Tractor Repair: Ford New Holland 3415 hydraulic issue, ford new holland, hose coupler

Question
Just replaced my hydraulic pump/filter on the 3415 and the 7109 loader was working great for 4 hours until the tilt forward on the bucket slowed to a crawl even with a full load of dirt in it. It tilts up fine and the 7109 loader goes up and down fine. HYD fluid level is OK and clean. The 3 point hitch (I have a ballast barrel attached) lift holds up fine with weight on it. The control lever appears to operate correctly and nothing is leaking. Is something in the spool valve hung up? Take it apart and clean?
Tractor info:
made in 1998
#UX23263 Model AX413A
Engine N844L-F3415-02 Serial# 13995 (48HP)
Unit# *H258

Answer
Hello,

  This doesn't sound like a problem with the tractor hydraulics, so it has to be in the loader valve, hose couplers, or bucket cylinders.   Don't take anything apart until you do some tests to verify where the problem is.  First make sure all the hoses are connected to the loader valve correctly, and they are plugged all the way in, and that no hoses or tubes have any kinks and aren't pinched somewhere.  You can try reversing the hoses at the valve for the bucket circuit so that you have to move the lever the opposite way to tilt the bucket forward.  If the problem moves to when you tilt the bucket back instead of forward, then the problem is in the valve.  You could also switch the bucket circuit hoses onto the boom lift valve so that you are using a different valve completely.  If the problem does not change, then it is not in the valve.  Depending on what type of valve you have, there may be check valves and a regeneration circuit for the bucket to prevent cavitation when dumping a heavy load.  Also, some loaders have a hydraulic self-levelling valve that can cause problems similar to yours.  Sometimes a hose coupler goes bad and will not allow oil to flow in one direction, just like a check valve.  You could try different couplers to verify that.  You can check the bucket cylinders by disconnecting one cylinder at a time and capping off the lines.  If it works with one side capped off, then that cylinder has an internal problem.  A loose piston or bad piston seal can cause some weird symptoms.

                Good luck,

                        Arnie