Ford 4000 pouring diesel (I think) from a strange place...

[Nurseryman76]

Hello All I am new to this forum, but hope there is a guru out there who might be able to help me. I am desperate, this tractor is the lifeblood of our nursery for loading trees and moving pallets.
I have a Ford 4000 tractor, she has a few issues but keeps on ticking. This issue has me stumped.

This morning we went to start her up and what appears to be diesel/mixed with hydraulic started gushing out from a long oval plate off the right side by the transmission SEE PHOTOS). I have checked the engine oil, no diesel in oil. I am at a total loss to what could be causing this. I have attached photos of the trouble spot. Any advice is very welcome. Thanks!

 

[LD1]

It looks like that just goes into the bell housing area?

Shouldnt be any diesel there. And if it indeed goes into the bell housing, there should be a weep hole on the bottom and residual oil should never make it that high.

What does your tranny oil level look like? And what transmission do you have? SOS or 4-speed?

 

[Nurseryman76]

It looks like that just goes into the bell housing area?

Shouldnt be any diesel there. And if it indeed goes into the bell housing, there should be a weep hole on the bottom and residual oil should never make it that high.

What does your tranny oil level look like? And what transmission do you have? SOS or 4-speed?

It is a 4 speed hi /low (never understood wouldn't that be an 8 speed? I can see the fluid when I open the cap/bolt thin, probably high, but we have been running her like this for months, this is new... I know the smell of hydraulic, and this smaell like diesel coming out that plate.... I know it should not be... Also very runny like diesel...

 

[Soundguy]

a picture so close as to not get any other position relationship is less than usefull.

is this at the back where you would be looking for timing marks int he dray area o fthe bellhousing?

if so.. you have either a rear main or input shaft seal leaking.

and ues... a 65+ with a twin stick 4x2 trann is an 8speed.

 

[LD1]

It is a 4 speed hi /low (never understood wouldn't that be an 8 speed? I can see the fluid when I open the cap/bolt thin, probably high, but we have been running her like this for months, this is new... I know the smell of hydraulic, and this smaell like diesel coming out that plate.... I know it should not be... Also very runny like diesel...

Technically I think it is indeed called an 8-speed. I hear it both ways. (4-speed with hi/lo) and 8-speed. Not sure what one is right or wrong, but either way, I understand what someone is talking about no matter the verbage they use.

When you pull that cap, what do you see? do you see the back side of the flywheel with the ring gear? cause that is what it looks like. Should be dry in there. Thats why I advised to check tranny level, cause if you said engine oil is fine...that only leaves trans fluid leaking past the input seal to be the cause...

 

[Nurseryman76]

Soundguy-- the 1st photo gives an idea where it is, see yellow arrow. Big tire in back and small tire is front (that's a mr obvious statement if I ever heard one).

It is on the mid point of the bell housing facing the front. on the "passenger" side. You can see it if the contrast is right on the monitor you are using. I am thinking rear main if that is the case as the fluid is clearly not oil.... but man it smells like diesel, so very strange. I know enough to know there shouldn't be any diesel there, but maybe I was missing something. And it is pumping out like it is pressurized behind it. the plate itself appears to be an inspection port of some sort. Could a seal blow that majorly that it pumps hydraulic fluid into the bell housing like this? You can see it flows so heavy it cleaned the bell housing around the little plate, look for the pretty clean blue area around the little plate.

By cap I mean the tranny level bolt cap, I checked that for fluid level, as I said it looked to be 3/4 inch higher than the fill hole on the side. High, but not that high.

Can Hydraulic smell like diesel over time? This truly smalls like diesel. I know it should be impossible...

 

[LD1]

Rear main would be engine oil. Tranny seal blown would be hydraulic.

Hydraulic and diesel have very distinct and different smells.

Hows the clutch? If the bell housing is that flooded with oil or diesel or whatever, the clutch shouldnt even be working and be slipping real bad.

Only way I know of to get diesel in the bell housing is having a motor blowing by really bad, AND a rear main blown. This would dilute the engine oil with diesel really bad and fill the bellhousing.

How does the engine oil look?smell?

 

[Nurseryman76]

LD1 thanks for the help BTW... So that is what threw me initially, engine oil is still clean (changed it a month ago) no diesel in oil that I can tell. I did not try to drive tractor, too much fluid pumping out of it made me nervous to try. I may go try to take a vid and upload to clarify... and the oil smells fine, no diesel...

 

[Ultradog MN]

Might help to wash the poor thing so you can see where it's leaking better.
Your yellow arrow is pointing to the timing hole cover.
There is no diesel in there and no way to get diesel in there.
It could be UTF leaking from your transmission.
You should easily be able to distinduish diesel fuel from UTF by smelling it.

 

[Nurseryman76]

LD1 thanks for the help BTW... So that is what threw me initially, engine oil is still clean (changed it a month ago) no diesel in oil that I can tell. I did not try to drive tractor, too much fluid pumping out of it made me nervous to try. I may go try to take a vid and upload to clarify... It looks somewhat like diesel and oil mix....