# 1986 Massey 360 hydraulic issue



## pmcdonaldtrees (6 mo ago)

A while back I lifted a heavy log with my bucket. Ever since, the hydraulics don't work properly. I have an exterior valve body on the rear of the tractor that used to kick off the fluid to the bucket operating valve. Like an idiot, when lifting the log, I held the valve handle in place so it wouldn't kick off and I could lift the log. Now it no longer works.

Does anyone have any idea what I wrecked and how I can fix it? 
Thanks.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

What exactly "no longer works"? The factory remote valve? Is there only one valve? The handle and spool move as before but no oil flows? The detent doesn't work? You need to describe the problem.


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## pmcdonaldtrees (6 mo ago)

Sorry for the poor description. There is an external valve body on the back of the tractor behind the seat. There is a place for four hoses and I am only using two ports. When a load is exceeded, something in that valve body would kick the system into neutral. There are a ton of levers on this tractor. But basically, a lever near my seat allows hydraulic oil to flow to the spool valves which operate the bucket up and down and the bucket tilt. When the load gets exceeded, this lever gets kicked out so flow stops. That is the part that no longer works. The safety part to stop the flow to the spool valves no longer operates.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

Well that makes sense. What about the other set of couplers? That would indicate you have two valves back there. What happens when you try to use that? 

Maybe a little more on the valve that doesn't work. The lever and/or spool doesn't move? Or it moves but then what? The loader valve gets no fluid? The male ends on the hoses to the loader valve are both properly plugged into the couplers on the back? You checked that? 

As an aside, there should be a rubber or plastic plug in the center of the cover on the end of the detented valve. If you remove that plug, you should be able to go through the hole with a tool (most likely an allen wrench) and turn whatever the tool fits into clockwise a half turn or so and increase the pressure at which the "locked in" valve spool releases and returns to neutral. Were you aware of that? You can't go too far, or you increase the spring tension too much and it becomes too hard to operate. I probably shouldn't go there until you get things working properly again. 

Also, it may be possible to connect the loader valve such that you don't need to plug hoses into the couplers on the back. Are you aware of that? That depends on a few variables.


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## pmcdonaldtrees (6 mo ago)

The other set operate differently. They don't have that kick out feature. I did hook up to them and the bucket operated the same but I had to experiment with some levers since I hardly ever used those other ports.

The bucket operates. It's just that the valve on the back doesn't kick out any more. And, yes, I am now aware of the allen wrench adjustment as of a couple of days ago. But when this all started happening about a year ago, I took that valve apart and may have changed that adjustment. At that time I didn't know what it was for and I probably shouldn't have been messing with it. 

I was not aware that I might be able to connect to hydraulic at a different spot. I'll have to look around to see it I can figure that out. But the thing worked fine for years till I messed it up by holding the valve engaged while lifting too heavy a log! 

There is also a flow control valve down on the left side of the differential housing. I'm not sure what is in that thing. It doesn't look that easy to get to either. I might have to take the fender off or something.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

I'm not sure about a flow control, or what effect that has on your current problem. The issue with the detent valve. Is it repairable? I don't know. I learned many years ago not to fool with hydraulic detents. I will go so far as adjusting, external inspecting, cleaning, lubricating, that sort of thing. Disassembling anything involving the springs, balls, pintles, or other moving parts, no way. That's out of my range. Chances of getting all that stuff back in the right place in the right order while compressing springs and slipping it all together with fingertips? Not likely. If I can work around that, make some improvement in the overall operation, fine. If not, replace the valve. 

How deeply you got into yours is a question. In all honesty, what you did by holding the valve "on" while operating the loader shouldn't have harmed or damaged anything. Those valve should be capable of that without question. How or why that would have messed it up I couldn't say. There are reasons why it's not a good idea, but it shouldn't do any actual damage. Now if the other valve works, and you can operate the loader from that one simply by holding it "on" with a bungee cord, there's no reason (other than aesthetics) not to so. That won't hurt anything either. If your nonworking detent valve is centered in neutral, then it should pose no problem to running this way. 

If you'd like to consider the option of direct plumbing the loader valve and not using the remote at all, we can visit that. Personally, that would have been my choice to begin with. The major limiting factors in that being how and where the loader valve is mounted, and how often is the loader and/or the valve likely to be off and on? With many of the tractors I see the loader never comes off unless the tractor needs work done. On those occasions a workaround is needed anyway.


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## pmcdonaldtrees (6 mo ago)

Okay. thanks for that information. I can actually run the loader without a bungee or such contraption. The lever stays in place for operation, it just doesn't automatically kick out. So, I'll probably stick with that system and never take any of that stuff apart again. 

Thanks again for your insight!


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

I'm not sure that's your best option, but it might work for you. In most cases the hydraulic detent is designed such that when it triggers and releases the spool to neutral pressurized fluid is flowing to sump through small passages within the mechanism for that brief time (a second or so). Once in neutral, that stops. In this case, you don't know what may have changed in there when you "worked on it", but since it doesn't self cancel one must suspect the path of the fluid now is not always where it should be. 

Be aware that pressurized fluid flowing through small openings generates heat. With a system moving eight or nine GPM, that might be an issue. Too soon to tell on that front.

I still say the better option is to supply the loader separately with using the remote, but once again, your tractor, your choice.


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## pmcdonaldtrees (6 mo ago)

I'll ;see if I can get this fixed from someone that knows what they are doing. I have not found another viable place from which to supply the loader. Thanks for your help!


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

A "viable place" could be as simple as two hoses. If your tractor has the auxiliary internal pump to supply the remotes, the oil flow from the pump exits from a fitting on the side cover containing the PTO lever. A steel line takes it to the remote stack. You can remove that line, run a hose from that fitting to the loader valve, and then another hose back to the remote stack. This makes the loader "live", and you don't use the remote valve at all except for other functions. Provided the tractor has that pump. Some used other options. You can look at the remote valve assembly, and determine where the oil supply to it is coming from.


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## Busted Tractor (May 22, 2018)

It has been over 30 years since I have worked at these tractors. But maybe I can help. I believe the issue you you have is caused by the "kick out" cartridge on the valve. You said you adjusted the allen screw, I believe that is the problem. Try backing it out some and see if it doesn't work. If not there are (if my memory is right) some o rings in that detent cartridge that may be bad. There is a specified procedure for setting the detent, you may want to pickup a manual or have it set by dealer.
As an aside I used to lock the auxiliary so they would not center when mounting a loader that used a loader mounted valve. 
If you kept attempting to lift the log and had the hydraulics heated, you kept blowing the relief valve now if the loader doesn't lift what it used to you may have to adjust or replace the relief valve. But I don't think this is you problem.
Below is Agco websites where you can lookup parts or order manuals. 
parts www.agcopartbooks.com
manuals www.agcopubs.com For service don't purchase the "assembly" purchase the "packet" the difference is the binder.


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## pmcdonaldtrees (6 mo ago)

Thanks to both of you. My auxiliary hydraulic pump is exterior. I will look into both the possibilities mentioned here. I don't get to work on this tractor every day. Maybe once a week at this point.


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