# Frozen joystick on my L5030



## jayhawk238 (Oct 29, 2010)

I do a lot of snow removal with my L5030, however, I have been having a problem with the joystick freezing up at night or at times just shutting down for a couple of hours. If I start the tractor and let it run for 35 to 60 minutes I can get the blower to raise and turn the chute to the left but to get it to go down or turn the chute to the right I have to use my heat gun on the hydraulic block out side the cab where the quick connects are. I don't know for positive that's where the problem is but using the heat gun turned on high everything will eventually start to work. Any one else have or had this problem? I know there has to be some water/moisture some where but I don't know where or how to fix the problem and it's driving me crazy!


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Sure sounds like moisture in the system. Check the fluid and see if it looks a bit cloudy or milky looking.


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## jayhawk238 (Oct 29, 2010)

Thank you for the reply. I will check that out, but not today, it's -11 degrees right now!!


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

How long has it been since you changed the hydraulic oil? Operating in the extreme cold will introduce moisture into the reservoir. Some of the early signs will be cavatating (however you spell that) or jerking of the hydraulics when you cycle the hydraulics.

Thinking further.... Is it the joy stick is physically not moving or is it that it moves, but no action?


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## BigDog1956 (Jan 3, 2017)

My Brother-in-law said he puts a little seafoam (trans X) in hyd system to prevent freezing.
Is this OK or not????????????


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## jayhawk238 (Oct 29, 2010)

The joystick will move but just barely.


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## rhino (Jan 9, 2017)

is the valve mounted on the tractor finder or is it part of the tractors hydraulic system?


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

BigDog1956 said:


> My Brother-in-law said he puts a little seafoam (trans X) in hyd system to prevent freezing.
> Is this OK or not????????????


I wouldn't do that!


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## gsw911 (Jan 9, 2017)

11 degrees....yikes!
Doesn't cost much to change the fluid and filters. Kubota filters generally are fitted in a horizontal fashion, meaning they aren't very good at capturing water.
Warm the tractor fluid as warm as possible. If there is h2o in the system the loader rams 
are probably affected as well. If you want to eliminate as much potential water as possible,
install the loader, raise the loader and 3 point to full height. Drain the Hydraulic system, then lower the loader and 3 point (this will empty the rams of fluid) wait a few minutes for the fluid to appear at the sump. Now change the filter/filters. Replace the drain plug, fill her up and see what happens. BTW warming an engine more than a couple of minutes causes excessive piston ring wear. The sooner the engine comes to temperature the better.
Go easy until the gauge comes to normal. A cold engine has inefficient combustion.... meaning there is a lot of leftover diesel in the cylinders when cold, washing lubricating oil off the cylinder wall. The excessive diesel will contaminate the crankcase oil also. Cylinders are not round when the engine is cold....the sooner operating temperature is reached the sooner the cylinder approximates a perfect circle. So working the engine easy at a reasonable RPM (1,000 to 1,500 RPM) will give you the best engine life. This is true for ALL piston engines.
Good luck


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## rhino (Jan 9, 2017)

When you ha the tractor running did the tractor steer and did the 3 point hitch go up and down. If they work, try taking heat gun to valve the operates snow blower. There might just be moisture in spool caps on valve, have seen it before here in new York. We would remove caps drill small 1/8 hole in lower point. Have some one that know what they are getting in to because of the detents on spool.:usa:


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## gsw911 (Jan 9, 2017)

Rhino, are you speaking of the two small caps on the lower portion of the loader valve?
If so I believe these caps protect the return or centering springs for each valve is this correct?
If I understand, these caps fill with water surrounding the valve end and springs. In cold weather the H2o freezes and actually stops the valve from moving up or down?


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## gsw911 (Jan 9, 2017)

Here is some information from another blog:
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=900&highlight=sticking+loader+valve


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## gsw911 (Jan 9, 2017)

Another one:
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3395&highlight=sticking+loader+valve


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## rhino (Jan 9, 2017)

Yes that is what I was talking about. We did a lot of them here in the state of New York. Never had any problem after that.:usa:


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