Ford 3550 Hydraulic Fluid/Filter Change gone wrong already

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

My 1973 Ford 3550 needs the hydraulic fluid changed because its super milky. I'm super poor right now so I'm going to try doing this myself by warming up the fluid, draining it with the hoe extended in the air, change out the filter and fill the 15 gallons back up. I'll probably do this twice. Sadly, I went to remove the bolts that hold in the filter and they popped off just above the level of the filter plate. I broke two of the four before I stopped (figured the first one was just bad luck).

Has anyone had any luck using those broken screw removal things with tractor bolts? I haven't had this machine super long and I know the last guy didn't maintain it well, so I suspect it has rusted and weakened all four of the bolts. Is it safe to heat the outside of a hydraulic fluid chamber with a torch before removing these? And do you know how long these bolts are? (I couldn't find the length anywhere in my manuals.) I also welcome any recommendations or corrections for the actual problem of the water in the fluid.

 

[square1]

Not familiar with your rig. Do you need to get the snapped off bolts out to remove the filter? It might be easier to get a grip on them with something like vice grips after the cover is removed. If those bolt threads go through the housing into the reservoir area (not blind hole / tapped) the exposed threads may be rusted, obviously there's moisture in there. A trick I've learned on stubborn bolts in that situation is to actually tighten them just a smidge first. Then turn them out a smidge and a half, in a smidge, out a smidge and a half, etc... until the exposed threads are cleaned off and will back out of the hole.

A common water source is cracked shifter boots. If the tractor sits out and rain runs down the shifter, through the cracked or dry rotted seal between the boot and shifter it ends up in the hydraulic fluid.

Not knowing t he set up, I won't comment on using heat except to say typically heat isn't an issue for the application. Why do you question if it would be a problem?

Screw extractors work, but you have to keep everything straight and go easy, one off kilter twist and they snap like uncooked spaghetti and if part of the extractor stays in the hole, good luck getting it out. They are hardened harder than hard.

Best wishes. Tinkering with tractors is a blast until something goes wrong and ruins your fun.

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

I question whether it would be a problem because I'm always shy to set my machine on fire by doing something that someone with automotive knowledge would scoff at. I just don't know how flammable hydraulic fluid is or if there is something unknown to me that would cause a problem.

And as for the second part: agreed.

I'll try the bolt back and forth and see how that works. I've never opened the hydraulic filter and I'm sure the previous owner (of seven years) didn't either. I'll get back to you.

 

[square1]

I question whether it would be a problem because I'm always shy to set my machine on fire by doing something that someone with automotive knowledge would scoff at. I just don't know how flammable hydraulic fluid is or if there is something unknown to me that would cause a problem.

That's what i suspected. The fluid itself won't cause a problem. This is a cut & paste from an MSDS for one hydraulic fluid:
UNUSUAL FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS:
T
his material may burn, but will not ignite readily. If container is not properly cooled, it can
rupture in the heat of fire.
HAZARDOUS DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS:
No data
Flash Point: C(F) : >210(410) (ASTM D-92)
Flammable Limits (approx. % vol. in air)- LEL: 0.9%, UEL: 7.0%
NFPA HAZARD ID: Health: 1, Flammability: 1, Reactivity: 0

Being unfamiliar with your machine what I don't know, is the particulars surrounding your work area, thus my disclaimer.

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

Thanks for the data. There is a small fuel leak on the other side of the tractor that I have yet to diagnose (I think its coming from where the throttle bar connects to the fuel pump) but it's on the other side of the machine (I'm working on the left upright for the loader, just to the left of the steering wheel).

 

[boggen]

if you can "PB blaster" can be your friend. squirt some on in the morning, get home from work, squirt some more on, repeat a couple days. and then try.
assuming you can get some PB blaster squirted down by the threads.

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i am trying to figure out how there are 4 bolts you need to take off, to to the hyd oil filter?
not seeing anything in diagrams, granted parts diagrams stink in trying to locate something.

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

That sounds like a good idea to me. I wish gravity was on my side, but these bolts point up. (Does anyone remember the three stooges bit where they were renovating and Moe tells Curly "You knucklehead, look at where that nail is pointing. That nail is meant for the other wall!")

 

[Ford850]

Maybe a diagram will help us understand the bolts better. Try this site and let us know where you are accessing the filter.
Ford Parts

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

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Number 017 is the filter element itself and Number 004 shows the frame assembly where the filter inserts at the bottom left vertical post. Unfortunately, none of these diagrams show the bolts that attach the filter, but it could give you an idea if you look at the filter gasket. It has a hole at each corner. That's where the bolt comes from the bottom and attaches. My camera is down or I'd shoot some of my rig. Right now the PB is soaking. This evening I'll toss some more on there and then I'll give it the wiggle test tomorrow with the remaining two bolts. My hope is that there will be some of the existing bolt still visible that I might be able to grab with some vice grips. and get them out without any kind of drilling.

 

[Ford850]

On the 004 page, the bolt would be #23? That's part number 88206 which is a grade 5 bolt, 3/8"-16x1". At least you know what you're working with. I'd warm them a bit before trying the other 2. Another option if the vice grips and ez out fail, is to weld a nut onto the bolt (in the center). Good luck.