# Hydraulic Help on John Deere 950



## bitterrootblaine (Feb 16, 2021)

My old JD 950 ran and worked great 4 days ago moving snow here in Montana. Parked it and lowered the bucket and 3-point scraper blade onto blocks as usual.
Temps that day were single digit but had no problems.
Today- Temps in the 20's. Engine fired up easy, but hydraulics won't work. Don't see any leaks. Went through hydraulic fluid warming procedures. Not working. Put magnetic heater on bottom of hydraulic. Still nothing. There is no can filter, just a screen filter on this model. Fluid level is good and temps are good, stop valve is open soooo - any ideas?


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## bluegrss (Feb 16, 2021)

bitterrootblaine said:


> My old JD 950 ran and worked great 4 days ago moving snow here in Montana. Parked it and lowered the bucket and 3-point scraper blade onto blocks as usual.
> Temps that day were single digit but had no problems.
> Today- Temps in the 20's. Engine fired up easy, but hydraulics won't work. Don't see any leaks. Went through hydraulic fluid warming procedures. Not working. Put magnetic heater on bottom of hydraulic. Still nothing. There is no can filter, just a screen filter on this model. Fluid level is good and temps are good, stop valve is open soooo - any ideas?


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## bluegrss (Feb 16, 2021)

Me too...exact same thing. Bought my JD 850 this summer and plowed with it a couple of time no problem. Then we had a cold snap two weeks ago and now no hydraulics. The pump doesn't even whine when you engage the controls for the remote or the 3pt hitch. Let me know what you find out...right now it makes a great snowbank.


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## bitterrootblaine (Feb 16, 2021)

bluegrss said:


> Me too...exact same thing. Bought my JD 850 this summer and plowed with it a couple of time no problem. Then we had a cold snap two weeks ago and now no hydraulics. The pump doesn't even whine when you engage the controls for the remote or the 3pt hitch. Let me know what you find out...right now it makes a great snowbank.





bluegrss said:


> Me too...exact same thing. Bought my JD 850 this summer and plowed with it a couple of time no problem. Then we had a cold snap two weeks ago and now no hydraulics. The pump doesn't even whine when you engage the controls for the remote or the 3pt hitch. Let me know what you find out...right now it makes a great snowbank.


I feel your pain. Will do.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

Have either of you considered that your ambient temperatures now might be right on the border (or maybe just a bit south) of what the viscosity of the fluid you're trying to pump will cooperate with? There are number of "universal" tractor transmission - hydraulic fluids sold today, in a variety of places, at a variety of prices. Not all work well in cold temperatures.


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## bitterrootblaine (Feb 16, 2021)

Fedup said:


> Have either of you considered that your ambient temperatures now might be right on the border (or maybe just a bit south) of what the viscosity of the fluid you're trying to pump will cooperate with? There are number of "universal" tractor transmission - hydraulic fluids sold today, in a variety of places, at a variety of prices. Not all work well in cold temperatures.


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## bitterrootblaine (Feb 16, 2021)

The temps aren't the problem here. I've run it before both with and without using the heater in temps around 0 degrees with no problems. Thanks for the thought, though.


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## bluegrss (Feb 16, 2021)

The daily temps have been in the 20’s which didn’t seem to be a problem before there was a problem. I’m wondering if the spool could have frozen if there was some water in the lines.


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## bitterrootblaine (Feb 16, 2021)

bluegrss said:


> The daily temps have been in the 20’s which didn’t seem to be a problem before there was a problem. I’m wondering if the spool could have frozen if there was some water in the lines.


Welp, the tractor and hydraulics are working like a charm now. I'm gonna chalk it up to the power of prayer. So I went out this afternoon to check it over yet again and give it another try. To start mine, you have to have the low/high shifter in neutral. This time after starting it up I shifted into both low and high and then back into neutral, tried the rockshaft lever again and up she came. My only real thought is that the low/high shifter was in some in-between position that kept the hydraulics from working. Anyway - wahoo! Thanks to everyone that tried to help.


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## bitterrootblaine (Feb 16, 2021)

bitterrootblaine said:


> I feel your pain. Will do.


Welp, the tractor and hydraulics are working like a charm now. I'm gonna chalk it up to the power of prayer. So I went out this afternoon to check it over yet again and give it another try. To start mine, you have to have the low/high shifter in neutral. This time after starting it up I shifted into both low and high and then back into neutral, tried the rockshaft lever again and up she came. My only real thought is that the low/high shifter was in some in-between position that kept the hydraulics from working. Anyway - wahoo! Thanks to everyone that tried to help.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Glad it all worked out!


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