Welcome
What you have posted makes no sense
Please sit down with a cuppa organize your thoughts and repost
Are you having problems with the log splitter cylinder or the engine cylinder ?
Remember you are standing there in front of your broken machine
We are here looking at a screen
So you have to describe exactly what is happening or we can not help you .
He probably means the cylinder is extended and won't retract. Assuming a double acting cylinder either control valve problem or low on fluid where pump is sucking air. You are right. Need more info.
I won't be in front of the broken machine until tomorrow and yes the cylinder is stuck all the way out and will not retract. If it's low on fluid how can you tell since it had enough fluid to press the cylinder all the way out and now the fluid is in the cylinder. I just maybe go ahead and buy the oil and add it just to see if it works or not?
Well I decided to get into the valve today. The lever was not staying when you put it in its retract position. All I did was pull the small cover on the back side. What little fluid that came out was black and had some metal shavings in it. There were two sleeves wrap around the cylinder that the lever attaches to. The end sleeve was held on with 4 small ball bearings wrap around it with a bigger ball bearing in the center having a spring behind it. Everything was still attached as far as I could see but I pulled the sleeve off cleaned everything and placed it back together. It was able to lock in position after that and the retract worked. Still not quite sure what caused it but was happy with the fix.
A little bit of that swarf under one of the balls will cause it not to seat
And by the sounds of it the splitter is way overdue for a hydraulic oil change and if has not got one fit a filter in the return line .
IF it has got one, change it now .