What is this leaking out?

[NTG]

Ford 3400 diesel tractor. I haven't gotten the serial numbers off it yet as to year and design specs, but it has the 6x4 manual transmission. On the top plate where the shifters are, there's a hole with what looks like a dip stick in it. No markings on it or anything and it's not screwed in, it's just about a 4" rod that goes down in the hole. There is fluid leaking out there. I'm guessing it's transmission oil from where it is and by the color I'm guessing it's got water in there. I bought the full set of manuals, but I can't find anything anywhere that mentions this dip stick or shows it on a diagram. Not operator's manual, service manual or parts manual. I have seen that replacement plate at parts dealers and it shows the little hole that the stick goes in, but no mention of what it is. Maybe a small amount of fluid is supposed to come out there as pressure relief, but if it's full of water, maybe there's too much in there and that's why it's coming out that much.

 

[SteveS42240]

From the pictures it looks like your transmission is getting water in it. I would drain a small amount of fluid from it to check for water. If it has water, you would need to drain it and find the source the of the water.

 

[rangerfredbob]

Yeah, that's water in the trans fluid, probably sat outside and got in from there over the years... would drain and fill with UTF...

 

[rScotty]

Water gets past the shifters; it's common. When water gets into trans/hydraulic fluid it makes the clear fluid look milky. You may have to change it several times to get rid of the water.
I'd use cheaper fluid to get rid of the water before putting good high dollar trans/hydraulic fluid in there.

 

[redman135]

The gear stick boots are replacements. Originals would have perished years ago, and let water in.

Any idea how long the tractor has been parked? If it has been parked with a gearbox full of water you may just need to drain the gearbox and refill with oil. Water floats oil to the top so the oil seals the gears and bearings from air preventing rust.
If it has been used with water in the gearbox, then all bets off.
Pull the drain plug and collect the result. Use 2 tubs. If you get straight water, then straight oil you may be in luck. If you have a mixture then pull the inspection cover to see the actual condition of the gears and bearings.
Good luck

 

[Mike1955]

The gear stick boots are replacements. Originals would have perished years ago, and let water in.

Any idea how long the tractor has been parked? If it has been parked with a gearbox full of water you may just need to drain the gearbox and refill with oil. Water floats oil to the top so the oil seals the gears and bearings from air preventing rust.
If it has been used with water in the gearbox, then all bets off.
Pull the drain plug and collect the result. Use 2 tubs. If you get straight water, then straight oil you may be in luck. If you have a mixture then pull the inspection cover to see the actual condition of the gears and bearings.
Good luck

No doubt it has water in there. But here is another problem that has happened. And it is fairly common. There is a line from the lift pump that goes through the inside of the transmission. If the lift resivoir got water in it, and it sat outside and froze, and burst then lift oil is being forced inside your transmission making it exit out the gearshift boot. If you determine this be the case I can provide you information on a fix for it but it isn’t quick and easy. Good luck sir

 

[5030]

Another unit desperately in need of a bath...lol The fill port plug should be gasketed or have a rubber ring under the flange to seal it and I'd look closely at the selector boots as well. On my Kubota OS, the boots are secured to the shift plate tower with spring rings.

If it was mine, I'd be giving it a bath first so the crud don't wind up in the gearbox. Sandy crud is hard on gearbox components. Eats bearings alive, gears too.

 

[NTG]

Awesome, thank you everyone. I'll let y'all know what I find when I get a chance to look at it. So what is that little plunger next to the hexagonal fill hole? Is that a dip stick to show the level? I didn't see any markings on it, but I may not have had my glasses on. There are also not a whole lot of level spots on my place, so when I pulled it out, maybe the tractor was not sitting level, but I don't recall seeing any fluid on that stick when I pulled it out. I'll post a pic of it when I go back over there. Thanks again!

 

[Mike1955]

The dip stick is for the lift oil. It’s most likely all in the tranney now!

 

[NTG]

The dip stick is for the lift oil. It’s most likely all in the tranney now!

Thanks Mike. I've got to go through my manuals more thoroughly. Of course the problem is thousands of pages for umpteen models of tractors and I've got to find what's pertinent to mine. Or I can just ask my neighbor next time he's over. He's been raising cows for 30 years and has seen a tractor or two...... I'm sure he'll know.