'74 Ford 2000 Diesel- Hydraulics gone crazy

BuickFarmer · Nov 21, 2013

Hooked my old Ford 903 post hole digger up to my Ford 2000 diesel the other day and thought it was going to end up knocking limbs off a nearby tree or digging a hole to China. I had hardly any control over the up and down movement of it. I tried attaching a disc harrow to it and it too was slow at coming up. I knew it had been several years since changing the rear axle and transmission oils so bought 10 gallons and changed it out. The rear was BLACK and the front was creamy brown. Still had the harrow hooked up and it appeared to operate fine. Hooked up the digger again and again it operated VERY erratically. The draft/implement control lever is up in the implement control position where it should be. I let the hydraulics warm up but still the same thing. What is happening is when I try to slowly raise it, it doesn't move for 2-3 seconds then moves up quickly to past where it should based on the position that I have the control handle in. Then if I have it raised about half way, get off the tractor and put pressure on the digger by leaning down on it, it literally tries to buck me off ie goes up without any movement on the control lever. So it is obvious it is not going to be any fun trying to control this crazy thing while trying to dig 12 12" pole barn post holes next week. I have an operators manual but not a shop manual. There is no Ford/New Holland close by that I know of. SO ANY help with this will be appreciated.

BuickFarmer · Nov 21, 2013

Being a newbie and not sure a '74 is considered a "Vintage" or not, I posted this upstairs in the Parts and Repairs forum also. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/296699-74-ford-2000-diesel-hydraulics.html

Didn't mean to duplicate post, sorry.

City Farmer · Nov 22, 2013

I'd call it vintage at 40yrs old. Does it have the spin on hydro filter off the hydraulic pump? If so, I'd start with that. If not, start changing/cleaning the sump/filters, all orings and rebuilding the 3ph lift cylinder. It sounds a lot harder than it is. Its about $30 in parts and 3-4hrs start to finish. Snap a few pictures of it and post the model/serial numbers too. I posted a few pictures of what it looks like in the sump, I'll try to find the thread. The (65-70's) 2000,3000,4000 hydraulics are pretty much the same.

Soundguy · Nov 22, 2013

City Farmer said:
I'd call it vintage at 40yrs old. Does it have the spin on hydro filter off the hydraulic pump? If so, I'd start with that. If not, start changing/cleaning the sump/filters, all orings and rebuilding the 3ph lift cylinder. It sounds a lot harder than it is. Its about $30 in parts and 3-4hrs start to finish. Snap a few pictures of it and post the model/serial numbers too. I posted a few pictures of what it looks like in the sump, I'll try to find the thread. The (65-70's) 2000,3000,4000 hydraulics are pretty much the same.

X600's had the external filter.. the 000 had the internal 'easy' to service unit.s

I'd change the filters if the sump was wet.. and check those draft and cover linkage settings

BuickFarmer · Nov 23, 2013

I take it you are being facetious with the term 'easy' here. "if the sump was wet" ???? draft and cover linkage settings??????
The Owners manual recommends any hyd filter changes be done by an authorized dealer. Sounds like I may need to get me a Shop Manual and curl up by the fire and read it before undertaking this.
thanks for your input guys

Soundguy · Nov 23, 2013

BuickFarmer said:
I take it you are being facetious with the term 'easy' here. "if the sump was wet" ???? draft and cover linkage settings??????
The Owners manual recommends any hyd filter changes be done by an authorized dealer. Sounds like I may need to get me a Shop Manual and curl up by the fire and read it before undertaking this.
thanks for your input guys

eazy.. yeah.. no problem. take entire back of tractor apart and repalce.

and yeah.. the linkage setting underneath the cover are best done using the shop manual and the alternate adjustment methods, if the regular methods mention a nuday tool.

whodat526 · Nov 26, 2013

To remove suction filter on tractors with 6or 8 speed trans just pull lift top and pull pto shaft then filter will come right out if it's a 4 speed trans u will have to split tractor between trans and rear diff