Valmet 544 rookie questions

[30dodgeboy]

ok, so just how does one add hydrauluc oil to a Valmet 544?  

I can see the return filter on the hydraulic tank, as well as the sight gauge, but nothing seemed like a logical oil filler location that I could see.  What am I missing?

[Firewoodjoe]

It should have a quick coupler to hook up a pump to. You may have to remove a filter cap or tank top to dump it in. Most were designed so it's a closed system to keep it cleaner. 

[Plankton]

Probably a quick connect hose like firewood joe said.

Follow the hoses off the tank there is probably one that goes to nothing. It may be in a funny spot. The ones on a timber pro are on the other side of the engine bay then the hyd. Tank so you can get to the hose from the ground.

[barbender]

I should have a disclaimer that goes on all of my posts that states "experience limited to Ponsse machines only", that said Ponsse's have a quick coupler with an electric pump on the machine. You hook your remote hose up an put it into your oil jug, the machine sucks it up. I install a 2' or so section of 1" black pipe into the end of the hose so that it will fit through the opening in a 5 gallon bucket. It's also easier to wipe off and keep clean, the rubber hose gets saturated with oil and dirt and is near impossible to keep clean.

[Firewoodjoe]

The valmet I owed and been around didn't have their own pump. Just a quick coupling on the machine. Must provide a hose and pump. My other machines have their own pump and it's very nice. 

[barbender]

They are nice. When I have to add 5 gallons to my firewood processor with a funnel, I am shocked by the barbarity of it😂

[30dodgeboy]

Thank you all for all of the replies.

I have seen that arrangement on rail maintenance of way equipment, but  I never expected the Valmet would be set it up to have it pumped in - I assumed it was a pour it in deal.  That's what I get for assuming...
 
Will look closer at that machine next time I am at it, for a hose leading to nothing or a quick coupler.

I remember seeing several vent hoses for fuel and hydraulic oil on either side at back of cab, might it be one of those?
 

[Firewoodjoe]

No the vets are just vents. Find your filter housing. Generally they pump oil through the filter so the new oil is being filtered going into the machine. See this plug on the top cap👇mine had a 90 fitting with a quick coupler right there. But you can take the cap off and poor it in. If you don't take the 4 bolts off and pull the filter the oil will pour in very very slow. Just be very clean have rags lay the filter out on them and clean your funnel and buckets of oil off. And anything above so you don't bump and drop leaves or dirt in it. A hydraulic filter gives people a false security because the oil has to go through the hole system before it gets filtered on the return side. Cleanliness is everything in hydraulics. 

[Firewoodjoe]

Also being a 544 it would be ford engine? If it's an early model right after the iron mules maybe it has a fill through the cab floor. 🤷�♂️

[30dodgeboy]

No the vets are just vents. Find your filter housing. Generally they pump oil through the filter so the new oil is being filtered going into the machine. See this plug on the top cap👇mine had a 90 fitting with a quick coupler right there. But you can take the cap off and poor it in. If you don't take the 4 bolts off and pull the filter the oil will pour in very very slow. Just be very clean have rags lay the filter out on them and clean your funnel and buckets of oil off. And anything above so you don't bump and drop leaves or dirt in it. A hydraulic filter gives people a false security because the oil has to go through the hole system before it gets filtered on the return side. Cleanliness is everything in hydraulics.

THANK YOU for that pic.  I recall it looking exactly like that.  I had no interest in trying to pour oil through that return filter, and did not like the idea of pulling the filter to add oil either.  Pumping it in through the return filter makes much more sense.

Replacing that top hex plug with a quick-connect fitting is next on my list now.

Yes, it is a 544, possibly an early one - I recall the S/N stamped into the frame being 544L0139

The engine is certainly a BSD444T Ford diesel and has a webbed block. 

I think the previous owner had the head bolts insufficiently torqued (his factory service manual has an error regarding head bolt identification to understand which torque spec to use, and the bolts felt a little loose to me when I removed them) so I'm thinking that plus their ether from them trying to start it pushed the old head gasket out, which then prevented it from starting - so it was pushed onto the trailer instead by the previous owner... 

Both head and block deck looked nice and passed my flatness check.   2 weeks ago I replaced the head gasket and got it running - it ran pretty good.  Didn't really do a cold start yet though. 

[30dodgeboy]

Another rookie question - on that 544L, how does one make the boom swing "float" in order to steer the machine?

[leeroyjd]

There must be some switches on the dash. I would guess it's the one that is worn the most from use.
It may have an extra thumbswitch so it can't be accidentally put in float while loader is up.If there are two switches different than the others one should be the float and one would be the 2 speed.
I'm basing this on a 646, which is a later model, but assume it has a similar circuit for float
 mode.

[PJS]

I haven't figured out the best way to add hydraulics to my 644 yet, this is located behind the cab but it's a pain in the rear end trying to dump a pail or hand pump into it. Haven't jacked the cab yet to look at the tank itself. The red circled switch is my float switch for the crane in my machine.