Mitsubishi MT4201FS

[sixty2chevy2]

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving week! I recently purchased a pretty worn down Mitsubishi MT4201FD, all the usual leaks I would expect from a 1989 model, but I am experiencing what I believe could be a hydraulic issue, however the unit has a clutch. When moving, the tractor will stop, clutch is still engaged, in gear, but will not move. After waiting a minute or so, and having pushed in the clutch, fiddled with the gear selection, it comes back and it may move properly for 20 mins or 3 mins. There is a 'level' on the left side of the dash that I do not know what does. it moves forward and back or up and down, chrome, with a 2" black handle. This seems to make the most difference when I am fiddling around.

I will start my search for a service manual today, but wanted to ask a few questions. 1. Although the tractor has a clutch, does the hydraulics play a role in the machine moving? 2. I have found two dipsticks, one for the engine oil and one on the left side of the PTO and gear selector shifting knobs, does the transmission and drive train share the same hydraulic fluid? 3. I also assume this tractor is full time 4x4, is this the case on this tractor? 4. There is fluid leaking out of the steering column and the steering wheel is a bit loose, before I damage the steering wheel by trying to take the center cap off, can someone tell me if there is a nut in there like a conventional steering wheel that I can tighten up?

This tractor will be fun to fix up and use, just the thing stopping for no apparent reason is a bit frustrating. It almost appears to happen when I am turning the steering wheel and using the hydraulics for the power steering. I just do not know enough about this tractor yet.

Any guidance on where the best site is to get a repair or assembly manual is also greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Sixty2chevy2

 

[Harry in Ky]

I would guess your problem is more clutch related than hydraulic. I would also guess you have little or no free play on the clutch pedal?

 

[sixty2chevy2]

That is the really odd thing, the clutch pedal is stiff with good travel and when the tractor moves, no evidence of a slipping clutch, engine bogs down as it should. Since I do not know how this tractor works, at least I do not think it is a simple clutch system, there must be an assisted hydraulic piece somehow. I have had experience with a slipping clutch, this is more discrete than anything. does not slow down, it just stops. The it's like some pressure builds back up and it starts going again. I know it sounds crazy, but that is what it is doing. Thanks for your reply!

 

[sixty2chevy2]

and on the original post, it should read lever, not level...some people cannot be trusted with a keyboard. sorry.

 

[Harry in Ky]

Not to beat a dead horse here, but what about the free play? Yes/no?

 

[sixty2chevy2]

no free play.

 

[Harry in Ky]

Well, first impressions, no free play is an excellent reason for a "moves sometimes, sometimes not" or "only moves in lower gears" type scenario. By no means anything new here, regardless of tractor make/model.

Locate your clutch linkage adjustment. It's probably a turnbuckle or maybe just a rod somewhere with a threaded clevis on one end. Find and make that adjustment so you have some pedal free play again, (at least an inch or so) and see what changes.

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

Can you pull the numbers on your engine and confirm whether it is HST or not?

That model number seems to be grey, which means it is a mixed parts tractor. Likely the chassis and engine originally belonged to different tractors.

Mainly what need to be determined is if you have a HST transmission, single, or two stage clutch. It seems your tractor could be around 40-50hp, so all options are in the table.

If it's a single or dual stage clutch and it's not a linkage issue, then it seems like you may need to inspect your clutch fork and plate. However, that would only be considered after attempting to readjust your clutch linkage first. Having zero freeplay seems like someone may have already messed around with it, there should be a small amount.

 

[sixty2chevy2]

Thank you. I will look for the engine numbers. So an HST transmission is hydraulic with a clutch? I have a modern JD with a hydrostatic, and of course no clutch or shifting, just forward and reverse.

 

[Roadworthy]

You may have a hydrostatic transmission and still have a clutch - I do. It is important to have a bit of free play before it starts to engage, though. About an inch is usually good. Sometimes the transmission will find itself between gears in kind of a pseudo neutral. If you have a manual to read that's a really good thing. If not you can usually get info from Valley Power

 

[ptsg]

On that tractor, I would expect some sort of hydraulic shuttle rather than an HST, however there is very little info available online about this tractor.

Some of these Japanese tractors had some crazy features for such compact tractors, like hydraulic shuttle, power shift transmissions (like some old Yanmars), along with a lot more features.

 

[sixty2chevy2]

I could not find numbers on the engine, but found these on the main body just under the seat.

140D-50451

I drove it and noticed that on several occasions, when I turn the steering wheel, it would stop the tractor. This makes me believe it is hst. Where is the level dip stick to check that fluid? is it the one by the PTO? Thanks.

 

[ptsg]

I could not find numbers on the engine, but found these on the main body just under the seat.

140D-50451

I drove it and noticed that on several occasions, when I turn the steering wheel, it would stop the tractor. This makes me believe it is hst. Where is the level dip stick to check that fluid? is it the one by the PTO? Thanks.

With an HST tractor, you have two pedals on the right. One moves the tractor forward, the other moves backward. Is this the case?

With an hydraulic shuttle, if the hydraulic system is not working right, it may not apply the clutch packs to engage whatever direction you want.

 

[sixty2chevy2]

I could not find numbers on the engine, but found these on the main body just under the seat.

140D-50451

I drove it and noticed that on several occasions, when I turn the steering wheel, it would stop the tractor. This makes me believe it is hst. Where is the level dip stick to check that fluid? is it the one by the PTO? Thanks.

 

[sixty2chevy2]

Here are pictures of the dash. what does the Lever, left of the turn signal switch do? And yes, I am emailing Valley power for manuals. But in the mean time, what does this do? Thanks in advance.

 

[ptsg]

That lever usually mean it's a shuttle shift. The means you flip that lever to forward or backwards. This shuttle can either being mechanical with a dry clutch or hydraulic with two clutch packs, one for each direction. In this later case the clutch pedal just dumps the pressure of the clutch packs.

However, that lever doesn't look quite right to me. Almost if it is disconnected. It looks way to close to the dash both. Should be higher, almost as the same lever of the steering wheel. Have tried to peek under those covers to look for anything obviously wrong?

 

[sixty2chevy2]

With an HST tractor, you have two pedals on the right. One moves the tractor forward, the other moves backward. Is this the case?

With an hydraulic shuttle, if the hydraulic system is not working right, it may not apply the clutch packs to engage whatever direction you want.

No, there are not any pedals that are forward and reverse. I have a high low 4 speed with a clutch. I also have a pto with 4 speeds.

I have a modern hydrostatic, and this is nothing like it. But again, the tractor does not slip like a slipping clutch, it just stops very similar to my modern hydrostatic. I can wait for 30 seconds to a minute and it will move again, very discrete and hard, no slip. very strange to me. And the turning the tractor often causes it to stop, which leads me to believe there is a hydraulic component I do not understand.

 

[sixty2chevy2]

With an HST tractor, you have two pedals on the right. One moves the tractor forward, the other moves backward. Is this the case?

With an hydraulic shuttle, if the hydraulic system is not working right, it may not apply the clutch packs to engage whatever direction you want.

NO. sounds like I may have the hydraulic shuttle you mention. oh boy, a bigger learning curve than I anticipated. Thank you.

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

Your image and that number seem to possibly match a MT4501D chassis, as does the age range.

TractorData.com Mitsubishi MT4501 tractor information

www.tractordata.com

If so, you have a single stage dry clutch. As mentioned above it should have about 1 inch of freeplay before engaging. You also do not feather this type of clutch, it is full engage/dis-engage.

Attached is an evaluation report that might give you more information to confirm or deny that it is the possible chassis match/doner for your tractor.

Sorting out your specific engine will take more work if you cannot find markings. View attachment Mitsubishi_MT-4501-D_Nr872_1983-englisch.pdf

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

Actually, your last two images do not match it at all as far as I can tell, that is a much newer chassis style.