Ford 601 3-point lift question

[mr_flintstone]

I have a ‘58 Ford 601 that the 3-point lift has always worked fine on until today. I started it up this morning to scrape my driveway, and after I hooked up the scraper blade it would work fine for about 2-3 minutes, but after that it would take a really long time to lift, and would stutter when it got to the top. I checked the fluid, and it looked good.

I’m not a mechanic, but I am pretty handy with machinery. What might be causing my issue, and is it something that I might be able to tackle at home by myself?

 

[Sean in PA]

What was the outside temperature? If it was below freezing it could be water in the system that froze.

 

[mr_flintstone]

What was the outside temperature? If it was below freezing it could be water in the system that froze.

About 65 degrees. I don’t think temperature was the problem. I’ve run it much colder in the past.

 

[Keith Williams]

I have a ‘58 Ford 601 that the 3-point lift has always worked fine on until today. I started it up this morning to scrape my driveway, and after I hooked up the scraper blade it would work fine for about 2-3 minutes, but after that it would take a really long time to lift, and would stutter when it got to the top. I checked the fluid, and it looked good.

I’m not a mechanic, but I am pretty handy with machinery. What might be causing my issue, and is it something that I might be able to tackle at home by myself?

Do you happen to have a hydraulic valve on the top cover?
If you do, your symptoms are consistent with the handle being moved to activate the valve which would divert pressure away from the 3 PH.
BTDT
HTH
Keith

 

[mr_flintstone]

No, I don’t have a hydraulic valve.

After digging through info on the internet, I’m starting to think that either the o-rings and piston seals and/or the safety valve needs to be replaced, or that the seal between the transmission and rear end is leaking and allowing the two different fluids to mix together. I’m no expert though.

Does either of those things seem consistent with my issues?

 

[Btzj02]

Most people use the same lubricant in both sumps so I would assume that is not your problem as long as you show a good level on the dip stick. The hydraulic top cover may have never been serviced so it is probably time. The shop manual or the Chicken House mechanic video can help walk you through replacing all the O rings, safety valve and follower pin. I would avoid pulling the check valve seat located in the front right corner of the top cover, it can break and is expensive to replace. The follower pin will require complete disassembly of the linkage to replace, unless you have a special home made tool to press it out and press a new one back in while assembled. I recently helped the neighbor do his top cover. The neighbor kept trying to replace the follower pin without complete disassembly and ended up turning a couple hour job into a whole day affair and in the end he had the linkage completely disassembled.

 

[mr_flintstone]

Most people use the same lubricant in both sumps so I would assume that is not your problem as long as you show a good level on the dip stick. The hydraulic top cover may have never been serviced so it is probably time. The shop manual or the Chicken House mechanic video can help walk you through replacing all the O rings, safety valve and follower pin. I would avoid pulling the check valve seat located in the front right corner of the top cover, it can break and is expensive to replace. The follower pin will require complete disassembly of the linkage to replace, unless you have a special home made tool to press it out and press a new one back in while assembled. I recently helped the neighbor do his top cover. The neighbor kept trying to replace the follower pin without complete disassembly and ended up turning a couple hour job into a whole day affair and in the end he had the linkage completely disassembled.

Thanks. I actually have the two different fluids in my tractor that are called for in the manual, so that may be part of the problem, and I can replace them with UTF if needed, but I’m leaning more and more toward the gaskets, seals, o-rings, and/or bypass valve. I watched a video on replacing them, and it doesn’t seem all that difficult. I may tackle the job a little later, but I’ve got a lot going on right now, and hay baling season is coming up. Fortunately, I’ve got a compact tractor that I can use for the 3-point part of cutting, using the tedder, and raking, and my 601 will work fine for the baler if I don’t get it fixed by then.

 

[pomester]

Thanks. I actually have the two different fluids in my tractor that are called for in the manual, so that may be part of the problem, and I can replace them with UTF if needed, but I’m leaning more and more toward the gaskets, seals, o-rings, and/or bypass valve. I watched a video on replacing them, and it doesn’t seem all that difficult. I may tackle the job a little later, but I’ve got a lot going on right now, and hay baling season is coming up. Fortunately, I’ve got a compact tractor that I can use for the 3-point part of cutting, using the tedder, and raking, and my 601 will work fine for the baler if I don’t get it fixed by then.

Sounds more like a pump issue with the sudden onset of malfunction.