8n hydraulics not working

[Jvasquez]

I have 8n and all the sudden lifting the front bucket or back lift arms. The pto and overal tractor operates fine. Is there a way I can assure the pressure is high enough for the hydraulics to work properly or identify if there is a leak?

Thank you
jen

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Do you have a front pump or does the bucket
work off the pto pump?

Are the lift arms chained down or do you
have a diverter valve?

Has the ambient temperature been
consistently below 32*?

When is the last time you changed the fluid?

See tip # 16 for troubleshooting
suggestions.
75 Tips

 

[Dell (WA)]

Jen.......welcome to the wacky world of the 8N-Tractor. Bruce's 75-tips are good place to start. Yer complaint is indicative of mechanical failure, hence the suddeness. Try this. Remove the 6-in roundy dipstick plate and while lifting sumptin' look fer squirts from the top. The hydraulic pressure fer the lift goes up a round tube to the cylinder. Summ times the gasket under yer butt buckett blows, thus the suddeness of failure. (yer complaint) Iff'n squirting from the top, replace yer butt buckett gasket. Simple, eh? ...BIG TIP... swipe the gasket with sponge of HOT WATER to relax the paper (yes, paper) gasket. Now install yer butt buckett and tighten the bolts. Simple, eh? New gasket, $5, cheap.......HTH, the cheap Dell

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

Adding to what Del and Bruce have offered, if'N yer running the FEL off the internal 8N hydraulic pump/system, first check the oil quality by pulling the RH side inspection cover (the 'roundy dipstick plate'). Oil should be a clear, honey like consistency. If muddy brown or whitish, you have water contaminating the system and best advice is to NOT run the pump lest you risk doing major damage. If temps are below 32?F and tractor is stored outside uncovered, chances are even greater you have water in the system. Before pulling top cover and replacing gasket, hitch a load to the 3-pt. and raise fully up; or raise lift and chain down the lift arms, then shut off engine. With your mini-mag in hand look up inside thru inspection covers and observe the cylinder and look for signs of oil seeping down. That would indicate a worn out piston and will need replacing, possibly the entire cylinder as well depending on how worn out that has become with the original 3-ring type piston. Make sure you understand how the top cover bolt pattern is. The four inner bolts secure the cylinder onto the top cover and you do not remove them until you have the cover completely off and on your workbench. If oil looks good, sometimes you only need to replace the safety relief valve -a quick, easy fix and no need to drain the sump nor pull the top cover to do it. You will need a stub-length open end 11/16" wrench to get to it. I'd start there first and see if pulling the top cover is necessary. If you do, consider replacing piston/wiper/O-Ring and possibly cylinder as well since you have it all off the tractor now anyway. The original 9N/2N/8N hydraulic cylinder piston used three steel rings. The newer NAA-530-D piston uses a rubber O-Ring and a leather back-up washer/wiper. It is a much better part and method of working in the cylinder. Also, it can be used on the earlier 9N/2N/and 8N cylinders as well. I wrote an entire article on how to repair a worn piston and cylinder economically on the other Ford Tractor web site...my email is open so if you want the info, contact me...

Tim *PloughNman* Daley(MI)

 

[Jvasquez]

(quoted from post at 15:07:20 12/30/16) Do you have a front pump or does the bucket
work off the pto pump? - not sure how to tell this?

Are the lift arms chained down or do you
have a diverter valve? - yes, the lift arms are chained down

Has the ambient temperature been
consistently below 32*? Yes, the temp has been consistently below 32, and the tractor is outside, not covered

When is the last time you changed the fluid? It's not my tractor so I'm not sure but I'm guessing over a year, but the tractor hasn't been used this year either other than to move it, and the hydraulics was used to move it this summer

See tip # 16 for troubleshooting
suggestions.
75 Tips

 

[Jvasquez]

Ok would like to try this but I'm a serious newby on this tractor. I typically use the Deer 4520. It's a bit easier to work on! Where is the 6" roundy dipstick? Is it under the seat on the right?

 

[Jvasquez]

There is a small dipstick off RH side of seat. I did pull that (not sealed well) and it is honey like, clear, and full. I can start the tractor but the hydraulics don't work at all (back arms or front bucket).

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 13:10:34 01/01/17)
There is a small dipstick off RH side of seat. I did pull that (not sealed well) and it is honey like, clear, and full. I can start the tractor but the hydraulics don't work at all (back arms or front bucket).

Make sure the PTO is engaged - it drives the internal hydraulic pump.

TOH

 

[Caryc]

You don't seem to be too knowledgeable about tractors. So let me try to ask you in simpler terms. TheOldHokie is asking you if the splined shaft sticking out of the tractors rear end is turning.

Another question you neglected to answer is if the front end loader is driven by it's own pump located at the front of the tractor and driven off the tractors drive shaft pulley. If it is, you will see the large hydraulic lines connected to it.

 

[Jvasquez]

(quoted from post at 10:36:33 01/01/17)

(quoted from post at 13:10:34 01/01/17)
There is a small dipstick off RH side of seat. I did pull that (not sealed well) and it is honey like, clear, and full. I can start the tractor but the hydraulics don't work at all (back arms or front bucket).

Make sure the PTO is engaged - it drives the internal hydraulic pump.

TOH

AHHH..ok. That makes sense. The PTO is working but I didn't try to raise/lower the front/rear with it engaged, only with it disengaged. i'll try that.

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 15:12:44 01/01/17)

(quoted from post at 10:36:33 01/01/17)

(quoted from post at 13:10:34 01/01/17)
There is a small dipstick off RH side of seat. I did pull that (not sealed well) and it is honey like, clear, and full. I can start the tractor but the hydraulics don't work at all (back arms or front bucket).

Make sure the PTO is engaged - it drives the internal hydraulic pump.

TOH

AHHH..ok. That makes sense. The PTO is working but I didn't try to raise/lower the front/rear with it engaged, only with it disengaged. i'll try that.

On the N-series if you turn the PTO off you also turn off your hydraulic pump.

TOH

 

[Jvasquez]

OK I engage the PTO in the back arms will come up and down but the front bucket still has no response.

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 10:47:15 01/01/17)
You don't seem to be too knowledgeable about tractors. So let me try to ask you in simpler terms. TheOldHokie is asking you if the splined shaft sticking out of the tractors rear end is turning.

[b:1a576e9fcd][color=red:1a576e9fcd]Another question you neglected to answer is if the front end loader is driven by it's own pump located at the front of the tractor and driven off the tractors drive shaft pulley. If it is, you will see the large hydraulic lines connected to it.[/color:1a576e9fcd][/b:1a576e9fcd]

Why do you refuse to answer the above question?

 

[Dell (WA)]

Happy New Year Jen........yep, kickin' the ol' PTO lever outta gear will certainly bring things to a sudden halt. There are several ways to power a FEL (front end loader) with the 8N's internal hydraulic pump. Besides tying down the 3-point lift arms you haffta gitt the hydraulic fluid OUT. Usually, the corner test port is used. Diddja remoive the 6-in roundy dippstick cover and look fer squirts? An occasional drip is OK but a real leak is hard to miss. While the 8N holds 5-gals of type M2C-134D hydraulic fluid, don't TOP it UP. Theres plenty fer yer FEL. In COLD weather, its not uncommon to have ICE in yer hydralic fluid and guess what? ICE don't pump. (frown) Oh, BTW, just pumping yer hydraulic oil heats it up. (physics 101, eh?) Iff'n ya really kent wate, shining a heat lamp on yer flat bottom hydraulic pan will eventually heater up. ........HTH, the COLD Dell