flushing center housing

[t_turner]

What's the best way to clean out the center housing? Flushing with water seems like a recipe for failure due to potential rust.... should I flush with transmission / differential fluid? Thanks!

 

[t_turner]

For some backstory, it has been open as part of a renovation the prior owner did.... has a bunch of gunk and had leaves in there that I've pulled most out

 

[HFJ]

if you've got a heavy buildup of crud and it sounds like u do, a lot of folks use kerosene or diesel.

you'll likely want some heavy duty gloves so u can scoop the lion's share of it out first.

 

[t_turner]

ah good to know -- all I have access to is the dip stick cover (off) and the two underside nuts under the center housing. maybe I can get something to spray in there to get the crud build up dislodged. thanks for the tip!

 

[showcrop]

What's the best way to clean out the center housing? Flushing with water seems like a recipe for failure due to potential rust.... should I flush with transmission / differential fluid? Thanks!

Get you a "sure shot". That is one brand but there are various out there. Fill it with diesel, charge with compressed air and spray away. I suggest removing the manifold and flushing the tubes into the housing as well, so that you don't suck a lot of crud into the hydraulic pump when you start it.

 

[t_turner]

Get you a "sure shot". That is one brand but there are various out there. Fill it with diesel, charge with compressed air and spray away. I suggest removing the manifold and flushing the tubes into the housing as well, so that you don't suck a lot of crud into the hydraulic pump when you start it.

Thanks for the tip, @showcrop!

This is my first major overhaul of anything mechanical and first tractor: more questions than answers but having fun!

 

[Hobo,NC]

ah good to know -- all I have access to is the dip stick cover (off) and the two underside nuts under the center housing. maybe I can get something to spray in there to get the crud build up dislodged. thanks for the tip!

I take it this is a N ?. Spraying into the cavity will never get it all out and maybe very little. If you are to lazy to pull the lift cover and drop the pump just run a few gallons of diesel thru it and call it a day.

 

[showcrop]

I take it this is a N ?. Spraying into the cavity will never get it all out and maybe very little. If you are to lazy to pull the lift cover and drop the pump just run a few gallons of diesel thru it and call it a day.

He told us that it has been open collecting leaves.

 

[Hobo,NC]

He told us that it has been open collecting leaves.

He also posted on the N board so I would make my best guess and think its a N.
Seeing as the poster does not feel the need to clarify what hes working on are tell us the details of what open means maybe you can fill in the voids. My take on a N he and anyone else not cleaning it up thru the inspection cover.

 

[Dean]

What's the best way to clean out the center housing? Flushing with water seems like a recipe for failure due to potential rust.... should I flush with transmission / differential fluid? Thanks!

Do not use the best readily available solvent, gasoline, because it will remove the Glyptol coating on the inside of the castings.

 

[John P.]

When I rebuilt my pump and the PTLO shaft was out, I went in with a light and rags and cleaned everything by hand.

 

[t_turner]

I take it this is a N ?. Spraying into the cavity will never get it all out and maybe very little. If you are to lazy to pull the lift cover and drop the pump just run a few gallons of diesel thru it and call it a day.

"a N"? What does this mean?

 

[t_turner]

Do not use the best readily available solvent, gasoline, because it will remove the Glyptol coating on the inside of the castings.

Ah good to know! Thanks, Dean

 

[Hobo,NC]

"a N"? What does this mean?

Ford 9N, 2N & 8N 1939 to 1952 with a belly pump. Makes no difference if its a NAA and up hoping to clean the sump by spray wipe and go thur the inspection port will be a waist of time. If it makes you feel good go fer'it. Its been discussed a many a time if you want to get it s-pick and span you will need to get off your lazy arse and get into it.​

 

[Bruce(VA)]

What's the best way to clean out the center housing? Flushing with water seems like a recipe for failure due to potential rust.... should I flush with transmission / differential fluid? Thanks!

Save yourself some time and money; nothing you put in there will get the hard packed crud out of the bottom of the pump.



Drop the pump and do it correctly.



Otherwise, just change the fluid and move on.



Any UTF that meets the Ford spec M2C41D will work fine in your N tractor. Just read the label on the container.



I use the UTF from TSC year around here in VA.



You will find the UTF to work a lot better below 32* F than 80/90 w oil.



See tips 3 & 4 below.



Do NOT overfill it. If you overfill it, the excess will leak past the wheel seals and get on your brakes.



Unless the sump is totally clean, a dry sump will only take about 4.5 gallons. Remove the lower bolt on the inspection plate, add 4.5 gallons and come back the next day to see if it is dripping. Remember, it takes a long time for that oil to get back there.



Want to do it correctly? Dropping the pump is not a big deal.



Resist the temptation to save 5 minutes by parking it nose down in a ditch instead of draining the fluid. The front transmission seal was not designed to be totally immersed in oil. If it's defective, you will fill the bell housing with oil and then you will get to replace the clutch.



With all of the fluid drained out, block the front wheels & get the rear wheels up at least a foot. (you'll see why soon enough) Remove the 4 bolts holding the PTO shaft in & pull it to the rear & out of the tractor. Loosen all of the bolts. Remove all but 2 corner bolts. Then, carefully remove them. If you are lucky, the pump will drop free (and dump a pint or so of hydraulic fluid down your sleeves). If not, wrestle it free. The pump has 'ears' that fit into the housing; wiggle it a bit & it will drop free. If you have the rear tires a foot or more off of the ground, you will have enough arm room to hold the pump & lower it at the same time. Put it on your work bench & remove the safety valve (p/n 638) and the control arm lever (p/n 643) which will allow you to remove the intake & exhaust valves (p/n's 640 & 698) Drop all of it in a bucket of diesel (or mineral spirits) or your parts washer & let it soak overnight. Once it has a good soaking, get it on the bench & start blowing it out w/ compressed air. Run cleaning fluid into the hydraulic discharge near the test port & make sure you get a good flow out the small hole in the side of the pump were the control valve fits. I don't see much need to pull it down any further just to clean it. But, I always replace the safety valve (p/n 638, about $25) Reinstalling the pump is harder than pulling it out because you have a gasket to worry about. (no sealer on the gasket) And, you will probably need a helper to guide the control rod into the pump rocker shaft unless you've done this 6 or 7 times before!



While you have the PTO shaft out, it would be a good time to replace the seal on it. It's got two spring clamps around it. Take your needle nose pliers & remove the one in the front. Then, hang the shaft & bearing housing in your vice & tap the butt end of the shaft; the bearing cap will come off (and the shaft will land on your foot). Then, remove the other spring clip from the other side of the bearing. At this point, remember that you never bought a seal driver & go get a BF socket & drive the seal out. If you have the new style seal, the white side goes out. (open side to the oil) Put some grease on it.



Contrary to conventional wisdom, not a lot of water gets in the oil from the shifter boot. Of course, if it's bad, replace it, but you get water from the draft control spring & the dipstick. But, most water is just a byproduct of the heating/cooling cycle of the oil. I've seen the pictures of an experiment to test the 'leaky shifter boot' theory. With no shifter boot installed, a lot of water was poured over the transmission cover sitting over a 5 gallon bucket. Result? No water in the bucket.



You'll need a pump gasket, safety valve, inspection plate gasket(s), PTO seal, PTO gasket, gasket sealer & 5 gallons of fluid to do all of the above.

75 Tips for Ford N Owners

www.yesterdaystractors.com

 

[Dave G9N]

Any UTF that meets the Ford spec M2C41D will work fine in your N tractor. Just read the label on the container.

The more commonly used spec for Ford N tractors is M2C134D. Sometimes listed as ESN-M2C134-D. I would expect to find some specification lists where you don't see M2C41, but do see M2C134. These are very old obsolete specs, so nothing is likely to be a perfect match for the exact old swill that was once the good stuff. Most modern universal tractor fluids are an improvement over the old stuff.

If you do a search on M2C41D, a number of old threads on this forum say that it is a power steering fluid, ATF-A that was replaced by M2C134D. There are many specs that cover the same general type of universal tractor fluid. For example, (not an endorsement) Hartland Universal Tractor Hydraulic Fluid lists a lot of specs, any and all of which are more or less equivalent. Whatever you use will generally have a similar laundry list. The pick of the liter may be New Holland Hy-Trans according to some.

 

[John Deere D]

What's the best way to clean out the center housing? Flushing with water seems like a recipe for failure due to potential rust.... should I flush with transmission / differential fluid? Thanks!

On my 2N,after removing HYDRAULIC cover,then draining all oil from the common Diff, Transs, Hyd, compartment,I added five gallons of Varsol,Inserted a 1/4" steel line into the Transmission, (Inserted tube until it was at bottom of Transmission)added 2 lbs of air pressure. Aerated the Varsol for 30 Minutes,and drained.Cleaned compartment.Then pulled Right side Axel housing,and diff assembly,then cleaned.Previous owner syndrome can give you grief.

 

[John Deere D]

What's the best way to clean out the center housing? Flushing with water seems like a recipe for failure due to potential rust.... should I flush with transmission / differential fluid? Thanks!

On my 2N,after removing HYDRAULIC cover,then draining all oil from the common Diff, Transs, Hyd, compartment,I added five gallons of Varsol,Inserted a 1/4" steel line into the Transmission ,added 2 lbs of air pressure. Aerated the Varsol for 30 Minutes,and drained.Cleaned compartment.Then pulled Right side Axel housing,and diff assembly,then cleaned.Previous owner syndrome can give you grief.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

What's the best way to clean out the center housing? Flushing with water seems like a recipe for failure due to potential rust.... should I flush with transmission / differential fluid? Thanks!

Why would you want to use water? Oil and water don't go together. N's used a common sump for both hydraulic oil and the transmission system. Pull side inspection covers and observe condition of oil. The oil should be a clear, honey-like color and consistency. If system is contaminated with water it will be a murky-brownish/whitish color. Draining old oil and inspecting is now in order. Pulling the pump and rebuilding is an option. It is not a difficult task, but very time consuming. A total system rebuild kit will run over $500. Draining oil first is done via the three drain plugs - SEE YOUR MANUALS. Always start with the rear diffy case NPT Plug. Next move towards the front of engine with pump drain followed by sump drain. The latter two use a large 1-1/16" HEX HEAD plug and have cork gaskets that must be cleaned off amd new replaced at installation. The ENGINE CRANKCASE drain plug is on the bottom of the oil pan furthest to front so don't mix it up. Flushing the system with Mineral Spirits is best but some use Diesel Fuel or a 50/50 Mix of Acetone and ATF. Wash out several times and flush real good. Use a wet vac to suck out old fluid. Trans/hyd oil filler port is on the top shifter cover. Refill with new SAE 80 or ATF Oil. Capacity is 20 Quarts (5 Gallons) but don't pour it all in at once. After rebuild, go slow with 2-3 gallons and test for any leaks. Overfilling will cause a mess.

Tim Daley (MI)