Clutch pedal not returning to top position

[CrimsonClay72]

I'm new to large farm tractors, so please go easy on me. I bought a Ford 8600 back in August of this year. One of the rear remotes hydraulic line busted and gallons of fluid spewed out. I had to move it approx 50'-60' to get it out of the way from where the hose busted.

I got sick and it was two months before I could get back out there and take the hoses off, replace them and put them back on. I drained all the hyd/trans fluid out of the front and rear fluid compartments as indicated in the service manual. Approx 1-1.5 gallons in the rear compartment was water and the front was empty. I put a new filter on and added 16 gallons of hyd/trans fluid back.

Over the past couple of weeks, before I tackled the busted hose, I was able to get up and move a little. I went out in the cold and tried to start the tractor a few times per week. The clutch pedal went all the way down so the tractor would turn over and start. Several times I did this. I noticed the pedal was not coming all the way back up after several days of starting it. I did the hose change and fluid change as indicated above and the pedal is not returning to the top position which means I can't move the tractor.

The tractor drove fine and shifted fine before the hose busted. Any thoughts on what has happened? I have read about possible moisture causing the plates to stick together. Suggestions on how to break it loose?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Roadworthy]

I've read of this but never experienced it. As I understand the normal issue, it's like the clutch is always out. You can depress the pedal but the clutch won't operate. You can start the tractor in neutral but can't shift into gear. If you start in gear it's moving. The pedal not returning to the top of travel not permitting engagement sounds more like linkage binding somewhere or perhaps a VERY tired pressure plate.

 

[Randy Gann]

I had clutch lock up on an old Farmall 140 that had sat unused for a couple years. Fortunately we had a long gravel driveway with a slight downhill grade to roll it down. We would get it rolling in neutral and then pop it into gear. First couple tries the wheels locked up and it slid to a stop in the gravel. This is with the clutch pedal depressed. Third try worked and clutch was freed up. The Farmall 140 is not a big tractor. So it was easy to get rolling. Also, probably not real good for the transmission. But it worked.

 

[CrimsonClay72]

I've read of this but never experienced it. As I understand the normal issue, it's like the clutch is always out. You can depress the pedal but the clutch won't operate. You can start the tractor in neutral but can't shift into gear. If you start in gear it's moving. The pedal not returning to the top of travel not permitting engagement sounds more like linkage binding somewhere or perhaps a VERY tired pressure plate.

I can shift out of park and into low or high smoothly. I can also shift the gear selector lever into all the gears just fine. The problem is the clutch will not come all the way up so I can drive. I am not able to move the tractor under it's own power at all. I live back in the woods with a long winding driveway that's pretty flat. I don't know that I can roll it fast enough then pop the clutch.

 

[loggin]

Unfortunately I do not know your particular model well but I believe Roadworthy is correct. It is likely a linkage or a pressure spring problem. If the clutch plates were stuck together you would not be able to engage a gear unless the tractor was not running. Your clutch is most likely a dry clutch unless it is a shuttle shift therefor the water in the transmission will not neccesarily be the problem. Is there and inspection plate at the bell housing for the clutch or any linkage that could be binding?

 

[CrimsonClay72]

Unfortunately I do not know your particular model well but I believe Roadworthy is correct. It is likely a linkage or a pressure spring problem. If the clutch plates were stuck together you would not be able to engage a gear unless the tractor was not running. Your clutch is most likely a dry clutch unless it is a shuttle shift therefor the water in the transmission will not neccesarily be the problem. Is there and inspection plate at the bell housing for the clutch or any linkage that could be binding?

I do not know about the inspection plate. I have not read about that in the service manual. I can see the linkage come down from the top of the clutch pedal and connect to a thick rod. The pedal moves freely all the way to the floor and I can start it. I do not see it binding anywhere to cause it not to come all the way back up. I have tried to take the toe of my shoe and apply pressure to the bottom side of the clutch pedal and try to pry it up somewhat, but it won't release and rise on up to it's normal position.

What I'm baffled at is the tractor shifted fine in hi/low and all the gears before the hose busted. Then it sat for 8-9 weeks only getting started the last week or two of that period. The pedal was coming back up when I went to start it, but after several days of starting, I noticed it didn't come up all the way. It didn't move so I don't see how it could be binding now.

 

[loggin]

If the clutch linkage points are greased and or not badly rusted I would suspect there is something going on internally in the bell housing. Sitting outside exposed to the elements can certainly cause issues. Since there doesn't seem to be an inspection plate it is hard to say what is going on in there. It might require the tractor to be split in order to find out. Due to the fact that I do not know your model well enough I would talk to someone that does or maybe someone else will pipe up here and have some better insight. Sorry I can't help you any further from here without more information.

 

[Alan W.]

My L3650 started doing that a couple of years ago.
I traced it to corrosion where the clutch pedal shaft enters the bell housing. The shaft and bushings were seizing up.
After a few days of repeatedly spraying penetrating oil on the location and using it the problem went away.

 

[CrimsonClay72]

My L3650 started doing that a couple of years ago.
I traced it to corrosion where the clutch pedal shaft enters the bell housing. The shaft and bushings were seizing up.
After a few days of repeatedly spraying penetrating oil on the location and using it the problem went away.

I will try to find where the pedal shaft enters the bell housing and spray and spray and spray. I've been told not to idle it to generate heat to help with any moisture so hopefully this will work.