oil clutch, model 4000H, I think. It leaks at the bell housing too. Plus the clutch won't totally disengage even after adjusting the linkage as much as I dare. I can speed shift it but not get off with it in neutral and then put it back in gear. have to turn the engine off. maybe not that bad a deal but can be a pain.

How do you get to the clutch? Do you pull the huge counter weight off, then lift the engine out?

I'd actually prefer to fix up this old gal. Its got gasoline, pneumatic tires, and is just the right size for my needs.

Karl

Didn't Iggy mention this was a model with some sort of hydrostatic drive a single pedal for forward and reverse?

I think that you got it. It's got to be trans fluid.

This is a Hyster S50E, Serial D002D13868G.

i i

Jeff, I want to say that I GREATLY appreciate your contribution!

Mine appears to leak near the starter, I must underscore APPEARS, as it may be leaking elsewhere. Hyster S50E.

Jeff, I looked more closely after I washed it yesterday. I jacked it up a little bit.

The leak is, almost definitely, near where the starter connects to the motor/bell housing, and unlikely to be above that area, I think that it is at the bottom or so of the starter connection.

Iggy, first of let me set the record straight. My desired work is on electric lifts... less tools less dirty work :-) Although I can, I try not to work IC trucks.

I am a road tech and as such the transmission leak would be classified as a shop job. With that being said, I have never had this transmission apart so I can't tell you where to start. That there may be several causes for a leak in your machine. This means its going need to come apart to repair it. Again its a shop job because it requires special tooling. You could probably get it apart to see what's leaking but that's going to require either pulling the counter weight and then pulling the engine, tranny as an assemble or pulling the mast and drive axle. Either way its a costly job. Sorry I don't have a better answer.

Jeff

Karl thanks for the kind words but I am far from being an expert... These freaking lifts seem to change designs on a daily basis and there is no way in hell one person could be an expert in all types configurations of trucks, That being said, model 4000H doesn jive.

If it's what I think it is then you have chain drive in the bell housing that powers the steering and hydraulic pumps. I would need to check with someone else during the week but I'm thinking that your transmission is an oil bath system. Everything including the clutch is in oil. There is probably a top and bottom plat on the bell housing to check out the pumps and chain drive.

The clutch will be similar to a car or truck, clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing. Sounds like the clutch is worn so the housing will need to come apart. Unlike a car or truck the bell housing is connected to the diff and motor. You could pull the mast then the diff to get to the bell housing but I would go for the counterweight, engine route. Either way is gi=oing to require a hoist of some kind..

Please recheck your model and serial # and I can give you a better diagnoses.

jeff

Sad that there are a few here in RCM that will typically contradict all other opinions and insist on posting misinformation, until they're addressed by someone with an actual working background and experience in a field, comes along to post the correct information.

Ig should tear down his lift to find the leak just for the experience, if nothing else.

Or.. he could figure out how to check the lift's fluids (all of 'em) to determine an accurate assessment of how much is leaking per day/week.

Then he should be able to make sure the fluid levels are checked regularly and topped off.. or have the lift properly repaired.

Unlike many other situations where the truck's purchase cost and repair costs/down time could be a significant factor, Ig can probably find a replacement truck without suffering a huge loss of money or down time.

I prefer repairing my own stuff.. that way one knows what they have, and that the repairs were done correctly (but I don't even do my own car repairs anymore, mainly because I don't need to).

WB, while I generally agree with what you say, I am also wary of tearing into stuff that I do not understand. This does not work out well every time, unfortunately. There is a lot of variables and unknowns here. I saw a discussion where someone said that the problem was not leaky transmission case, but instead, the fact that trans oil was sprayed where it was not supposed to go.