CASE 580D backhoe lacking power to dig

Hello, new to this forum. Brother has a 580D case backhoe. Always worked fine. Now the boom and bucket power is diminished so you can barley dig with it. Stabilizers lift machine easily at idle, boom swing has plenty of power to move 3000Lb rocks (sliding them off to side). Front bucket has plenty of power. Based on this I figured the pump is fine. I replaced the orings and dust seal on all four spools for back arm/bucket since they were shot. This fixed the leaks but still lacking power. Is there a control valve that affects just the back bucket/arm? It seems odd that all 3 (boom lift, boom drag, bucket curl) would "fail" at once. There is enough power to lift boom arm, and seals/packings are fine to lift and hold boom up, just no digging power like it used to have. Thanks!

What oil are you running and is the old filter around, to be opened up, to look for problems? Not sure about D’s but my 580 SE has quick connections for the hoe to be removed and caught one of the collars with a branch and popped it off but I lost everything in the back. Can you isolate it to the exact cylinders that aren’t performing well and can you see if they get hot while trying to use!

check circuit relief valve pessures

HarleyHappy said: What oil are you running and is the old filter around, to be opened up, to look for problems? Not sure about D’s but my 580 SE has quick connections for the hoe to be removed and caught one of the collars with a branch and popped it off but I lost everything in the back. Can you isolate it to the exact cylinders that aren’t performing well and can you see if they get hot while trying to use! Click to expand... My brother said he is using same oil type for years and always had no issues. All the hoe attachment cylinders are acting up. Boom Dig. Lift and. Hoe bucket. Front bucket fine stabilizers fine and hoe swing fine. Don’t think oil would be issue if these are all fine. Just read in manual that there may be a main hoe relief valve next to front bucket spool valves. Could possibly be that

Do what Dave sez first. If they are OK, the cylinders probably need new piston rings. There is also a possibility the spools in the control valves are worn out or damaged or both.

Check and see if your model has a boom lock section. I've seen these these disconnected at the control tower but still hydraulically connected under the floor. If this valve fails or partially closes it will cause a loss of power in the boom and effect controls down stream.

Here is pic of 580D loader control valve from Messick"s. Fitting #17 is power beyond fitting, if same as 580C this controls flow back to hoe valve, check and replace those o-rings, fitting #14 is where you can attach a 3000lb. hydraulic line/gauge to check system pressure. Have also read here before about afore mentioned quick connects not being firmly connected or crap lodged in them. Happy hunting.

No experience with backhoes but with everyone suggesting to look at quick connects I can confirm they can be an issue. I had a tractor with front mounted arms and bucket that suddenly lost power to a couple of the functions, after chasing thru the cylinders and valve I checked and found one of the quick couplers (that have never been used) had grooves worn in the lock collar from the ball bearings that retain the male portion into the female and this allowed the connection to not leak but also not allow full flow thru it resulting in the loss of power. Again I understand I'm not talking about the same equipment but quick couplers are quick couplers and mine looked fine upon a quick visual inspection. Replaceing the coupler in question (both male and female sides) and everything returned to normal.

I changed the quick couplers on my Cat backhoe for that reason. I heard the couplers can wear and not allow full flow. Mine still worked but the balls were definitely worn with flat spots on them. I had trouble getting the quick couplers apart too but it might have partially been due to I didn't fully relief all the oil pressure. I used Stucchi couplers rated for a higher flow than the machine had. Cat wanted a ridiculous price for the OEM couplers. I got the Stucchi couplers and adaptor fittings for less than what one side of the Cat coupler cost. Cat OEM would have cost close to $500.

stinky64 said: Here is pic of 580D loader control valve from Messick"s. Fitting #17 is power beyond fitting, if same as 580C this controls flow back to hoe valve, check and replace those o-rings, fitting #14 is where you can attach a 3000lb. hydraulic line/gauge to check system pressure. Have also read here before about afore mentioned quick connects not being firmly connected or crap lodged in them. Happy hunting. View attachment 363773 Click to expand... Thanks! this would make sense if it were the issue since many of the boom functions are affected at the same time...it would seem rare that numerous gland packings in the cylinders or all spools were bad at once.. Appreciate the info. will check out this weekend

Tinkerer said: Do what Dave sez first. If they are OK, the cylinders probably need new piston rings. There is also a possibility the spools in the control valves are worn out or damaged or both. Click to expand... Thanks for the reply..I will get a chance to check them out this weekend...I thought about the spools and packings in cylinders but the odds of all going exactly at same time are rare! Whatever it is it has to affect all back boom/bucket functions

gggraham said: Check and see if your model has a boom lock section. I've seen these these disconnected at the control tower but still hydraulically connected under the floor. If this valve fails or partially closes it will cause a loss of power in the boom and effect controls down stream. Click to expand... Thanks for the reply...I will have to see if I have that section on my machine.. I know I have the manual boom lock for transporting; not sure what the function of the boom lock you mention but will checkout

Dodgeboy06 said: No experience with backhoes but with everyone suggesting to look at quick connects I can confirm they can be an issue. I had a tractor with front mounted arms and bucket that suddenly lost power to a couple of the functions, after chasing thru the cylinders and valve I checked and found one of the quick couplers (that have never been used) had grooves worn in the lock collar from the ball bearings that retain the male portion into the female and this allowed the connection to not leak but also not allow full flow thru it resulting in the loss of power. Again I understand I'm not talking about the same equipment but quick couplers are quick couplers and mine looked fine upon a quick visual inspection. Replaceing the coupler in question (both male and female sides) and everything returned to normal. Click to expand... Appreciate the input! Something I will have to check out first and see if any issues there.

By all means check the power beyond fitting in the loader control valve. Could very well be your problem. Question - If you hold the boom cylinder on full raise, at relief pressure, does any other circuit move?

No All circuits seem to function as normal just not much power at all. All cylinders hold pressure and don’t fade back down (good piston packings)

alrman said: By all means check the power beyond fitting in the loader control valve. Could very well be your problem. Question - If you hold the boom cylinder on full raise, at relief pressure, does any other circuit move? Click to expand... I took some pics of the valve assembly that controls the front bucket. Can you. Or anybody point out the power beyond fitting? What is the square aluminum blocks function. Brother said it was leaking and end plug came out! He said maybe some parts missing!‍♀️

Now I’m thinking that the power beyond fitting or valve is not on the loader valve. Nothing at all there. Thinking it might be the orange block attached to my hoe spool valve block right after the quick disconnect under rear control levers. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance

stinky64 said: Here is pic of 580D loader control valve from Messick"s. Fitting #17 is power beyond fitting, if same as 580C this controls flow back to hoe valve, check and replace those o-rings, fitting #14 is where you can attach a 3000lb. hydraulic line/gauge to check system pressure. Have also read here before about afore mentioned quick connects not being firmly connected or crap lodged in them. Happy hunting. View attachment 363773 Click to expand... So my manual shows the power flow fitting as one of the exits from front loader valve But for life of me can’t find it on machine. Here is pic of both. I unscrewed cap on 90 degree fitting marked “to hoe” and nothing. Unless it’s in the portion with cast housing

580D's were sold with either a Parker or Hydreco loader valve. Look in the parts book to identify which one is on ur machine.

Also from Messick's website, note orientation of valve, it's mounted sideways, power beyond fitting is on top. Follow my fat finger, think that's your fitting.