1984 Ford 445 Industrial won't go in REVERSE

[angerbauer]

Hello all,
I'm brand new here and have a problem with my tractor. The transmission is a 4 speed with the FWD and REV bar on the left side of the steering column. To put it into gear, keep the idle very low and shift it into gear. Then move the FWD or REV bar into position and this engages the clutch and the tractor moves.

After about 5 hours on the tractor using the box blade (fairly heavy use) the tractor started a loud "hissing" noise and then I noticed that my transmission fluid was leaking at a high rate. I stopped the tractor immediately, and checked the level of the transmission fluid and it was nearly empty. (I didn't notice the slow leaking during my 5 hours of use) I refilled the transmission fluid and have not noticed any leaking of fluid anymore. After doing so I found that the tractor does not want to go in REVERSE anymore. Forward works, just fine, but not reverse. There is no more "hissing" sounds and everything appears to be working fine in the forward direction. All hydraulics seem to also work fine.

Any ideas?? Please and Thank you!!

 

[angerbauer]

UPDATE: For anyone with the same issue...
Just started the tractor up yesterday after resting it over the weekend and it works just fine. Not sure why, but it goes in REVERSE with no more issues.

 

[Cycledude]

I am very surprised there were no replies to your question. I have never operated a tractor with that type of shifting mechanism, I believe they may have quit building them because of problems similar to yours.

 

[CATRAT66]

I think he got no replies is it’s a solved problem so to speak.
True mechanics want to know the who what and why.
With the description of the problem and that it’s all better now I’m going throw out an opinion…
Low fluid level heavy work load over heated trans to the point of boiling remaining fluid and it vented out a vent or dip tube.
Topped it off and let it cool down and it works!!!
go buy a Lottery ticket because you just got lucky that you smoke that trans to trash.

I live and worked on the shores of Lake Erie in Buffalo NY where five feet of snow in four hours is not uncommon and after one of those events took a late model pickup out to plow and was making that first run down the back driveway got stuck.
Unfortunately the snow was packed in enough that he couldn’t open the door. After trying way too long to get out and that the truck was stuffed with snow so there wasn’t any air flow through the radiator…
Boiled trans fluid up out the dip tube right on to a cherry red exhaust manifold.
Luckily he decided that climbing out the window and walking back to the shop for help was a better idea than sitting in the truck as it burned.

He got fired and we really missed that truck.

 

[TractorTech]

Hello all,
I'm brand new here and have a problem with my tractor. The transmission is a 4 speed with the FWD and REV bar on the left side of the steering column. To put it into gear, keep the idle very low and shift it into gear. Then move the FWD or REV bar into position and this engages the clutch and the tractor moves.

After about 5 hours on the tractor using the box blade (fairly heavy use) the tractor started a loud "hissing" noise and then I noticed that my transmission fluid was leaking at a high rate. I stopped the tractor immediately, and checked the level of the transmission fluid and it was nearly empty. (I didn't notice the slow leaking during my 5 hours of use) I refilled the transmission fluid and have not noticed any leaking of fluid anymore. After doing so I found that the tractor does not want to go in REVERSE anymore. Forward works, just fine, but not reverse. There is no more "hissing" sounds and everything appears to be working fine in the forward direction. All hydraulics seem to also work fine.

Any ideas?? Please and Thank you!!

Welcome to TBN!

Your 445 is an earlier version power shuttle that requires the engine to be near idle when shifting from FWD to REV or vice versa.

Not knowing what the oil level was when you started makes it difficult to say why the oil was leaking out causing the hissing sound. (It would also be helpful to know where the oil was leaking out.) My guess is that you have a seal leaking by as in the REV clutch or somewhere else that caused the oil to heat up and push out of wherever.

The usage that you describe is what it was made for.