Ford 650 no lift when really cold

It has been in the single digits here in northern Virginia and my model 650's hydraulics won't move. In normal weather they are fine.
Can this be remedied by using a synthetic oil for the hydraulics? I seem to recall that the hydraulics share oil with either the trans or the rear end- I can't remember.
What can I do to get the lift working in really cold weather?
 
Have you checked your oil level? What color is the oil? If you have water in your system, the oil will be a muddy brown color. That isn't good so don't engage the lift at all or you'll do damage to the pump if you haven't already. Good clean oil should be the color of honey -a nice clearish amber color.

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First off 3 stumps for oil transmission hyd and rear end. What type of oil do you have in the hyds?? If it is maybe a thick oil like a 80W-90 drain it and switch to a UTF oil that meet the ford 134D spec. Also since t is common for the seals to go bad between the transmission and rear end your oils may have mixed so if that is so UTF in all 3 works well
 
Get yourself an magnetci electric block heater and attach it to the lift housing at the bottom
If there is any moisture in the lift housing it is freezing. Almost always some moisture in that section if left out in the weather or even if covered or garaged. Nature of the beast.

Zane
 
It warmed up to the mid 40s today, I let the tractor idle with the pto running for a good 10 or 15 minutes and the lift never came up.

I looked at the dip stick for the center section under the seat, and it looked good- no signes of water. It was the right level, and it looked like hydraulic oil. Pretty much clear. I use a lot of hydratrans on my case backhoe and NH skid steer, so I know what hydraulic oil looks like.

I know the lift was working when I parked the tractor in the shed last fall.
 
It may have lost prime. Try loosening the large hex plug on the side of the hydraulic pump at the front and start the engine and wait for any bubbles to stop and turn to pure fluid flowing and then tighten the plug back up.
 

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