Selectospeed locked up

[drewandabby]

I have a Ford 4000 tricycle with the select-o-speed transmission. i have had this tractor for about 20yrs and have never seen the high/low/park gear shifter on it, there is a spot where it used to go, but it is not there now.
The problem: I was bushhogging, and eased off into a ditch, when I came off the clutch to come out of the ditch it was locked up. It is hung in second gear, and will not come out. As long as the clutch is depressed,the engine will run, but when you let off, it will choke down the engine and kill it. While pulling the tractor out of the ditch, depressing the clutch had no effect, one tire goes front, the other goes backward. Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

[souNdguy]

1, it's not a clutch.. it's an inching pedal..

2, engine has to be running to 'unlock' the trans.. thus when trying to tow it with engine off, you have to throw the traction disconnect lever to uncouple the rear end from the trans.


3, 20ys ownership? do you ot have the sos manual insert for that machine? how have you been maintaining and adjusting / servicing it?

check this list out.. has some lockup options at the end... list is courtesy of John Smith:

Malfunction - Common Causes
Transmission remains in Park

Low fluid pressure
Bands 2 and/or 3 not released
Damaged or broken selector cable
Transmission goes to Neutral

Band 2 or 3 not released

Clutch packs not engaged

Traction coupling disengaged

Damaged or broken selector cable

Transmission functions in all selector positions, but can be held in tenth speed without stalling the engine (1500 rpm) when brakes are applied

Low fluid pressure

Defective torque limiting clutch

Transmission functions in reverse only

Mainshaft broken or damaged spline on "B" carrier

Transmission functions in 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, and R2 only

Overrunning clutch not applying

Transmission functions in all selector positions but provides the direct ratios only

Band 1 not applying

Transmission goes to Neutral in Park, 5, 6, 7 and 8

Band 2 not applying

Transmission goes to Neutral in Park, 1, 2, 3, 4, R1 and R2

Band 3 not applying

Transmission goes to Neutral in 9, 10, R1 and R2

Clutch 1 not applying

Transmission goes to Neutral in 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10

Clutch 2 not applying

Transmission goes to Neutral in 1, 3, 5 and 7

Clutch 3 not applying

Transmission locks up in 3, 4, 7, 8, 10 and R2

Overrunning clutch not releasing

Transmission functions in all selector positions but provides the overdrive ratios only

Band 1 not releasing

Transmission locks up in 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, R1 and R2, and goes to Park in Neutral

Band 2 not releasing

Transmission locks up in 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10

Band 3 not releasing

Transmission locks up in Park, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and goes to R1 in Neutral

Clutch 1 not releasing

Transmission locks up in Park, 1, 3, 5, 7, R1 and R2 and goes to 2 in Neutral

Clutch 2 not releasing

Transmission locks up in Park, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, R1 and R2 and goes to 1 in Neutral

Clutch 3 not releasing




Root Causes

Low pump fluid pressure

Low fluid level

Plugged or incorrectly installed suction screen

Pump gasket leaking

Pump pressure line or "O" ring leaking

Defective torque limiting clutch

Defective pump

Leakage between valve body halves

Leaking valve body gasket

System relief valve stuck open

Restricted pressure line

 

[Sean in PA]

Sorry, but you've got me stumped. What do you mean by this:

(quoted from post at 21:40:28 05/26/12) i have had this tractor for about 20yrs and have never seen the high/low/park gear shifter on it, there is a spot where it used to go, but it is not there now.

Is there no shifter? Has it been run in one single gear for the entire 20 years? The shifter for an S-O-S transmission is not high/low/park, it has 10 forward gears and 2 reverse gears, and the order of the shifting is Park-R2-R1-Neutral-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10.

There is a traction disconnect lever that will disconnect the output of the transmission from the input of the differential so that it can be towed without the engine running. The lever is on the right side of the tractor just behind where your right heel is when you're sitting on the tractor if it's the later 3 cylinder version of the 4000, and it's on the left side on the round plate behind your left heel if it's the older 4 cylinder version of the 4000, plus the one on the left side is held in place by a strap that's bolted down so you can't move the disconnect lever without undoing the strap.

 

[Larry NCKS]

(quoted from post at 20:40:28 05/26/12)

x2 what Sean said! Are you sure you have an SOS? Is it a 3 cylinder engine or 4? How do you know the transmission is locked in 2nd?

If it is actually an SOS: 1. What does it do when in R2, R1, 9, 10 (C1 problems)? 2. What does it do when in 1,3,5,7 (C3 problems)?

Get back with some answers to these questions and perhaps we can help you more.

 

[NWMO 901 SOS]

If the High/Low/Park is down on the transmission, I am betting you are looking at the location for 540/1000/ground PTO. The single speed PTO tractors used the same casting I believe, sans lever. If it is a 4 cylinder, the traction disconnect is on the same plate as your hydraulic dipstick. Remove the strap and use like a wrench to turn it one way or the other. Turn the strap around until it fits in the new location and you should be able to pull it. IF IT'S ON A HILL, BLOCK/CHAIN IT ETC. SO IT DOESN'T GET AWAY FROM YOU. Do the checks Larry indicated and get back to him.

Chris

 

[sixbales]

My guess is that you SOS transmission was replaced by a manual transmission before you bought the tractor.

I"m also going to guess that your manual transmission has two gears engaged simultaneously, which makes it impossible to move. Disconnect the wires to the safety switch. Put both shift levers in neutral. Unbolt the transmission cover. Carefully lift the cover up - there may be some detent plungers being held down by the cover (Take care not to lose plunger into trans).

You should be able to see two gears shifted into operating position, out of neutral. Take a big screwdriver and shift them into neutral. Put the cover back on and check that the gearshifts work OK before buttoning up.

 

[Tequila]

Boy! You have gotten a lot of info to digest. But as stated you have everyone slightly perplexed. SOS tranny,s do not have a clutch. The inching pedal diverts Hyd. Pressure from each gear selected to allow more control with precision maneuvers . If the engine die,s when the pedal is not engaged, it would appear it is not in the gear speed you think it is. If you don,t have the manual for this trans. The guy's have given you excellent check procedures. Start from scratch and check everything as per manual. Good luck

 

[shaun wallace]

We allso need too know if it is a 3 or 4 cyl.

 

[Rustyj 14]

OHHH MY GOSH!!!
Old said it can be a money-pit, and from the preceding info, i hope he hasn't bought it yet! Way he talks, he couldn't buy a crutch fer a crippled crab!
after reading of everything that could go wrong with it----I'd say it might make a good lawn ornament! Thanks! RJ

 

[Larry NCKS]

(quoted from post at 22:25:58 05/27/12) OHHH MY GOSH!!!
Old said it can be a money-pit, and from the preceding info, i hope he hasn't bought it yet! Way he talks, he couldn't buy a crutch fer a crippled crab!
after reading of everything that could go wrong with it----I'd say it might make a good lawn ornament! Thanks! RJ

RJ - think you need to read a little more closely. Man says he's owned this tractor for 20 years already. and note the operative word "can" in what you quoted. That does not mean it is or will be a money pit. See also my reponse to your post.

 

[RodinNS]

If you're dealing with a tractor that has had the S-O-S removed and a 4 speed installed in it's place... then you've got two gears engaging at the same time. In that case it's likely that the shift lever is worn and has come out of the shift fork and allowed two gears to engage at the same time. There may also be bad/worn detents on the rails to allow that to happen.

If it does indeed have the S-O-S... then I would wager that one of the clutch packs has warped plates and this is allowing that clutch to remain engaged when a band is simultaneously applied to the ring of that clutch drum thus allowing all three members to lock at once, bringing the whole works to a stop.
Whatever you have... stop trying to force it. That will only cost you more money.

Rod

 

[Rustyj 14]

Talked to my Son this a.m! He sez the tractor was bought by a friend. WOOOEE! When he read most of what you wrote, and saw the list of things that could be wrong with it, plus all of the instructions--he agrees---it will make a good lawn ornament!
Thanks to all for saving us a pile of gold! And, thanks to YT for having this web-site!
Rusty Jones

 

[Sean in PA]

Rustyj 14 - You should reply in the thread where you asked your question and it was answered.

 

[souNdguy]

As with anything mechanical.. you canget good ones and bad ones.

witht he SOS trannies? they like to be well maintained and fed clean oil, and properly adjusted.. if that occurs.. they can provide a good long service life. they are a full powershift tranny.. so a lil more complicated than an old beater 4 speed H pattern crashbox, that is pretty 'robust and indifferent to slightly dirty oil, and lack of maintenance.

in short.. a good well cared for sos.. will likely stay so if care continures.. and one with aproblem wil rearely 'heal' without work.

given that there are fewer and fewer shops that work onthem.. and aprts are salvage or NOS only, with a few still available from the dealer at exhorbitant prices.. sometimes the fix on a sos can be worth more thanthe tractor.. other times.. it can be a simple oring or adjustment.. or a couple hundred bucks of machine work to get something adapted over.

so.. they aren't 'bad' trannies.. but you need to know going in what you are up against.

soundguy