Case 970 Transmission Problem

[Scott_S]

Brought my 970 powershift in with the intent of changing the fluid and replacing a leaking PTO seal. Problems began when I heard parts hitting the bottom of the drain buckets. Fished around more with a magnet and found a variety of pieces in 4 of the 5 drain holes.
The tractor seemed to be working normally before I started working on it. A small leak at the PTO shaft had been progressing for years. It had gotten to the point it was using a gallon or so a day and it was overdue for a fluid change.
I had noticed a year or so ago that the clutch pedal tension had lightened up. I lubed the linkage, cleaned debris off the top of the transmission, checked the return spring, and cleared a rub against a battery cable and all was good but tension seemed to remain low. The powershift works great in all positions. The four-speed functions as it always has with only a little grinding when cold. This tractor spends its life pulling a bushhog on flat ground. It hasn't been used for hard pulling in several years and I haven't noticed any slippage.
This 970 is on the high end of all of the serial number spits. I have looked at the service manuals and parts list to try to determine where the problem is. The parts of springs wire diameter is 0.085". This matches the spec for the C-1 outer return springs. The ball that came out of the rear drain in is 0.5625" (9/16). That doesn't match with anything I've found searching the manuals or parts list.
Is this something I need to stop and fix now or just fill it back up and keep going until it quits? If it needs to be fixed, should I send it to a dealer or tackle it myself?
Thanks for your help!
Scott

Part from 1st drain plug (front)


Parts from 2nd. More pieces visible but too big to get out


Parts from 3rd. Spring parts also visible but too big to get out.


Ball and spring from rear drain.

 

[1370rod]

Well I think the stuff in the first pics are from the torque limiter hub. Last pic the spring sure looks like a c-1 or c-4 spring or possible detent spring from shift fork unit. That darn ball I bet is to big for the detents but I will check, otherwise that could be from a brg. on the sliding gear shaft or maybe the brg. on the PTO output shaft. I did not help much, but its a start. Rod.
 

[Eldo case]

1370 is correct on the torque limiter parts. The cushion springs out of the hub. It won't last long when this happens. I would replace it and check out the other stuff before I would run it. Too costly to run something through the gears. Best of luck!
 

[Adirondack case guy]

The first pics. are definatley peices of the torque limiter. As for the ball and spring, I beleive they are out of the shifting basket. I'm suprised that the tractor is still moving with the TL hub in that shape, unless some one replaced it, and never cleaned the debrie out of of the housings.
Loren
 

[1370rod]

There is a 9/16 ball in the shifter unit so with a matching size spring thats a possibility. Ussually a ball from a failed brg. will have pitts, dents or scratches but from what I can tell from the pic it looks good. Like Loren mentioned the garbage from a failed limiter hub does not always get cleaned out, do you know of previous repairs? You will have to decide what if anything to do for repairs. Yes it would be nice to know whats going on in there, but on the otherhand you hate to if its not nessesary. It is quite a job reguardless of where you would start looking for troubles, you are the only person that knows your skills, tools and facilities are OK for a split job and possibly more. Rod.
 

[Agri King]

Scott, I agree with the guys on the pieces also. When the TL plate starts to come apart some pieces will end up going down the oil channel on the right inside of the torqe tube,(in drain plug #2) they never seem to bother anything laying at the bottom. You would need to pull the C1-C4 carrier to remove the pieces. If you are real concerned pull the starter out and look in at the TL hub with a light and flexable mirror. Other than that I wouldn't go tearing the tractor apart to try to find a problem that could have been fixed 20 years ago. That ball and spring may be from the shift box,but if it stays in all gears fine I would leave it alone. (A past repair)
 

[Scott_S]

Thanks for the info!!
The tractor had a transmission problem 20+ years ago. I don't remember all the details of it but it was pulling a baler. Just quit after a 1-2 upshift at the end of a windrow. No noise. No change in sound with clutch pedal. Just stopped.
Sent it out to a local mechanic to get it fixed. Said he knew exactly what was wrong with. Happened to them all the time. Something about some bolts that broke. Came back with a bill that was 1.5 times that value of the tractor and a bright and shiny hydraulic pump showing. Learned a big lesson on that one...
I've never noticed any loose parts with previous fluid changes. This stuff had some of the hole virtually stopped up.
No luck when I tried the light and mirror thru the starter hole. Will get a bigger mirror and brighter light and try again tonight.
Thanks again to everyone for your help!!!
Scott