Ford 2000 will not go into gear

[retiredfarmer]

Hello, I just picked up a ford 2000 3 cyl at auction. This tractor will not go into gear. I have not pulled the transmission top cover yet to look at the shift forks. I spoke to the previous owner's brother who told me that he did pull the cover and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

If everything looks in order when I pull the transmission cover, what are the other possible causes?

Thank you for any assistance offered.

 

[nyone]

Can you put it in gear with the engine off? If so start it in gear, be careful. If it moves your clutch linkage isnt allowing for the clutch to release.

 

[retiredfarmer]

No, will not go into gear when not running….

 

[Tinhack]

Sounds like the gears are jammed out of place. Could be missing the balls and springs under the cover and around the parameter. These are gear shaft place holders (detents). No doubt someone has been into it, or they are rusted in place. You may have to drain the transmission and manually move all the gears to their neutral positions. Don't forget the H/L range gears. Also check the bottom for gear pieces or parts.

Hint: Holes around the top that don't match cover bolts have springs and balls in them.

 

[Harry in Ky]

If there was "nothing out of the ordinary", it would go into gear. Pull the cover. Be careful of the wires to the neutral switch, and the detent springs. The springs can sometime try to jump out of the bore if bumped. Once the cover is off and the pressure is off the springs, you should be able to move each rail one at a time with your fingertips.

 

[retiredfarmer]

Thank you! It was a loader tractor (loaderless now). I bet it saw a lot of fwd-rev shifting.
Much appreciated!

 

[retiredfarmer]

It’ll be a few days before I get back to the tractor to look at it and hopefully the service manual will arrive by then.

 

[nyone]

What's the service manual going to tell you that removing the top cover wont?

 

[Harry in Ky]

Agreed. Service manual won't tell you much unless you plan to take it apart. It will have little or nothing about what to look for in your case. Pictures won't help much either, as they will be blurred black and white reprints of the original manual. If you can make out any usable details in them you're very fortunate.

 

[TractorTech]

Also, several have warned about the springs under the cover, but make sure you take them out before moving the shift rails otherwise, if one of the ball/springs is in a detent groove, once you move the rail, the spring will pop out into the transmission.