970 powershift, pressure, PTO, brakes...

Hi, I had made a couple posts while I was tractor shopping. Ended up buying a Case 970. Knew it had a few issues but I got it cheap enough I figured it was worth the the chance. Previous owner wasn't using a sight glass for the hydraulic fluid and he said he had changed the filters before but didn't know when. I was hoping that filling to the proper level and a filter change would fix it but it didn't. The pressure is a little low so I had suspected that if I got the pressure up it could fix the issues since everything on this tractor is tied into the one hydraulic system. I did a complete fluid change, installed a sight glass and installed pressure valves into the filters. Found out that the previous owner was running it without those valves installed, not a good sign. Doing all of that had no effect on the pressure. I was thinking the next step for me would be to pull the valve body and give it a thorough cleaning.

Here's the problems it has. Brakes are pretty much useless. PTO won't stop turning, I attached it to a 9' haybine today and it still turned. It won't go into powershift 3. Everything else works in every range. Wondering if it could be a linkage issue, I'll post some pics below. I thought PS 2 was supposed to be up against the metal tab. Well PS 2 is just past the tab. Makes me wonder if the linkage can't reach the correct position for PS 3.

Also wonder if there could be any issues with the PTO linkage. I took the lever cover off today to get a better look at everything and the PTO and draft levers seem kind of weird. I'll post a video link below for those at the bottom. Notice how with those two levers they get kind of crooked when I move them.


Here's where 2nd engages



Here's where the pressure is currently sitting at.

Video showing me move the PTO lever

your pressure is good you need to adjust the powershift cable. If the lever dosent snap into each into each possition you may need to replace the cable, The brake discs need to be replaced. The pivot shaft for the pto lever needs to be welded back in place Stan

If it makes any difference, the pressure never goes any higher than that. That's assuming the gauge is accurate too. I do not own anything to test the pressure with myself. There's an old school shop up the road from, everyone there seems to be between 50-70 years old. It's a Massey service place but I'm guessing they could at least pressure test anything for me.

I undid the PTO cable from the lever today, pulled it all the way up and the PTO still didn't turn off. So looks like no easy fix for me. Going to have to pull the assembly off the rear?

The upper stop is still on the clutch pedal on this tractor. I've seen on various forums it should be removed. This is an older serial number tractor if it makes any difference, starts with 868.

Okay got powershift 3 to work. Apparently hasn't been activated in years. There was a ring of crud on the piston showing the furthest it's been slid into the valve body. I wasn't sure how to adjust the cable so as a temporary fix I removed the lever stop. This of course can't be a long term fix since it won't work when the cover is back on. How is the cable adjusted? I see the large nut on each side of the cable. If I loosen those does the cable spin to adjust?

Next up, how do I stop the pto? Doesn't appear to be a cable issue. I got underneath the tractor today and slid piston in and out of the PTO valve and it didn't make a difference.

Here's some pics and a video. Thought I'd put them up to see if theres anything that stand out to anyone. Video link at the bottom showing me shift through the positions.





Powershift positions

To adjust the cable loosen one nut and tight the other nut. There are adjusting nuts on both ends of the cable. The pto has probably been used too long with the lever pivot shaft broke loose.The pto clutch pack will need to be rebilt and brake replaced. I always replace the piston seals also. Stan

The cable nuts at the control valve are positioned so you get the most forward travel from the cable, the other nuts and clevises will have to be adjusted to extend the spool into the body, I would set it so the second power shift spool position detented just as the lever hit the second ps stop. Make sure there is no tension against the shift fork pin when reverse is selected as if there is mechanical pressure on the reverse lockout it will be difficult to get it out of the reverse position. Set all the big cable nuts and clevises so you get maximum cable travel.

Ran it with the haybine through some tall wet grass today. Doing that the PTO does stop. When I turned the PTO on it would kick all the grass out and not stop again until I ran through some more grass into it.

(quoted from post at 15:40:29 05/21/18) Ran it with the haybine through some tall wet grass today. Doing that the PTO does stop. When I turned the PTO on it would kick all the grass out and not stop again until I ran through some more grass into it.

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Hi I was wondering if you ever figured this out? I'm having the same issues on my 970 the PTO won't disengage and it's showing no pressure but when hooked up to the baler it turns it like nothing