Ford 345 D won’t move

[Herbertneedshelp]

We bought a Ford 345d industrial tractor for our animal sanctuary mostly for around the farm and putting out round bales. Problem is I’ve been working on it a lot and I just can’t seem to get it running right, I’ve had it moving but with no power at all somehow some water had gotten into the hydraulic fluid and I’ve changed it out twice but there’s still some water in it. I’m not sure if that’s the reason it doesn’t wanna move or if it’s something else. Pulling my hair out over this thing for like nine months now or. We need this thing to be operational so badly and we really could use some expertise to get us on the right track.

 

[loggin]

We bought a Ford 345d industrial tractor for our animal sanctuary mostly for around the farm and putting out round bales. Problem is I’ve been working on it a lot and I just can’t seem to get it running right, I’ve had it moving but with no power at all somehow some water had gotten into the hydraulic fluid and I’ve changed it out twice but there’s still some water in it. I’m not sure if that’s the reason it doesn’t wanna move or if it’s something else. Pulling my hair out over this thing for like nine months now or. We need this thing to be operational so badly and we really could use some expertise to get us on the right track.

Without more information it will be very difficult to diagnose over the internet. I believe this tractor is hydrostatic but not sure so water in the hydraulic fluid is never a good thing. Water might be getting in at the bottom of the shift stics. When you say it has no power does that mean the engine is bogging down or that the power is not getting to the wheels because of the transmission?

It would also help to know what you have done so far to try to remedy this problem.

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

Thank you so much for responding, I really appreciate it. When I got it there was a leak so I had to replace two hoses on the hydraulic cooler right behind the grill , I just changed the air filter Because the light was on and I thought it might help, I’ve tried to change the hydraulic fluid twice but there was still water in it afterwards, I also changed the one hydraulic filter but this tractor has two hydraulics, The one for the steering is hydrostatic and the main hydraulics is the Hydro-trans. Power isn’t getting to the tires to make it move, when I give it throttle it sounds pretty good, when I put it in like hi and fourth gear it will start to move and then Peter out. It would explain a lot if the water was still getting in from somewhere like the gearshift, I don’t have a place inside to store it yet But it has a ROP roof thingy. It’s hard to get all the old fluid out when I change the fluid. But there’s definitely still water in it, I would feel better knowing that’s where my loss of power is And if I can get all the water out that will be the culprit.

 

[loggin]

Thank you so much for responding, I really appreciate it. When I got it there was a leak so I had to replace two hoses on the hydraulic cooler right behind the grill , I just changed the air filter Because the light was on and I thought it might help, I’ve tried to change the hydraulic fluid twice but there was still water in it afterwards, I also changed the one hydraulic filter but this tractor has two hydraulics, The one for the steering is hydrostatic and the main hydraulics is the Hydro-trans. Power isn’t getting to the tires to make it move, when I give it throttle it sounds pretty good, when I put it in like hi and fourth gear it will start to move and then Peter out. It would explain a lot if the water was still getting in from somewhere like the gearshift, I don’t have a place inside to store it yet But it has a ROP roof thingy. It’s hard to get all the old fluid out when I change the fluid. But there’s definitely still water in it, I would feel better knowing that’s where my loss of power is And if I can get all the water out that will be the culprit.

Not sure which light you are talking about. Does it have a light for the air filter??

Water can be difficult to remove once inside the hydraulic system. It might require a drain and fill a few times. The important thing is to find out where the water is coming from. Just because it has a roof does not mean water can't get in through the gear shifters if there is a wind blowing. Perhaps you could post some pictures of the shifter's bases. I would certainly be checking the seals and other areas where water could be getting into the transmission.

Water contaminated hydraulic fluid would also likely be in the loader cylinders and they need to be activated when doing the drain and refill.

Can you lift the tractor's front end with the loader all the way to the end of the cylinder travel?

 

[LouNY]

I'm not positive on your tractor, but I do believe that all of those tractors use a torque converter drive.
Usually there is a "de clutch" switch in the system to take the torque converter power away when lifting
a load in the loader and wanting rpms without the tractor moving. It could be a bad torque converter, a wiring issue
or contaminated fluid. You need a serice manual for that tractor.

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

Not sure which light you are talking about. Does it have a light for the air filter??

Water can be difficult to remove once inside the hydraulic system. It might require a drain and fill a few times. The important thing is to find out where the water is coming from. Just because it has a roof does not mean water can't get in through the gear shifters if there is a wind blowing. Perhaps you could post some pictures of the shifter's bases. I would certainly be checking the seals and other areas where water could be getting into the transmission.

Water contaminated hydraulic fluid would also likely be in the loader cylinders and they need to be activated when doing the drain and refill.

Can you lift the tractor's front end with the loader all the way to the end of the cylinder travel?

I think you just hit on my problem. I knew there had to be more fluid in the system I wasn’t getting out but couldn’t figure out how to go about getting the rest out. I’m really looking forward to my next drain and refill cycle now!!
I will take pictures of the shifter base and put them on here. That’s the other part of this.. how is it getting there in the first place. The radiator fluid has stayed full and when I run it the fluid level doesn’t raise, so I assumed at first previous owner somehow got it in there by human error. Now I’m thinking it’s getting in there somehow when it rains. So I’ll post shiftbase and maybe we can figure this out. Really appreciate your knowledge and insight. And the light was on the dash when I accelerated it would come on, but light is now a aging off after change of air filter. So it was a needed change but not the culprit of why it wasn’t moving..

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

I'm not positive on your tractor, but I do believe that all of those tractors use a torque converter drive.
Usually there is a "de clutch" switch in the system to take the torque converter power away when lifting
a load in the loader and wanting rpms without the tractor moving. It could be a bad torque converter, a wiring issue
or contaminated fluid. You need a serice manual for that tractor.

Thanks for your reply @LouNY , it’s does have a torque converter and the “de clutch” I was worried that it might possibly be stuck on “de clutch” but I think that is working ok. After my last drain/refill It would move but wouldn’t engage all gears, mostly only 4 hi. I’m hoping it’s only the water in the fluid and I just have to get it all out to have a working tractor. I still worry there could be a problem with torque converter.. I really hope it’s the fluid. You also got me thinking about the wiring, because Working on a used tractor I’m always worried about who worked on this machine before.

 

[Smokeydog]

If you suspect water contamination you really need to change filters with the oil change. There are probably multiple drain plugs and maybe even a low pressure hose to undo to drain the hydraulic system. The 4500 ford I had used part of the lower loader frame for oil reserve. Really need owners or shop manual to know the proper procedure for maintenance. Some have a suction screen that needs cleaned when oil is drained. Worth their weight in gold for any DIY maintenance.

4 high is a highway gear at best. Try lower gear.

Old suction hoses can crack and allow air into hydraulic system and aerate the oil often with little oil external leakage. Check them and replace when oil is drained.

Good you replaced leaky hoses. Any external leaks are possible entry points for water.

Almost too clean. Be very careful pressure washing a tractor or from a previous owner.

 

[rScotty]

Seems like a nice tractor. We need to back up here a bit.

Lets back up a bit here. How do you know that you have water in the oil? What do you mean when you say "Peters Out?". Water in the oil is not good, but it won't keep it from moving. Or does it move? Does the loader work? Does it start up OK?

Is the hydraulic cooler an air flow type or does it have a water jacket?

When I get an old machine the first thing I do is get an owner's manual, parts book, and service manual. Ebay has them. The original manuals are always the best. typical prices range from $50 for owner's manuals to $150 for an original service manual in a 3 ring binder.

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

If you suspect water contamination you really need to change filters with the oil change. There are probably multiple drain plugs and maybe even a low pressure hose to undo to drain the hydraulic system. The 4500 ford I had used part of the lower loader frame for oil reserve. Really need owners or shop manual to know the proper procedure for maintenance. Some have a suction screen that needs cleaned when oil is drained. Worth their weight in gold for any DIY maintenance.

4 high is a highway gear at best. Try lower gear.

Old suction hoses can crack and allow air into hydraulic system and aerate the oil often with little oil external leakage. Check them and replace when oil is drained.

Good you replaced leaky hoses. Any external leaks are possible entry points for water.

Almost too clean. Be very careful pressure washing a tractor or from a previous owner.

I think there is a

If you suspect water contamination you really need to change filters with the oil change. There are probably multiple drain plugs and maybe even a low pressure hose to undo to drain the hydraulic system. The 4500 ford I had used part of the lower loader frame for oil reserve. Really need owners or shop manual to know the proper procedure for maintenance. Some have a suction screen that needs cleaned when oil is drained. Worth their weight in gold for any DIY maintenance.

4 high is a highway gear at best. Try lower gear.

Old suction hoses can crack and allow air into hydraulic system and aerate the oil often with little oil external leakage. Check them and replace when oil is drained.

Good you replaced leaky hoses. Any external leaks are possible entry points for water.

Almost too clean. Be very careful pressure washing a tractor or from a previous owner.

I changed the two hydraulic filters but one of them was for the hydrostatic hydraulic steering. There’s a little screen like a bucket with a handle inside the hydraulic reservoir. That was hard to get out so I didn’t mess with it last time any further. I’m getting ready to do a new fluid change on the hydraulics tomorrow hopefully with the loader bucket up all the way I’ll get all the water out. I’m worried that it’s not gonna fix the problem as to why the tractor barely moves

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

Seems like a nice tractor. We need to back up here a bit.

Lets back up a bit here. How do you know that you have water in the oil? What do you mean when you say "Peters Out?". Water in the oil is not good, but it won't keep it from moving. Or does it move? Does the loader work? Does it start up OK?

Is the hydraulic cooler an air flow type or does it have a water jacket?

When I get an old machine the first thing I do is get an owner's manual, parts book, and service manual. Ebay has them. The original manuals are always the best. typical prices range from $50 for owner's manuals to $150 for an original service manual in a 3 ring binder.

I had sucked some of the fluid out after I ran it last time after I change the hydraulic fluid and then I put it in a jar and let it separate for a week. I’ve been hoping that this is why the tractor barely moves and other times doesn’t move at all but I don’t think it is. Either way I have to get the water out and then I’m gonna start tarpong it until I have a place to park it where it won’t get wet. Maybe the transmesh filter in the transmission is clogged and that’s why doesn’t wanna move? I’ll attach a picture the Coca-Cola bottle is the fluid from the hydraulic reservoir that I changed like a month or two ago. I thought the hydraulic reservoir and transmission reservoir were connected because it takes trans hydraulic fluid but I guess they’re not? I bought the operators manual and the service manual. The operators manual has been helpful but the service manual is very complex and hard to understand

 

[azbinder]

It's been a number of years since I've worked on one of these so I'm doing this from memory.
Hyd reservoir in front of the radiator has nothing to do with the transmission. The power steering filter is inside the p/s pump on the left side of the engine. There is a short spin on transmission filter under or in front of the left foot rest. Make sure that you change it too. If you have water in the transmission oil and drain it, make sure to change the torque converter oil too. Otherwise, that contaminated oil will get mixed in with the new. Also, IIRC, the rear end/ 3 point hitch area oil also is separate from the rest of things. Should have its own dipstick and filter in front of the right rear axle.

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

It's been a number of years since I've worked on one of these so I'm doing this from memory.
Hyd reservoir in front of the radiator has nothing to do with the transmission. The power steering filter is inside the p/s pump on the left side of the engine. There is a short spin on transmission filter under or in front of the left foot rest. Make sure that you change it too. If you have water in the transmission oil and drain it, make sure to change the torque converter oil too. Otherwise, that contaminated oil will get mixed in with the new. Also, IIRC, the rear end/ 3 point hitch area oil also is separate from the rest of things. Should have its own dipstick and filter in front of the right rear axle.

How do I change the torque converter oil, is that separate from the rest of the transmission oil?

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

I don’t understand why at times I can get in it and move it and other times it won’t move at all. After delving into the service manual I understand more about the hydraulics. It can’t be related to the problem I’m having with the movement. I just can’t understand why it doesn’t want to move. After I put it in gear and start to give it throttle it will start to move a hair but not really takeoff.

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

I wonder if maybe the hydraulic clutch might not be applying? It’s weird that it has moved recently but most of the time it will ever so slightly inch forward just a little bit then stop. It’s Almost like when I apply the throttle someone is pushing the tractor from the back but not able to move it much just rock it a little. I wonder if the screen in the transmission might be clogged? i think it’s called a trans mesh or something. I have got to get this working ASAP for our animal sanctuary. It’s killing us not having a working tractor. This tractor has me so frustrated, but I’m trying to read and reread to really comprehend but a lot of it is hard for me to understand. I’m an ok mechanic but no where near a professional. Thank you guys so much for your input , this community is amazing.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

That wa5er could have froze and busted something. Make sure the trans fluid pick up screen is clean.Torque converter drain is facing forward on torque converter.

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

This is the transmission hydraulic suction filter screen. I don’t think it can be cleaned so I’m gonna call around tomorrow and see if I can find one. Any opinions on the possibility that this could be what is causing tractor to not move?

 

[LouNY]

Lots of brake kleen,
Have you found a drain plug on the torque converter.
The oil sample you had in post #11 was completely water contaminated.

 

[Herbertneedshelp]

Ended up being the filter in the transmission. And the water in the loader hydraulics came out when I raised the loader all the way up to drain it. Thanks!!

 

[loggin]

Ended up being the filter in the transmission. And the water in the loader hydraulics came out when I raised the loader all the way up to drain it. Thanks!!

Thanks for letting us know the outcome!!