Ford 3000, Problem with 3 point

F

FORD3000MesquiteTX

New member
I've had this diesel tractor since 1999. And, 've used it lightly about once or twice a month. The PTO engage arm was pretty weak and had very little resistance when I bought it 10 years ago , but even still, it engages today and spins. Over the past 2 years a development... it "seemed" that a warm up time was required before the three point would raise. Sometimes it would take up to 7 minutes and then it would raise and would hold the box or mower in the air very well as long as the motor was running. When the motor was cut off, and the 3 point was left in the up position.. it would descend in about 3 minutes to the ground. However today, it never came up in a hour of tractor use and tinkering. The plan for this tractor was not to show it as mint condition show tractor, but to work it. I'm not going to rule out what might be logical possibilities, but I am not tractor mechanics fluent. I have wires coming from the battery area, the regulator or behind the instrument panel, and they have never been hooked up. Probably about 4 wires... They've been painted so I'm not sure what they are for... I'm thinking, that the 3 point has never needed any of these wires to operate in the past. I wont' rule out that they might be shorting out into some metal somewhere. I looked under the seat in the 1 inch plug or fill area and there was visable fluid about 5 inches from the top of the port fill area. It looked acceptable in color. ( I could have too much fluid in the rear chambers.) I think the site plug on the side is frozen, and I've left it alone. It does not seem to leak any fluid out over the past 10 years. I am able to physically lift the whole 3 point system and there is no resistance when I lift it by muscle. I do have one other engagement arm on the right side of the tractor, it either is facing up or facing forward. It engages in 1/4 flip engagement. I have no idea what it is used for. I've tried the 3 point in both posistions. When I pull back on the 3 point slide-engageing arm it seems to have some slight mechanical movement on this 1/4 engagement arm.. That is why I mentioned it. So if the 3 point is all hydraulic, non electric and if the when the PTO engages it can still have a worn out 3 point lift system.. That seems to be where I might be today. So I'm asking for some trouble shooting, and then I'm asking if pulling the seat off and attempting to repair the hydraulics is a good idea for someone who generally has no problems with water pumps and alternators and. 10 years ago, I thought someone told me it was $1200.00 to repair the hydraulics on this tractor at a shop... shop rate then was probably only 50 to 60 an hour. So I'm wondering how many shop hours are involved in a rebuild, so if I find a shade tree tractor repairman, I can judge what to offer him for a labor. I definately did not plan to sink 1000.00 into this tractor right now. Anybody care to help me think this through?
 
I'm not a mechanic, especially hydro, but did want to welcome you to the forum. Somebody should be by shortly that might have a suggestion-other than maybe check the hydro filter, which I have no idea where it would be on that tractor!
 
Welcome to Net Tractor Talk. I'm glad you found us. I don't know the answer to your questions either, but would suggest calling a couple shops and asking them their hourly labor rate, and how many hours it would take to do the repair. I think the mechanics get paid for the number of hours listed in the book for the repair even if it takes them longer. But that would give you a high water mark once you know what they would charge. Then you can tell if a backyard mechanic is giving you a fair deal or not ...or you'd have a better idea what to offer them.

Hope that helps.
Enjoy and post often. :thumb: :D
 
So when you raise the 3ph with weight on it and turn the engine off it will descend to the ground in a couple of minutes even if you keep the lever in the 'up' position? It might be maybe a leaking lift ram or maybe a hydraulic valve problem. I dont think it would be electrical.
I might be way off though, not had anything to do with Fords that large before.

Hydraulic jobs are really only for the very confident mechanic to tackle, you might want to get someone out to look at it. The $1200 may be well spent.
 
Do you have the right oil in the tractor?
Most tractors have a screen on the suction side of the hydraulic pump. That might be clogged up.
Some are accessible from the outside of the transmission, on some you may have to take the trans apart to get to the screen.

Maybe you could get a mechanic to come in and try and diagnose the problem, then you can decide if you want to tackle the repair yourself or contract it out.
 
Thank you all for the warm welcome. In the past week, I needed to try out the tractor again for an errand and I hooked up a 16 foot trailer to it and headed down the road in 8th gear. In about 7 minutes, the 3 point again came up and had acceptable height control. Not to say, I'm estatic and over the problem. But I'm beginning to think the filter or screen comment is a great first start to the 3 point delay. I'm in TX here and so I can't imagine I need that much time to warm up the oil to make the hydro work....??? If this tractor is probably a 70 model without the 80's technology, do you think it ought to be a fairly easy fix to clean a screen or change a hydro filter? Is there a medium size garden tractor repair whiz on 70's models that might know this tractor? Is there anybody that just wants to push me a little and tell me to start taking bolts off under the seat and go for it and start tinkering around.. So that if things don't go so we'll I can blame someone mostly other than myself for tinkering?
 
I am by no means a mechanic, but recently I had a rod knocking on my 1925 model New Holland. When I took it to someone and found out that it would cost me at least 4800$ to fix it that was all I need to here to order the full service manual and start tearing into it. You would be suprised at how much you can learn from those manauls an spending about a weeks time talking yourself into doing it. I have all the things fixed and parts orders to finish the job and shoulds be done by next weekend and have her back up and running. All I can tell you is that I have a far greater knowledge of my tractor now and having this forum to turn to is a great resource. You may suprise yourself and you won't know unless you try. I would say that it is definately a fluid pressure problem, so look at the seals around your thrust arm that raise and lower your PTO. I dont think its your pump because when the motor is shut off, so is your pump, so all the oil should stay behind your thrust arm or wherever it is when the pump stops pumping. Most of the time when those go bad it is the seals around the thrust arm that give out and all the fluid leaks out around it allowing it to go back and drop your arms. When the motor is running, the higher the rpm the more the pump is pumping and therefore more fluid pushing against the arm. Hope this helps.
 
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