1967 Ford 4000 questions/concerns after first heavy use

[wackyrig]

Today i cut some really thick brush with my fairly new to me 4000. This is the first time ive put it to heavy use since addressing hydraulic issues with the 3 point, full service and replacing spindle bushings and bearings. The tractor ran and cut great but i noticed the oil pressure light started flickering usually on gradual downhill descents and would stay on for 2 or 3 seconds sometimes and then turn back off. I shut the tractor down for a half hour or so and checked the oil level and it was right at the mark still nice and clean from recent service. I have a mechanical gauge that i want to plumb in and was wandering where the best place to connect it is. The tractor has an 1/8” npt plug below the oil filter that im assuming would be the spot but want to confirm.

Also, this thing is leaking oil from the clutch cover about 2 drips per second when hot. I felt the transmission housing and it was quite warm to the touch after an hour or so of heavy brush cutting and since the engine oil level is good im assuming the input seal to the transmission is toast. Since i only have about an hour or so of cutting left to do to get ready for deer season i may just top it off every 30 minutes and plan to split her this winter which will be a real treat because it has a loader. I was however wondering if its normal for the transmission housing to get hot on theses tractors. Its an 8 speed.

 

[TractorDad3]

I added a T right at the block where the line runs up to the dash and stuck a mechanical gauge there. Have to lean over a bit to read it but the gauge spun right into the T and you don’t have to fiddle with creating a new location for the gauge to fit

 

[Destroked 450]

That 1/8” port by the filter is a good location, do not use plastic line to the gauge, use copper or convert to jic fittings and #4 hydraulic hose
On my 4000’s cold oil pressure is 65-75 psi and hot idle is 18-25 psi. This is with 15w40 oil, I won’t run anything thinner than that in my diesels
The transmissions on these tractors get hot with heavy use

 

[wackyrig]

That 1/8” port by the filter is a good location, do not use plastic line to the gauge, use copper or convert to jic fittings and #4 hydraulic hose
On my 4000’s cold oil pressure is 65-75 psi and hot idle is 18-25 psi. This is with 15w40 oil, I won’t run anything thinner than that in my diesels
The transmissions on these tractors get hot with heavy use

Good to know. I was hoping the transmission wasn't hot due to the excessive oil leak. I was working it for sure cutting tall brush and patches of 12’ cottonwoods 2” or so in diameter on a decent grade.

Im running 15w40 with about a quart of lucas oil stabilizer as well although my 4000 has a gas engine. Will definitely use copper for the gauge im a plumber by trade so i have some 1/4” on the truck thats already paid for.

 

[Texasmark]

Good to know. I was hoping the transmission wasn't hot due to the excessive oil leak. I was working it for sure cutting tall brush and patches of 12’ cottonwoods 2” or so in diameter on a decent grade.

Im running 15w40 with about a quart of lucas oil stabilizer as well although my 4000 has a gas engine. Will definitely use copper for the gauge im a plumber by trade so i have some 1/4” on the truck thats already paid for.

One reason Fords are cheap is that they don't have oil coolers for the THD oil....like more expensive machines. I have had Fords as my main tractor since 1980 and never had one with an oil cooler. Besides THD oil is ok to 250F per specks and if it got that hot you wouldn't have your legs straddling the main housing......for very long. Grin.

 

[Fordfarmer]

One reason Fords are cheap is that they don't have oil coolers for the THD oil....like more expensive machines. I have had Fords as my main tractor since 1980 and never had one with an oil cooler. Besides THD oil is ok to 250F per specks and if it got that hot you wouldn't have your legs straddling the main housing......for very long. Grin.

Models equipped with Dual Power and later model Select-O-Speeds have transmission oil coolers.

 

[wackyrig]

i went back for another round of brush cutting yesterday and I gotta say, This tractor is a pleasure to operate. It runs like a sewing machine and after going through the top lid last winter the hydraulics are nice and smooth.

I checked all the fluids before starting and engine oil, rear end, power steering and coolant were all spot on. The Transmission which i suspected to be the leaker was about a pint low which blew my mind because at the rate it was dripping i expected it to be gallons low after an hour and a half or so of use. I mean she left an oil trail all the way up my mother in laws driveway where the drips were hardly an inch apart but low and behold only a pint or so low. I also plumbed in a mechanical pressure gauge i had laying around and she never lost oil pressure the entire time i ran her. 75psi cold and 60psi the entire time i was hogging. I forgot to check hot idle but i know when i was crawling through the woods throttled down on my way out i saw it at 45psi.

All in all, another enjoyable day in the field. Got a nice path cut around the perimeter and several shooting lanes off the tree stands. Also cleared a few larger trees to make the tree stands more usable. The property has been neglected since my wife’s father passed about 15 years ago so we are trying to restore it to its former glory so the speak. I think she was happy to see the field cleaned up like she remembers as a child which totally justified my purchase of 60 year old equipment. I had my excavator over there last week justifying that purchase too lol.

 

[Destroked 450]

Sounds like the oil warning light sending unit may be defective, these units normally activate the light when oil pressure drops below 5-10 psi

 

[sotxbill]

One reason Fords are cheap is that they don't have oil coolers for the THD oil....like more expensive machines. I have had Fords as my main tractor since 1980 and never had one with an oil cooler. Besides THD oil is ok to 250F per specks and if it got that hot you wouldn't have your legs straddling the main housing......for very long. Grin.

utf hyd/trans Oil coolers were not needed or added untill pressure(lbs) and flows(gpm) were increased on later models which raised the fluid temp significantly, engine oil coolers were not needed until either the higher hp engines, turbo engines or teir 1 or 2 emmisions were added with a much higher coolant temperature built into the design for cleaner emissions. At one point the newer 28/million gear speed trans generate so much heat that synthetic fluids were/are required to keep the fluids from breaking down. I believe it was at the 4600 model that the trans and rear were combined into a single reservoir to help oil temps, and coolers were added only on some models? For some reason I can remember the 2600 having a trans cooler? . . .Back to your tractor the dripping from the bell housing can often the the rear seal on the engine and or the front seal on the trans. I have for some reason got in a several 4000s where the trans was filled almost to the top and leak out the front trans seal (thus drip out the bell housing drain) and even bubble out the stick shifts, so I would check your trans level as well as the rear end level at the correct check plugs.. And if its the rear engine seal, I have seen a few where clean oil and hard work actually made the seal swell a bit and almost stop the oil drip, while most others had no change. Cant tell you why. Flashing oil light.. could very often be a defective oil pressure sender, and they are cheap and reasonable easy to replace if there is no loader installed. I would certainly replace it. I would also check to make sure you are NOT getting diesel fuel into the crank case and ultra thinning your oil.. as this is very bad on the engine. In some cases you can actually see the oil level increase slightly on the dipstick after a day of hard work, but usually you dont see this due to the oil drip negates the increase. bUT diluted oil is very bad on the engine.

 

[Destroked 450]

Ford went to common sump on all of the 4 cylinder models when the 5600, 6600, 7600 were introduced, 6600, 7600 also included oil coolers in front of the radiator, 5600 did not
However non of the 3 cylinder models had common sump, these units normally 30 series 3 cylinder models with 8x8 synchro shuttle transmissions had oil pumps and transmission oil coolers but still had separate sumps

 

[Fordfarmer]

Ford went to common sump on all of the 4 cylinder models when the 5600, 6600, 7600 were introduced, 6600, 7600 also included oil coolers in front of the radiator, 5600 did not
However non of the 3 cylinder models had common sump, these units normally 30 series 3 cylinder models with 8x8 synchro shuttle transmissions had oil pumps and transmission oil coolers but still had separate sumps

7000 (and presumably 5000) with Dual Power have a common sump.