Ford 1215 Hydrostatic

   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic #1  

kac352

New member
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
15
Location
FL west coast
Tractor
Ford New Holland 1215 & 7106 Loader
I have a 1993 1215 HST with a problem with the hydrostatic tranny. Has anyone done any work on this type of tractor? I don't have a repair manual but good with my hands.

I first noticed that when driving up an incline while working I needed to increase the motor's rpm's, so I assumed the pump inside need more rpm's to increase the pump pressure to work?

I'm guessing fluid is bypassing the pump seals?

My loader and 3 pt work great, so again I asssume these are two separate systems too.

Would the tractor have to be opened to get access to the hydrostatic pump?

Any help and direction in this matter would greatly be appreciated.

Tractor only has about 350 hrs on it too.

Kenny
 
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   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic #2  
Not uncommon for HST tractors to have filters. Drain out some hydraulic fluid see if it is milky instead of the normal light tan. Change the fluid with all hydraulic filters if milky.
 
   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks for your response. My first step will be to change the two filters and all the fluid too. Will check fluid condition.

Not sure if this help but in low gear it works fair but in high when I push down on the pedel it makes a whining and can feel pulsating pressure on the pedel and then motor seems to lug down and wants to stall.

I was wrong on the hours, it has 540 hrs on it.

Also when I pulled the dip stick out (the one in front of the seat) the oil is clean, clear and no burnt smell. The filters are old but not much time on them but will still change out. Don't think there is a problem with the oil but when I pull the filters I should be able to tell better too.
 
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   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic #4  
If the engine lugs down and tries to stall, there is excessive resistance somewhere. Does the tractor roll freely in neutral when pushed or towed? The hydrostat may be doing all its capable of, but if something is too tight in the brakes or gearing, you will get similar symptoms.
 
   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Harry, it only happens in high gear, when in low and I push down on the pedel it rolls fine. Never tried to manually push it, guess I would have to try that if I could even get it to move by myself due to the weight.

New filters on order and will swap out both. Fluid looks like it did when I changed it and no burnt smell either.

When I changed out the tranny/hydralic fluid I went to TSC and bought
AGCO Permatran 821 XL. That was the only thing available at the time. Ford manual calls for FNH 134. The type of fluid I used wouldn't cause a problem would it?
 
   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic #6  
Any available tractor trans/hyd fluid will work. Some hydrostat manufacturers recommend 10W 30, some use 20W 50, or whatever. Doesn't matter, really, unless you use thick gear oil or such, the oil won't cause this problem. Remember, in low range it requires less effort to pull the load, so the engine may handle it in low.
I still think the problem is behind the hydrostat, not within. The noise you hear is merely the strain of trying to move an excessive load. I believe you have minimal internal leakage, since you stated the pedal pulses under the strain. If the load is so great the drive motor can't turn, the fluid the pump is trying to force into it has to go somewhere, and may be forcing the pump pistons back, causing the swashplate to try and return to neutral. I would be looking for something in the transmission, or behind it that is binding or resisting in some way. (brakes?) Try jacking each rear wheel one at a time and see how much effort it takes to turn one. Not both at once as they will simply counter rotate through the diferential.
 
   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Thanks Harry will try the jacking one at a time to see what happens.

As far as the load, I have a loader installed (model 7106) and a 5' box blade on rear. I lift them off the ground and put tractor in high and push the pedel. That is when I get the pulsating in the pedel, just trying to drive forward. Now in low it drives without issue until I have bucket loaded or doing something to work the tractor.

Sorry for not being able to explain things more precise.

If filters were plugged wouldn't both ranges operate the same?
 
   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic #8  
Yes, filter or fluid issues should affect performance regardless of range, but high would probably be more noticable. Is this a new condition, or a newly aquired tractor? Some more history of how and when all this started might be helpful.
 
   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Bought tractor used in 2005 with 525 hrs on it. Everything worked perfect. As you can see I haven't put many hours on it. Maybe about about 18 months ago I noticed when I had a load (not overloaded either) in the bucket or going up an incline I needed to increase the rpm's to maintain speed, tractor would start slowing down but not stalling. And basically performance has gotten worse.
 
   / Ford 1215 Hydrostatic #10  
You say increase rpm to maintain speed. Does that mean the tractor slows down, or the engine lugs down? Does increasing throttle bring rpm back up, or does increasing rpm bring speed back up?
 
 
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