Craftsman 27 tons splitter wont split anymore

[supersmit]

Hi, my Craftsman splitter is 22 years old an has worked great forever up to a week ago. Would split anything i put on it.
Now when I put a piece of hard wood in it just pushed up to it and whines and doesnt do much but make a small dent.
I can split if i find week edges and work my way through. So it has some power.
The engine runs fine and the hydraulic fluid level is good. Hoses look good and i dont see any leaks.
I brought 5 new gallons of hydraulic fluid(never have changed it in 22 years) and a new filter(2 years old). I can try changing both to see what happens.
Any other suggestions or just see how the above change helps? Thanks!

 

[Bradley565]

Hey man, could be your pump or relief valve starting to get weak and yeahh old fluid definitely loses its punch, so swapping that and the filter is a smart first step but If it still struggles after fresh oil, I’d look at pressure testing the pump cos maybe building some pressure but not enough to push through the tough stuff

 

[Marco_Gambler]

You’ve already done well keeping it alive that long. The whining noise tells me the pump is cavitating or the relief valve is opening too soon. Try the fluid and filter change, then crack the return line to see if air bubbles show. If the problem stays, it’s likely internal wear in the pump. Replacements aren’t too bad for older Craftsman units.

 

[logged in]

Worn pump or stuck relief valve will cause that whining with no power issue, definitely

 

[TheWoodPecker]

I'd drain what's there and check the color and consistency, if it's dark or smells burnt, that's your smoking gun there. If you're still losing pressure after fresh fluid, the pump itself might be worn, but start with the cheap fix first

 

[Alan]

22 years on the same fluid is a good run. I’d change the oil and filter first and see what it does, but that whining plus weak force usually points to a tired pump or relief valve.