Fordson won't move

[reco31]

Hello from northern Ontario Canada everyone,

First post here but I've reading for a while. Well I bought a house last year and a 54ish fordson major came with it to plow the driveway. Last year it worked great, very strong tractor. Yesterday after starting it to do some plowing it just "crawled" out the garage before "picking" up and worked fine to plow. I jumped off the tractor to fill the wood stove (10 mins.) and then after jumping back on she barely moved forward, then barely moved in reverse, now it won't move when put in gear, no grinding and the RPM's stay constant. I then noticed that the draw bar arms will not raise. I can engage and disengage the PTO??
It has been exceptionally cold here for about a month, running down into the -45 degrees C. Oil in the rear compartment via the dipstick on the left hand side looks somewhat milky?? Do you think something is froze? Is the clutch gone??? Clutch adjustment needed??

Any ideas would be very helpful.

Thanks everyone!!

[Dandy Dave]

You may have Ice forming in the bottom. Milky oil means it has water in it. Get it inside where it is warm and thaw it out. Pull the trans plugs and let the water out. It will separate from the oil after it sits for several days. When you see oil, put the plug back in. Do it for about three times for about three days. This will get you by until you can get new oil and change it, and also check it to be sure that is what the problem is. Dandy Dave!

[Glenn]

As you describe all the symptoms. My first thought was the clutch may not be engaging. Good luck.

[reco31]

Thanks, I'll try that.

I'm a little confused though...could the hydraulic problem and "clutch" problem be related? Funny how they both went south at the same time.

Also, you said trans plugs? Are there more than one?

Thanks again

[henk]

Since you have no PTO also, I think the clutch has gone.

[AdrianNPMajor]

Engine is working. Everything from the gearbox backwards is basically unbreakable. It is therefore almost a dead cert that the clutch has given up the ghost.

Best

Adrian

[reco31]

Thanks for all the input, that was quick!!


Henk,
I can engage the PTO (turns when foot comes off the clutch pedal and stops when I depress the pedal)

[AdrianNPMajor]

Your symptoms came on suddenly. I'm wondering if your clutch fingers (one or all) are sticking, or if one of them is broken. This would explain your ability to engage gears, and the partial drive you are getting.

Looks like you are going to have to split her to find out.

Best

Adrian

[AdrianNPMajor]

Another thought.

Your thrust bearing may have broken up. This would also result in the symptoms you are experiencing. If so, expect the clutch finger adjusting bolts to be chewed up ie you'll need a new clutch.

Best

Adrian

[Emiel]

Hi,

Do you have double or single clutch?

I've the same problem with a FSM over here. PTO clutch disengages, drive clutch not. What caused that? Clutch plate failed and the parts blocked the clutch function.

Rgds
Emiel

[Dandy Dave]

Thanks, I'll try that.

I'm a little confused though...could the hydraulic problem and "clutch" problem be related? Funny how they both went south at the same time.

Also, you said trans plugs? Are there more than one?

Thanks again

Gee Wis. You guys stab the poor old horse before the poor fellow gets to check a few simple things first. Although there is a chance you are right I was trying to get around to it easy like. There are two gear boxes. If the seals leak a little between them, then the water could be in both sides. There is at least two plugs. Did they have Dual clutch in 54? I though that the dual clutch option came a little later, like around 56 or there abouts? Usually, If a throwout bearing goes bad, it makes a lot of noise and you would notice. If a finger breaks, then you cannot shift the unit as the plate would not be dissengaging. More likely that the clutch facing is breaking up. My 1960 Power Major would not move at all when the PTO clutch came apart. I would try adjusting it first. Your high - low lever. Is it in high range up, or down. Up is a dual clutch unit. Down is a single clutch unit. Dandy Dave!

[Pavel]

Nice one DD!
From my experience with clutches if anything mechanical breaks it makes a lot of unmistakable noise that can't be missed.
If the friction disc is slipping it will create a stink. As well, if it gets seriously impregnated with oil it will stink -- both caused by friction.
Classic check: Adjust clutch pedal free play [1 1/2 inches] Park tractor [somehow] so is not facing walls, trees, vehicles, animals or people. Select high range and top gear. Increase revs. With brake applied hard, let clutch pedal out slowly. If pedal pulses usually indicates miss-aligned or broken pressure plate fingers. If pedal fully released and engine not stalled then clutch assy. u/s.
Pavel

[reco31]

Wow guys, the support is a little overwhelming. I'm going to have to set up a heater in the garage to get the oil nice an' warm to drain all of it, also my high range is down so it's a single stager. Yeah when this all went down there was no noise of any sort, when plowing it went into gear inluding reverse smoothly without grinding, another thing, come to think of it, when driving out of the garage I had to raise the rear arms in increments. There is a plate with steel weights connected to the arms for rear wheel traction, so it would raise a few centimetres and then stop, release handle, lift up on handle again and the arms would raise a little higher, did this about 5 times until arms were completely raised. After plowing for about 15 mins. I tried the rear hydraulics and they worked perfectly, all the way up and all the way down. I just thought it was too cold in the beginning. Even when pushing it into the garage with my dads tractor it was smooth, so I'm going to adjust the clutch play and see what happens.

Thanks again to everyone

Charlie

[chriss]

sounds like hydraulics ok just relief valve coming in then resetting but gets better as oil warms up and flows better