Laundry List Ford 3550

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

I just picked up a ford 3550 with loader and backhoe for my small horse farm and I'm fairly new to tractor repair but have some maintenance experience. I've always been told all tractors leak a little. This has always seemed strange to me and I'm the kind of person who likes something to work how it was engineered. When I asked the guy (a office job kind of guy) who I bought this from what his maintenance schedule was he replied "It hasn't needed any maintenance." He had it for six years and it looks to me like nothing was greased, oil probably hasn't been changed etc. It doesn't smoke, the oil doesn't smell like diesel, but the oil was over-full. The oil light stays on when it is running. He said he had no idea how it happened. There are four, what looks like, hydraulic fluid leaks that seem fairly slow (silver dollar sized puddle for each by the end of a full day). There are a couple of mechanical things like the parking break doesn't lock that I will bother with later, but I'd like to get it so its not bleeding and so that I can keep it going for another 40 years.

My question is: What should I be doing to get this up to snuff? I've changed the engine oil and filter and the light stays on. Could it be electrical? Should I bother with the hydraulics yet or can they wait until I do things like flush the radiator, change the non functional grease nipples and other stuff? Sorry to be all over the place, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed!

 

[LD1]

Well, I would start by changing ALL fluild and filters. You already did the engine, so thats great.

Do the loader hydraulics. Not sure what loader you have, but IIRC the loader on your tractor will have the oil in the upright posts. Drain and refill. Make note if the fluid is clear like hyd oil, or if its milkey. If milkey, it has water in it, and will need a few changes before it all gets worked out of the pump and cylinders.

Then do the transmission and rear end on your tractor. Drain, and re-fill. Not sure what the trans is, or if the torque converter (power reversing) trans was even an option on that tractor, but if it was, the trans will have a filter. If it is just a standard gear tractor w/clutch, then no filter. Again, make note of fluid. If milkey, there is water.

6 years with no maintenance, how many hours do you suppose he put on it??? Might be ahead to buy a manual, and adjust the valve lash to spec also.

Parking brake might just be siezed. Do the actual brakes work?? I am not familar with how that brake locks, but crawl under and get a visual how it works. Some penetrating oil and loosen it up might be all that is needed.

Now the leaks. These can add up over time and oil isnt cheap and you certainly dont want to run out. The 3550 didnt have much oil in the loader. I have a few leaks like that on my 5500TLB, but it holds 55 gallons so I dont worry too much. You probably have less than 10 gal capacity. You need to isolate the leaks. Find out if they are loader hydraulics or trans/rear end. Then you need to find out if its hoses/fittings, or seals leaking. Sometimes hoses just need tightened a bit if leaking around the fitting. Or if they are NPT threads, take appart and re-dope them with teflon paste. Or if ORB fittings, replace the $0.15 o-ring.

Good luck and keep us posted.

BTW, if you want the full details of the tractor including when it was made, transmission, and what options it came with, look for the model and date code. Usually stamped on a flat spot by the starter. Then look here FORD CODES and SERIAL NUMBERS

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

When you say stamped, will they be raised or set into the metal? I found raised ones that don't seem to correspond to the code and for the life of me I couldn't scrape enough of the grime away to find any near the starter. This thing's going to be shining by the time I find them! (mildly related note: can you use a pressure washer on a tractor to get grime off or is it not ok near the hoses?)

This plate was under the hood. Is this good enough or should I find the stamped one on the engine ?





Here is the loader and backhoe respectively.

 

[LD1]

The under hood plate shows the model code. You must have a newer model. They went away from the stamping to that plate, but I dont know when.

The K5011F is the model code. The C367315 is the serial #. And the rest are date codes. The unit date code of 2M22B Tells me its was made December 22, 1972 On day shift. Probably classified as a 1973 model. According to tractor data on the 3000 series, 1973 started with serial # 367300. So yours is the 15th one of 1973

But the K is the model code is throwing me for a loop. The 3000 series is usually a C in that year. But the rest of the #'s

50- industrial chassie
1- Diesel
1- No PTO
F- 4/4 torque convertor transmission.

That transmission usually has a filter. At least mine does. And doesnt share the same sump as the rear end. They are totally separate.

Got any pics of the tractor and loader from a distance??

 

[LD1]

That loader number corresponds to the 730 and 735 series loader. The hydraulic oil for that is indeed in the vertical posts of the frame, and the filters in the bottom of them posts.

The backhoe number points to a 13' model 753 backhoe

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

I'd like to give a nod to everyone on this site. I've used it forever for my father's tractor and, for now, I'm going to continue to lean on you. Someday I'll be able to contribute, mark my words.

Here's the tractor from far away.

To answer your questions from before, I don't think he put too many hours on it. My guess is that he purchased it to put in an in-ground swimming pool and then used it to play around the yard (I found it parked in a suburbia, seemed very out of place).

The brakes work (they feel a little soft) and the parking brake is a little T post you pull to engage a ratchet mechanism on the brake lever under the foot board. It looks like the brake lever part just has some crud in the mechanism. I'll get back to you.

**Update** I just heard that a K at the beginning was because the industrial and agricultural teams at Ford were fighting and the industrial guys came up with their own code. Evidently it has to do with port of origin. Does this sound reasonable? (got that from an old man at a NH dealer in Spencer Ma).

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

So I got the parking break to engage. I took it off from the bottom and scraped cement out of the ratchet. Good as gold. Now I've located three of my four fluid leaks. Two originate on the bottom. I took a few pictures. They go from front of tractor to rear in order. The first is coming from around a 4"x4" plate with four bolts on the right side of the first picture. The second is coming from a massive joint in what I think is the transmission to the rear axle, shown in the middle of the third picture? I realize I'll probably have to replace the first seal on the little plate, but what do I do about the big one? And what are they? Let me know if I'm being to vague. I can't find in my manual where these elements are covered.

 

[LD1]

You might have to take some better pictures of that "massive" joint.

But the plate one should be easy. You really have 3 options.....

1. Get a gasket made for it.
2. Get some gasket paper and use the plate as a template to make one
3. Use RTV silicone gasket maker.

All 3 would work just fine. But I'd wait until you are due to change the fluids as you will likely lose a lot. Not sure what it is cause the picture isnt clear, But I would guess its a inspection cover or some cover to get to something inside.

You need to see if you can get some better pictures under there. Use a camera with flash, or get a flashlight cause I am lost.

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

Tell me about it! I downgraded my phone (only camera I've got) and boy it sucks. I'll get some lighting on it. As for my "Massive" joint, it is pictured here as the connection below the seat in the center of the photo (this is the top side obviously). It is where you separate the tractor. I'm hoping it's something where you can tell me: crank on the nuts and it'll fix the leak, but I feel like it's going to be another seal to tend to.

 

[LD1]

When you said massive joint, I thought you were talking about a hydraulic line or something.

You can try tightening the bolts/nuts, couldnt hurt. Might help it out some. Ford used ALOT of fine threaded stuff. IF those are, you get ALOT more clamping pressure than with coarse thead, if torque is equal. Splitting it to replace that gasket is a Major PITA with it being a TLB

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

After tightening the bolts along the first smaller leak, it seems to have stopped. I'll change that gasket once I've got everything else under control. I'm going to use the power of positive thinking and will the bigger joint (I still don't know what to call it!) to close up when I tighten these bolts down. I can't wait for all of these puddles to dry up! My final two (that I can see) somewhere in the area of the right rear axle and a cylinder I need to repack. Very exciting, thanks for your help!

 

[LD1]

That bigger joint is just the mating flange between the rear axle and transmission.

The right rear axle leak could be a number of things. Each axle tube is bolted to the rear end with several bolts and a gasket, that could be leaking. Or it could be where the axle shaft comes out outboard by the tire, should be a seal there.

Also, sometimes the pivot shaft for the rear brakes runs through the rear axle, and has seals there too. Clean everything off real good and see where oil starts showing up. Depending on how bad it leaks, doing it while the oil is warm speeds up the process. Trying to track down a small oil drip can be like watching water boil:laughing:

 

[Jerry/MT]

Remove the oil pressure sending unit and put a gauge intis place.and compare the measured pressure to the spec in the owners manual or the shop manual. That will tell you if you have a problem with oil pressure. If the oil pressure is good, then chnge the oil. ANother thing to look for with high oil level is coolant in the crankcase. That will also raise the oil level. You'll see that when you change the lube oilThose are your critical thing to deal with. Once you have those answers, it sounds like all the rest of your stuff is "when I feel I can get around to it."

 

[Soundguy]

did you get the oil pressure / lamp issue straightened out?

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

Thanks everybody! I wish I had thought to check the pressure via gauge, but I went right into changing the oil. The oil light went off and all is well on that end thus far. Is there any telltale sign of coolant in the oil (discolored, slick on top, etc) or should I just monitor the oil level?

 

[Soundguy]

water in oil will make an emulsion..

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

Yeah, it looked like straight oil when I changed it. However, the oil pressure light came back on, so I went out and picked up a pressure gauge and mounted it to the dash. It's reading 50 psi at idle and 60 psi when I increase the rpm's. I couldn't find normals in my manual (not sure why!) but I had the understanding that the pressure light was for low pressure only (bad pump, low oil, etc) and would go off around 20 psi. Am I right to assume I had a malfunctioning pressure sensor and 50-60 is normal for my machine?

 

[LD1]

50-60 is indeed good. wouldnt worry until you see under 20

 

[Soundguy]

i'd bet that switch is something anemic like 6 psi..

 

[CrosbyFamilyFarm]

Here's something that I just need someone looking at to tell me that I'm asking stupid questions. Below are three pictures. The first is of a plate I pulled off the bottom of my tractor just forward of the transmission drain plug (note second picture for location as viewed from the right side of the tractor). Note the hole in the center of the plate. The final picture is of the gasket under the plate.



I was getting a leak of white fluid from this spot (transmission fluid I assumed) so I changed the transmission fluid and went to take a look under this plate while I had the fluid out. It looks to me like this cork gasket has a hole punched in it. I should replace this gasket, with a sheet of gasket paper right? I'm not screwing up some "breather" hole or something that probably only exists in my imagination, right? This plate does not appear in any manual I have.

As a fun bonus, there was a dime sized bolt head that looked like it had been sheared off inside, under the gasket. Nothing is acting up. Yet.