Ford 3000???? Problems

skitzboy · Aug 4, 2012

Have ford 3000 series tractor that is hard starting. It is smoking a light grey smoke at start up for about 30 seconds to a minute. It smoke black smoke when gunning the throttle. I just replaced the injector pump and injectors I bought a new starter that will go in tomorrow. The history of the tractor is this: the guy I bought it from bought it out of a field, had a shade tree mechanic fix it up to run and ha it two years it got to the point he had to pull start it and bought a new kabota tractor. Then I enter the picture I bought it non running after it sat for a year. I took it home last June an got really sick to the point of 90+ trips to salt lake city to the va for treatment from Montana.

I took the injector pump and sent it to Mylex international to rebuild it and the injector. I just got them put back in. Changed fuel filters, oil filter, oil, blew out the fuel lines, new 4dlt battery, new battery cables, Fresh fuel, bled all lines and changed antifreeze when I had the injector pump off. No oil in the radiator and no loss of water from the radiator. Fuel flow is strong. I order a compression adapter from handsontools.com it should be here Monday or Tuesday. I also have brand new three ring tires for the front coming from Whalen tires on Wednesday.

It takes about 4 minutes of cranking and about 8 seconds of ether shot from about 3' away from the air filter. I have started three times now total. I get about 30 seconds to 1 minute of light grey smoke same as when I start my 08 dodge mega can diesel. After that it is black smoke I have posted video to YouTube under the username : skitzboy007

I need suggestions of where to start on the black smoke and lack of power. I took it to an equipment shop and they said the excessive smoke and lack of power was really odd. Running the hydraulics at idle can kill the tractor simple pushing of left over hay in the sheep pen in first gear low almost shut it down. It does seem after this third time running I used it for about two hours it starts to develop more power.

I am going to change the transmission fluid and rear end using the diesel/alcohol method tomorrow when I do the starter and also add a gallon of automatic transmission fluid to my fuel tank since it sat unused for two+ years.

It is manual steering, independent PTO, and has a solid thick axel I think it is either a 3400 or possibly a 3600. Alternator is strong And charges battery while running I need a new console/ gauge set.

I bought the tractor with the Davis loader for $1500 it cost me $482 for the injector and pump rebuild due to Mylex firing a service manager and being lost in the shuffle for 4 months they did it for cost of parts only as the cam and all internals had to be replaced. They were very apologetic and made it right with me. I have $230 in the tires. The battery was under warranty from the gentleman I bought it from so no charge. I have maybe another $100 in filters, oil and hydraulic fluid. The starter was $179 from new holland. So all I am into it is $2479. It has new rear tires and 400# of rear wheel weight that it came with as well as a set of chains for the rears and a split rim chevy wheel and tire he threw in for my 1937 Chevy 3/4 ton.

Here is the bottom line:
-where should I start looking for the smoke and lack of power
- could it be hydraulic pump related i.e. Working the engine to keep the hydraulic pressure up
- can power steering be added to this tractor?
- if rings can that be done with out splitting the tractor with the front axel type I have?
- what type of tractor do I have?
-

skitzboy · Aug 4, 2012

Also I know ether is bad for the engine. I am doing it in hopes that it is from lack of being turned over for 2+ years and to check engine temps while running and a general shake down. Also any other gear other first gear in the high setting will put so much strain that the tractor will die all low range gears work. It is an 8 speed. Help is greatly appreciated.
Craig

skitzboy · Aug 4, 2012

**** I forgot to say I removed injector pump with out removing the gear and replaced I set the pump at the Zero setting and found it worked better if I moved it to the first line above zero (2) anything over 4 above or below zero kills the engine. Lastly once warm it will start repeatedly with no ether and only cranking 3-4 seconds

Sorry I am so long winded but wanted to thoroughly document the problems so that I don waist your time having you ask questions that I should have supplied information on.

Down South · Aug 5, 2012

I don't know about a gallon of atf in the tank, a quart certainly. How much old, how old is the diesel in the tank?

Above the starter on the bell housing should be 3 sets of numbers that will tell you about the tractor. may also be under the hood.

DS

skitzboy · Aug 5, 2012

Fuel is two day old number 1 diesel I only saw two strings of number/ letters they were located just below the starter,I took the paint off and then repainted to read them. I will look above the starter in the morning.

Semper Fidelis - Freedom isn't free, to see the cost visit your local VA

Down South · Aug 5, 2012

On the bell housing above and rearward of the starter.

You never know sometimes folk don't drain the old diesel.

Oh and yes on PS one way or the other, aftermarket may be the easiest.

Semper Fi

RickB · Aug 5, 2012

I don't think I would worry much about new tires and power steering until it runs better.
Compression test results will be interesting.

Jerry/MT · Aug 6, 2012

You changed a lot of filters but I didn't see that you changed the air filter! You're down on power and you have black smoke. I'd change the air filter or at the very least inspect it for clogging. In fact, check the entire intake system to the engine for a restriction.

Down South · Aug 6, 2012

Excellent point

Soundguy · Aug 7, 2012

bad air restriction could caus ethe smoke and hard starts.. but.. I'm with rick.

so far i'm thinking poor compression.

the grey smoke could surely be unburnt fuel and not water.. and the balck smoke could be sooty fuel.

4m of cranking? my worst nag starts in under a minute and that's me cursing and waving arms alot.

do a comp test.. post back

won't hurt to service the air fitler.. however.. if oil bath.. i rarely see em plug up enough to prevent air flow... unless it has a birdsnest in it I guess.

post back what you find in the air cleaner.

skitzboy · Aug 7, 2012

Will do the air filter tonight and still haven't seen my compression adapter yet

Semper Fidelis - Freedom isn't free, to see the cost visit your local VA

Bigfoot62 · Aug 7, 2012

Soundguy said:
. . . 4m of cranking? my worst nag starts in under a minute and that's me cursing and waving arms alot.

do a comp test.. post back

won't hurt to service the air fitler.. however.. if oil bath.. i rarely see em plug up enough to prevent air flow... unless it has a birdsnest in it I guess.

post back what you find in the air cleaner.

Chris,
Can you post a video of yourself cranking that tractor. Although the real thing probably wouldn't be as funny as the mental picture that I have of you right now. :laughing:

I have seen old oil bath filters so clogged that nothing gets through. There will be what looks like asphalt in the pan.

I'm also interested to see what kind of results he get on the compression test.

Soundguy · Aug 7, 2012

i've seen some with enough emulsified oil and water and leaves to restrict flow.. but usually the design is such that the up pipe is clear once oil is suckeed up into filter media fully... I suppose if it had tar in it and sat it would plug. I've seen a diesel with inner and outter fitler plugged so bad that is sucked the plastic ducting on t he intake in..

the nag I had (have) was a semi basket case that I had mostly disassembled and need to start to check oil pressure after some work.

bat was off and no wires and whatnot.. so it was sort of a chinese fire drill to hook up the bat with jump cables and screwdrver the solenoid and then work the choke and throttle butterflies by hand as I had all the linkages off..

then after about 30 seconds I realized it of course had no spark plug wires, cap, rotor or points in the dizzy..

thus the waving arms and cursing..

Bigfoot62 · Aug 7, 2012

Soundguy said:
i've seen some with enough emulsified oil and water and leaves to restrict flow.. but usually the design is such that the up pipe is clear once oil is suckeed up into filter media fully... I suppose if it had tar in it and sat it would plug. I've seen a diesel with inner and outter fitler plugged so bad that is sucked the plastic ducting on t he intake in..

Yep, I've seen dry elements that were so full of dirt that they were literally heavy. Also seen collapsed intake ducts. Usually by then, it's too late. Already sucked dirt into the engine.

the nag I had (have) was a semi basket case that I had mostly disassembled and need to start to check oil pressure after some work.

bat was off and no wires and whatnot.. so it was sort of a chinese fire drill to hook up the bat with jump cables and screwdrver the solenoid and then work the choke and throttle butterflies by hand as I had all the linkages off.. then after about 30 seconds I realized it of course had no spark plug wires, cap, rotor or points in the dizzy.. thus the waving arms and cursing..

I still want to see that video!!!

Soundguy · Aug 7, 2012

lucky for me.. no evidence.

I had her down and all on stands.. front end off and rear whels off.. pretty much bare chassis.. no seat or tins.. looked naked. forgot I had taken dizzy down too.

at least i DID have a 1qt lawnmower gas tank hooked to the carb..

skitzboy · Aug 9, 2012

so I looked in the air filter... it does not have an oil bath. It is a round paper and metal tube type air filter same amount of suction at the filter as the end of the manifold aas far as I can tell by lacing hand over both. I also added, get this it must have had a leak, 5 gallons of hydraulic fluid not including the two gallons yeterday to get it up to full on the stem. I fired it up in about 10 seconds 1 shot of starting fluid.I would say maybe 1 second total shot. it is runnign stronger than yesterday and now I believe I have a hydraulic issue as the valve body on the loader was hot as a pistol. it is also under load both lifting and lowerin the bucket so I think I have either stuck valve or one of the lines is crossed. no grey or white smoke this time at start up, just straight black. it is acting alot better. Also after filling the hydraulic fluid I now have power steering.

New tires are very nice especially with the power steering. I also did a bit work on the three point hitch replacing the 1/4 clevis turnbuckle 1/4 clevis sway setup with a 3/8 hardened clevis and 7 links of 3/8 70 grade hardened chain and another 3/8 hardened clevis. lubed evey zert i could find on the frontend as well. I am changing out the transmission and rear end fluid in the morning ater a quick trip to the parts store. and then fitting my 451 sickle bar mower on it and going mowing. think it may be knocking crud loose just by running it. no change in water level or oil level after two hours running today and the 4 hours a couple days ago.

for serial numbers the only numbers I can find on flat part above and left of the starter are as follows:

6c311 6c341 or 6c541 or 6c511 on the raised rounded portion above the flat spot

the flat spot has in the following layout:

5012G
138473 6E10

that is the best I can see it is all clear other than the one above the flat spot listed above.

I am actually quite happy with the way the tracor is working out. things seem to getting better I will check compression once my freaking adapter gets here. well off to bed.

Soundguy · Aug 9, 2012

need to see some pics of this machine. a few things not adding up here.

skitzboy · Aug 9, 2012

Upon further review...... I took charcoal and rubbed it on top of the tabs the numbers are as follows

5C 315
-----------------------------
5021G
C138473 6E10

Semper Fidelis - Freedom isn't free, to see the cost visit your local VA

skitzboy · Aug 9, 2012

So here are some pictures with out the hood off

Semper Fidelis - Freedom isn't free, to see the cost visit your local VA

Soundguy · Aug 9, 2012

well.. she ain't a 3000.

gear reduction rear ... and wet brakes.

heavy front bolster.. and that front axle ain't the 1939 design.. looks like some sort of industrial. I'm not up on all the 4 digit and 3 digit industrial variants.. but could be some sort of 3 digit industrial. front axle is deffinately not the ld fixed.. or the adjustable hd of a 4000 or a adjustable ld on a 39-65 00/01/2000/3000

a 445 is what really comes to mind... especially looking at front and back axle.

might want to bring in whodat and rickb on this.