2600H Series (2605H) Front End Loader/Hydraulic Issues

atomicflash2006 · Apr 7, 2022

I'm a first time poster and first time tractor owner. I have searched up and down on the internet and this forum and couldn't find others with my same symptoms, and none of the proposed solutions for similar issues have worked for me. My maintenance experience up until now has been servicing my riding and zero turn lawn mowers. I'll detail out everything that happened and that I've done so far. Thanks in advance for any help!

I own a Massey Ferguson 2605H 4WD with a 911X front end loader. I bought this tractor new and operated it to the 50 hour mark doing bush hogging and loader work like moving rocks, cut up trees, etc. I have had zero issues with this tractor or the front end loader until I did the 50-hr maintenance. I am convinced that something I did--or failed to do--has caused this problem. From the manual, the major operations required to be performed at the first 50 hour maintenance are changing the engine oil and oil filter, the return oil filter (AGCO ACP0250270 - I have no idea what this is...is it part of the hydraulic system?), and the suction strainer (ACP0475810). These parts I identified between cross referencing the manual with the AGCO website, so it's possible I made an error, but when changing the filters out, the old ones looked identical to what I replaced them with, so I don't think incorrect parts are the issue. Changing the engine oil went fine other than someone at the factory tightened the oil filter tighter than I've ever seen. Changing the return oil filter went fine once I got the housing off. The manual was incorrect/old about how to do this. It listed bolts but instead the design now has 1-3/4 hex at the bottom to twist the housing out. This is shown in the first attached picture. I re-used the O-ring as it looked fine and replaced the filter, and tightened the housing back up.

Next I moved onto the suction strainer, and again found that the housing design didn't match what was pictured or described in the manual, so I had to guess at how to remove it. I removed the bolts on both sides, which drained about 5-6 gallons of hydraulic fluid, loosened the clamps on both sides, and then removed the 3 bolts at the top that mounted the housing to the tractor. I am wondering if I should have just loosened the clamp on the outlet end and only removed the bolts on this side? Anyway, I removed the whole housing, opened it up and replaced the filter. I am confident I placed the filter in the same direction as the previous one, then I put the housing back together and re-attached it to the tractor. This is shown in the second attached picture.

I replaced the hydraulic fluid with new fluid, filling up to the exact middle point on the dip stick between min and max.

I think the 3 point hitch and the front end loader work off of the same hydraulic system, but I'm not sure about the steering. The tractor started up and ran fine, but the front end loader was unresponsive. Oddly, one direction, curling down, worked for one tiny little bump and then it quit too, but all other directions (up, down, curl) didn't work at all. The bucket is resting on the ground, so I can't drive around and test the steering. I researched and asked around and was convinced that the problem was air in my hydraulic system, and most advice said that this will work itself out by exercising the hydraulics. I put about 250 pounds on the 3 point hitch, and the 3 point hitch worked just fine at raising and lowering. It did appear sluggish at first but after ten or so raises and lowering it was working just fine. I put one hour on the tractor, running it at about 1400 RPMs while raising and lowering the 3 point hitch and working the controls of the loader to try to work air out of the system. The whole time, the 3 point worked fine and the loader never responded. At this point I don't know what to do. I can't imagine working the air out would take this long, so there has to be something else wrong.

- Should I go ahead and fill up to max on the hydraulic fluid? I understand you can also have too much fluid, so I wanted to wait before trying this.
- Assuming the 3 point and the FEL are on the common system, what could possibly cause the 3 point to work while the FEL does not?
- what else should I try?

Dmacleo · Apr 7, 2022

but the front end loader was unresponsive. Oddly, one direction, curling down, worked for one tiny little bump and then it quit too, but all other directions (up, down, curl) didn't work at all.

unplug loader connections make sure all connections are clean. make sure the ball end of male hose will compress, just press against tractor/fel frame to see.sometimes a hose will seem to be connected, will stay in place under hand pressure, actually isn't connected.
also after unplugging all, with tractor off, cycle loader controls through all positions (including float if it has it) then do the cleaning and reconnect.
any non-flowing connection will exhibit exact same symptoms.
means fluid is not flowing back as it should and you are locked.
ask me how I know and how many minutes I wasted checking fluids and pistons before I figured it out LOL. 30 minutes wasted.

atomicflash2006 · Apr 7, 2022

Thanks, this gives me something new to try. I'll post back when I get to it with an update.

atomicflash2006 · Apr 7, 2022

I did what you suggested. All connections were secure. I removed all four, cleaned them, pressed all connections. Only a tiny bit of hydraulic oil came out of the housings when I pressed on them. I reconnected all hoses and cranked it back up and no response from the loader. Was there something I should have been looking for on the connections? I think I have a blockage

atomicflash2006 · Apr 7, 2022

Update. I removed the bucket with a pry bar so I could move without scraping and confirmed that I have no steering. I guess the steering and the FEL are on the same system. I’m completely lost at this point.

seville009 · Apr 7, 2022

I'm no mechanic - just a tractor owner (Mf1540 now) for about 20 years. Just do the basic maintenance myself though.

what I would do is fill up the hydraulic fluid to the full point first and see what happens. It could be just that simple. I have a skidsteer that I was having problems with (jerky movements); turned out it was low on hydraulic fluid.

for what it's worth, I don't think you needed to change the hydraulic fluid at 50 hours. My recollection is that it's usually recommended at around 400 or 500 under normal operating conditions.

Dmacleo · Apr 8, 2022

atomicflash2006 said:
Update. I removed the bucket with a pry bar so I could move without scraping and confirmed that I have no steering. I guess the steering and the FEL are on the same system. I’m completely lost at this point.

yeah something is up, on all tractors I've seen all hydraulics are based off the same source just some split off to remotes/etc.
I do wonder if something going on with that return filter, from what I can see on parts list for a 2650H the return filter is a ACP0553640 part number for the whole assy.

from what I can see the element itself is ACP0647840

edit: while not desired, if you happened to put old filter into box and not tossed into dirt/trash (filter will be relatively safe) putting that back into place running a minute or so test will show if its a return issue. if you tossed it around then don't try this.
also maybe calling dealer worth it.

atomicflash2006 · Apr 8, 2022

@seville009 I'll go ahead and fill fluid to the max line to see if that helps. Side note, I didn't set out to replace the hydraulic fluid, but since the 50-hr service asked to change the suction strainer, it drained most of the hydraulic fluid as a result of that process. I didn't have something clean to catch it with and wasn't expecting over 5 gallons to come out, so I had to buy new to replace it.

@Dmacleo there's two different kits for this tractor on the return filter, and I think I bought the wrong one because the O-ring was for a different sized housing. I did validate before putting the filter in, though that the filter itself was the same. See pic below. However, I have nothing to lose with trying the old one if you think there might be something potentially defective about the new one. I'm going to open up the suction strainer housing anyway (this time with something large and clean to catch the fluid with) to double check everything is placed correctly in there.

Dmacleo · Apr 8, 2022

well same part# stamped onto it is good but yeah, you mentioned reusing o-ring in first post which caught my eye.
but really I suspect you need to call your dealer.

atomicflash2006 · Apr 8, 2022

LOL, I have, he had no idea. Short of trying these few other things suggested, I'm gonna have to have him pick it up for service

JWR · Apr 9, 2022

atomicflash2006 said:
LOL, I have, he had no idea. Short of trying these few other things suggested, I'm gonna have to have him pick it up for service

First, you have learned the hard way NOT to do every crazy thing the manuals claim you should do. Taking all that stuff apart at a 50 hour point is just silly and MF needs knuckles rapped for saying that. Beyond question more likely to do harm than good. Second, with a brand new machine like that, GET WITH THE DEALER NOW. Do not screw around with anything more -- just talk through it with the dealer . I would not be surprised if he tells you several things to try before any moving of machinery or sending a mechanic. Also depending on the distance to the dealer and other things, this is almost certainly something one mechanic can come out and square away on site at your place. Should be cheaper, faster and better overall than hauling the machine somewhere.

Dmacleo · Apr 9, 2022

JWR said:
First, you have learned the hard way NOT to do every crazy thing the manuals claim you should do. Taking all that stuff apart at a 50 hour point is just silly and MF needs knuckles rapped for saying that. Beyond question more likely to do harm than good. Second, with a brand new machine like that, GET WITH THE DEALER NOW. Do not screw around with anything more -- just talk through it with the dealer . I would not be surprised if he tells you several things to try before any moving of machinery or sending a mechanic. Also depending on the distance to the dealer and other things, this is almost certainly something one mechanic can come out and square away on site at your place. Should be cheaper, faster and better overall than hauling the machine somewhere.

I would reiterate this. something you have done has caused this and everyone here is trying to backtrace the issue.
I have a sneaky suspicion its the return side issue (which blocks actual pressure elsewhere) but...you got to get people involved that know what they are doing AND can physically touch the unit.
we can't.
until someone does you are w/o a working tractor.

atomicflash2006 · Apr 11, 2022

Thanks for all the advice. I added hydraulic fluid, verified the return filter, and the last thing to verify before sending it to the dealer was the suction strainer (this was the last thing I had changed that I hadn't re-verified). Long story short, I'm an idiot and sorry for wasting all of your time. I had put the suction strainer in backwards. I drained the hydraulic fluid into a clean container so I could reuse it, and the problem became obvious when I first took out the downstream drain plug and barely anything came out. Then I took out the upstream drain plug and it poured right out. When I had first removed the old strainer, I remember that I dropped the strainer out on accident, so I didn't get a good look at how the old one was installed. The correct placement of this feels a bit counter intuitive to me, so I know how I made this mistake, but I've attached a picture of how it should have been installed just in case this helps anyone else avoid what I did.

Dmacleo · Apr 11, 2022

AH I had wondered about suction strainer but where you had specifically mentioned return filter I mistakenly fixated upon that.
good to know you are up and running. hopefully, due to the few moments you have run it, no damage was done.
we all learn from our mistakes and I make so many I learn crap every day LOL
thank you for posting the correction, it very well may help others in future.

biĺlybobs · Dec 7, 2023

Wanted to chime in on the hydrolic return filter and the lack of instruction per the Manuel. I too am a MF 2607H owner who just completed 50 hr service myself and learned some things I will share. First of all for this tractor there are two applications for the return hydrolic system. The book lists only one. There is a spin on style and a bolt on style, both take the same filter ACP0250270, the difference is the O Ring provided with that filter only fits the bolt on style. If you have the spin on style you need ACP0647830
O ring. After several calls to MF dealer and a couple visits this is what we found, any way, hope that helps