49 Farmall H Hydraulics

[rgthompson]

I have a 49 Farmall H which just blew the hydraulic fluid out of the bottom. I am not very familiar at all with the hydraulics on this (or in general) and have a question. It all leaked out from up inside out the bottom around one of the lines. I removed the access cover over the line and I see the back plate of what I assume is the pump. There is a fitting that comes out the side and straight down. At the end of this is a 90 where the hose is connected. Since there is no leakage above that point, it appears to have leaked around the lower end where the 90 attaches to this fitting or perhaps a little higher. I can't see any obvious failure spot at all. Also, laying on the bottom of the access cover that I removed, is a thin disc about and inch and a half in diameter. It was laying upside down on the access plate. It is slightly concave. I can see nowhere for this disc to have come from. Any thoughts?

Right now my front plow blade is on the ground and will not raise, obviously. My rear hydraulics are still holding - the brush hog is still elevated by the three point hitch and has not dropped like the front plow.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have.

 

[Charlie M]

Any chance of giving us a picture on how your pump is plumbed. They are a pretty simply unit. The left side has places to attach 2 fittings with pipe threads and the right side has one spot to attach a fitting. On my H there is a pipe screwed into each opening with an elbow to attach a hose and puts the connections on the side of the tractor housing. The pump also has an oil seal where the drive shaft enters the pump. If you still have rear lift then the pump is working and still has some oil in it. You must have more than one valve to lift front and back separately. Hoses do go bad and usually spray oil all over the operator. LOL Not sure what more to tell you without seeing your set up.

 

[matthies]

I am betting the gasket between the pump and the housing let loose, had it happen to me a few years ago. Time to drop the pump from the tractor.

 

[D Slater]

Just a guess from the description, but does the engine have a hydraulic pump the leaking line goes to? If so you have a aftermarket system.

 

[rgthompson]

I?ll try to send a pic tonight when I get off work. I took some but of course they didn?t come out too well (sun in the way, oil dripping all over me, etc etc). Thanks for the comments so far. I?ll be able to respond in more detail once I?m off the clock 🙂

 

[Janicholson]

Thinking out loud here. Could someone have put a welch plug in the drive hole of the Belly pump and used it as a reservoir for a Live setup? and additional plumbing as well? Jim

 

[D Slater]

Jim just guessing again. If poster means the pipe is attached and up in the clutch housing from the bottom? There is a aftermarket setup that attaches the pressure line from a engine driven pump to the original pump drive hole. Suction part of original pump housing is blocked, gears removed and the unit works just like before but doesn't stop pumping when the countershaft stops. Same relief valve is used and lift and lower is the same. Double acting valve still needs added to operate double action hydraulics. If not a engine driven pump the above is out, also said he moved the bottom cover. If so and it's not modified my guessing is off also. One thing to check is one pipe mounts to a manifold on back cover of unit. If I remember correct it's the left rear one with 2 bolts and a gasket that sometimes blows.

 

[rgthompson]

So I managed to get the tractor off the hill, out of the field and into the barn by jacking up the front plow and blocking the cylinders. It immediately became obvious I have at least two problems. First, the front hydraulics are still out. I looked where everything was wet on Sunday, and it was surprisingly dry last night. Some old crusted oil but nothing wet. So I then got it started and it immediately began to pour fluid. But NOT from where I thought. It was the rear transmission fluid coming out. The tractor was parked facing downhill so everything ran down. With the access cover on, the fluid went to the pump and drained out a hole there, covering the bottom lines of the pump. But it was actually coming from the rear end. I think this makes sense with the piece I found on the bottom (evidently a freeze/expansion/Welch plug).

I limped it in the barn a short distance, the fluid stopped draining once it got to a level below the leak and I then parked it. Sooo, I have the hydraulics to figure out and now a rear transmission leak. My big question now is where do I find the specs for the plug, where do I get one, and can it easily be replaced without splitting the tractor! I couldn't get in and see yet where it was from (still dripping in my face) but hope to tonight.

(I didn't have time yet to post any pics due to the amount of time/work involved last night in recovering the tractor - will try tonight).

 

[D Slater]

Think the plug 1s 1-3/4 inch, should be able to get at a auto parts store or other places. Need to check up inside to see if you can put it in without split. Castings are not always exactly the same, clutch housing may cover the edge of hole to much on some.