Air Lock? 354 Jinma

[bracabric]

Hi folks, I wonder if someone can point me in the right direction? I changed the hydraulic filter on my 354 the other day and some fluid leaked on to the floor in the process, when I started the old girl up again, the three point linkage took 10 seconds before it raised up, it has continued to take at least that long before lifting and needs fast revs now as well. I think I may have an air lock, is there a simple way to "bleed" the system? I also think when the lift was working correctly, it was rather weak and wonder if there is a simple way to adjust the pressure release valve and give it a bit more beef. When lifting the post hole digger out it would sometimes stick in the ground and not lift out and the relief valve would operate !
Dick

[3RRL]

Hi Dick,
More than likely, your fluid might be a tad low.
What you describe is what could happen with low fluid and the pump is sucking some air along with fluid. Top it off and the symptom should disappear.
If you have a pressure gauge, you can plug it anywhere into the system after the pump. When you operate a valve, it will read pressure for that valve. You can run the valve until the by pass pressure relief valve starts to work and set the pressure relief valve to your desired psi.
Rob-

[bracabric]

Thanks Rob,
As always much obliged to you,
Dick