Ford 3000 3-point not working

[Highmile]

All,
I have a '73 Ford 3000 that recently blew the hyd line out of the pump.

Lowered the 3-point and drove directly to the barn. I replaced the pressure nut and refilled the fluid and expected all to well again.

However, not the case.

It worked perfectly beforehand and now it does not work at all. So, does the pump have to be primed and if so how? Or is there another issue?

I'm at a total loss....

Thanks in advance

 

[Soundguy]

first.. make sure you still have utf flidin the rear common hyd/diffy sump.

next, see if you are even pumping oil... pull the pipe plug inthe 3x5 option cover under the seat and se if you have oil bubbling there during cranking or at startup.. be ready to kill it fast cuzit'l make a gueyser..

once you know that you have flow, but don't have hyd lit, then check asc valve.

or if you have a SCV remote under the seat, make sure it is not kicked into a detent, and thus in bypass.

if you have flow but no 3pt and all controls are correct, then it may be time to buy the 15$ top cover kit. my next bet would be on stuck unload valve, and last bet on a stuck open relief or holed hyd piston.

post back

 

[Highmile]

Soundguy,
Thanks for the information.... I just wish I knew what most of it meant. I'm a good hand with a wrench but with cars/trucks.

yes, the rear diff/hyd is full. I pulled both the trans and the rear plugs and checked and filled as needed. The trans was just a bit low but I put about 1.5 gal in the rear.

Someone told me that I should pull the pipe plug on the lower rear of the pump and start the tractor to prime it. I have no clue if this is correct or not. I do see a plug there but really don't want to pull it and have a bunch of little parts fall into the dirt/gravel.

Pictures would help a ton.

Thanks
Highmile

 

[rambler]

I have a 960, so pics wouldn't help you, and I can't talk you through a 1000 model.

But rest assured, I think there is a very very strong chance you just need to prime the pump, nothing is wrong but some air in the way.

--->Paul

 

[Mathias NY]

I feel your pain, I spent the better part of 2 years figuring out the 3pt problems on my 3000.

If it was working before, I would suspect that your pump just needs to be primed. There is a plug on the bottom side of the pump (see arrow in picture), on the end closest to the driver. You will need an allan-wrench to remove it. With the fuel turned off and the plug removed, crank the engine over until oil pumps out of the hole without any bubbles. Then with still cranking reinstall the plug.

If you plan on keeping the tractor for a while, I recommend buying an I&T Shop Manual for the Ford. Mine has been a handy resource for the repairs.

Good luck.

 

[Highmile]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm off to the barn to give it a try.

Thanks'
Highmile

 

[Highmile]

Ok, Bleed the pump. First pulled the plug and covered with my thumb while I cranked it. Took a while until I got fluid. Put the plug back in and cranked some more with the plug loose until I had a nice clear flow of oil.

Still nothing....

So while running I loosened the plug and a little bit of air came out and then nothing but oil. Tightened the plug and still nothing.

Plan on dropping it off with the local repair shop later this week.

Highmile

 

[samandmax]

I think you have to bleed the pump with the lever in the raise position. Then you move the lever a few times up and down and raise to bleed again. I would stop by and ask a service guy for sure. The local ford service tech has been a big help.

 

[Soundguy]

the pump pumps whether the 3pt handle is down or up.. it's not a clutch just controls the unloading valve..

 

[Highmile]

UPDATE:

Took the tractor out to load some horse manure today. Ran it for about an hour at various rpms. I was just about done when I was backing up and noticed that the arms were UP!

ran it up and down a few times and all seems well. Will hook blade up in a day or two to find out for sure.

Thanks all
Highmile

 

[Soundguy]

i'd be tempted to drain a lil oil in a glass jar fromt he rear drain and look at it.

if cloudy, emulsified, or with entrained solids.. I'd flush the sump..

 

[Joe Hoag]

I bought my Ford 3000 which had sat idle for a couple of years and the hydralics either wouldn't
work at all, would work but would be slow and shatter, or once in a while would work fine a couple
of times and then revert back to the prior.
I drained the fluid, flushed with kerosene, refilled and primed with the same results as before.
After fooling around for a couple of weeks and becoming quite frustrated I added one gallon of WD-40
and ran the tractor for a couple of hours.
I noticed an improvement, but still not acceptable for dependable use.
The following day when I used the hydralics it operated like a new tractor. I haven't experienced any
problems since and recommend at least giving this a try.
Joe Hoag

 

[Soundguy]

may be a wet filter... a flush with diesel, atf and alcohol may help some if the sump is real wet..

 

[Joe Hoag]

Soundguy,
Thanks, but like I said adding the gallon of WD-40 seemed to do the trick.
I believe that after I drained (coffee with cream appearence) flushed, and
primed the hydralics the problem remaining was control valves sticking.
The WD-40 seemed to have taken care of that problem without a overhaul.
Our Farmall M which is housed inside wouldn't move, the amount of mositure
drained out because of condensation after we thawed it was a real shocker.
We live in the Northeast so we need to pay attention to condensation issues.
Thanks, Joe Hoag

 

[Soundguy]

if there was that much water in the oil to make a milkshake.. a simple darina nd fill and adding in some high unsqueaker is probably going to be only a temp and partial fix.

wet sumps like that ( in my opinion ).. should be flushed. many times wet filters can be saved if not plugged.. using the alcohol / disel trick.

once they plug with sediment though.. not much hope other than repalcement.


monitor the oil.. my guess is it will cloud back up soom from the contamination left in the system.

good luck.

 

[Joe Hoag]

Soundguy, Thanks and I certainly will pay close attention to use performance and fluid moisture
appearence. Would dry gas do the same thing as alcohol for moisture removal?
Also, I am seriously considering replacing the factory Holley carberator with a Zenith. Do you have
any thoughts, concerns or insight opions which would help me in making this decision?
Thanks in Advance...Joe Hoag

 

[Soundguy]

dry gas = alcohol.. in a smaller bottle, more expensive.

could be ethanol, 2-propanol or methanol.. etc.

cheaper to hit the drugstore and buy a quart of 90% rubbing, and add it in then go work the snot out of her.

the alcohol is a polar solvent.. water is polar.. thus disolves the water.. and makes an azeotrope. the azeotrope will actually let the water portion flash off at a lower temp than it normally would have..

 

[Soundguy]

holley carbs... i don't like them as much as they are so finecky.. though they are miserly on fuel... the zenith work.. and are spendy.. and aren't as fuel miserly ( BUT you get a running tractor out of the deal.. )

 

[Joe Hoag]

Soundguy, When I replace the orginal Holley carburator with a new Zenith will I still have to use the fuel pump on my Ford 3000, or
can I plumb it in to run from the bottom of the gas tank, through a in-line filter and directly to the Zenith carburator. The Tank is
enough higher that gravity feed shouldn't be a problem with fuel delivery, but I am concerned if fuel needs to be delivered with pump
pressure.
I've asked dealers and mechanics with Ford 3000 experience but haven't been able to get a clear answer.
Thanks in Advance...Joe Hoag

 

[Soundguy]

i've seen people do it both ways. I've also seen people get so fed up with that fuel line routing and the mechanical pump that they put on a 2-4 psi electric as well. I don't own a gasser 3 cyl, so can't tell you how well it works under load.

I have driven gasser 3 cyls with line direct to the carb, and honestly.. it may have been an issue with fuel.. or it may have been a dirty carb. i was having to use choke to run.. .. however.. wasn't my machine to fix... and i didn't use it long enough to think about it much.. she ended up having other problems as well so I swapped machines to finish the job.