Based on all that you describe, it does sound like your spool valve is reversed.
After the cap screws, springs and poppet valves are removed, insert a punch through the hole the poppet valve exposed. Now you can use a hammer to push the spool valve and the opposite side poppet valve seat out of the housing. Note the direction of the spool valve when it comes out. You'll see that is not symmetric and I can never remember which side the hole needs to point.
Scott, Chris,
I would like to follow up here on previous chain of mails concerning hydraulic-power-pack and its numerous glitches folks with L-320/360 have been experiencing and also your responds to some of those mails in August and September.
My hydraulic system is freshly installed and tested. I was very happy with it since it was working great from the first with no problems initially,... me cycling it (plane on jacks) up/down for many times in past few weeks.
Then I experienced the problem: when upon up (retraction) command gears went up 75% only, and rest of the movement was in 4 to 7 very short burps to reach full up. I increased the pressure setting on the "H" switch and that fixed the problem, but pressure was not 1000 - 1100psi any more but 1300 - 1400psi.
I played with the system and identified that back pressure in the "low" lines are causing the pump to work hard upon "up" command is in fact due to back pressure within the power pack itself. If I disconnect "low" lines from power-pack right at the power-pack, with oil return by-passing the power-pack and with "H" switch set to its original setting, gears go up (as before) in one smooth motion and pressure stay locked at 1000psi.
I have removed 2 cap screws (with small spring behind it) from power-pack, (looking at Scott's picture of spool parts from 8/29/06),... I was not able to remove rest of the spool components from the power-pack since I do not know how to do it properly. I suspect that my back pressure problem is due to spool or its "O" rings (or perhaps dirt) within the power-pack.
Also, quote:" <<The gear could not be raised by hand even with the dump valve open.>> This is normal." End of quote. Well with my system, I am always able to move gears by hand if the dump valve is open. Does this indicate I have some other issue to worry about?
Would much appreciate your opinions and help on these. Please write or feel free to call (215) 273-8343
Regards,
Garry V. Laznicka
L-360c 75%