Help for a novice?

[John from the valley]

I recently bought a 1964 MF 65, diesel, with loader. It has the high-low range, three speeds forward transmission. I've only used it a few times, but last evening I shut it off, and when I started it again to move it into the shed (and shifted both sticks to neutral position to start) it would not go into gear. High and low range shifter works. I can wiggle the gear shifter, but it will not go into gear.
Is this likely a clutch problem? If so, I'm guessing it will be expensive to fix.
Any comments or thoughts on what could be causing this would be welcome.
(BTW, it was difficult to shift once when I was using lst week, but I let the tractor roll back down the grade I was on and it slipped into gear then). When it was working, it shifted easily, no grinding or noticeable problem.

 

[massey driver]

It's not a clutch problem.There's a problem with the shift mechanism on the tractor.Don't worry it's not a major undertaking.The shifter seems to be giving you the problem.You can remove the shifter from the top of the trans. If you look you'll see that you can unbolt the top of the trans where the shift levers go thru.This gives you access to the shift rails etc: in the top of the trans.Anyway can you start the tractor and let it run with it in either high or low range with the clutch out.If it'll do that then it's not locked in between gears.If it want's to stall the tractor then it's locked in between gears.Let me know what it's doing.I'll give you further advice once the above is ruled out.Larry

 

[John from the valley]

Thanks for the quick reply! I'll try and free it up this evening, and let you klnow how it went.

 

[Zork]

Does it grind the gear when you try to put it in gear? Will it go into gear with the engine off? Try all your gears this way, with engine off, and that should give you a good idea that it may be clutch related. If the trans is shifting into all different gears you probably wont have to take your cover off. What does the clutch feel like? If the shifter goes into all gears with the engine off, but grinds (will not go into gear) when the engine is running with your foot on the clutch, then your clutch, pressure plate, shift fork, or clutch linkage has failed.

 

[John from the valley]

In case anyone else encounters this, I did find a solution. By lifting the gear shift boot, removing the pin that holds it in place, and lifting up on the shift lever while pushing the shift rails with a screw driver (throught filler port on the top of the tranny, everything popped back into place and works fine again.