New to me Hydro 70 questions?

tractorsam

Well-known Member
Myself and a friend went for a little road trip yesterday and I came home with a new addition to the fleet. It's a Hydro 70 (D312 diesel) and it came with (not installed) a Lessard loader and Royal Hinson cab. I now have a very long list of questions to try and get this lot assembled and working correctly as this era of IH is totally new to me, I've mostly stuck with letter and early number series. I need to get myself some manuals for this. Hopefully I'll get some pictures later. Here goes;

1. The 3 point hitch doesn't lift which I gather is a not uncommon issue. The power steering works fine (separate pump?). I've read that the pump is a common issue with these. Is there any troubleshooting that can be done before I just up and replace the pump?

2. There are no cold starting aids on the tractor. Can a frost plug style heater be put in? Where should I plumb in a tank style heater? Can I / should I install an ether kit (not for everyday usage but just in case it's needed)? I plan on making a box for 2 12v batteries in parallel once I have the cab and loader mounted. Anything else to help it get going in the cold?

3. It doesn't appear to have a coolant filter on it? Is it good to have or could I run an extended life coolant in it?

4. The hydro seems to work fine, beyond regular fluid and filter changes is there anything that can be done to keep it this way?

That's it for now, but I'm sure there'll be more as I get into this. Thanks in advance. Sam
 
The first thing to do is to order an owners manual.At less than 40 bucks the cheapest thing you will ever buy for your tractor.I have a 310. The heater is in the temp sender and the lower radiator hose.Dont know wich pump you have,If it has a German Bosch with the 'fuel dump',you dont need either.But if it ever is,a very quick spritz in the intake is ALL that is needed.In fact,I have removed the either injectors from all my diesel tractors.One otrher thing. Always Put the thing in LOW range while working.Only use High while on the road.
 
I have an IT manual on the way and will get hold of a good set of manuals for it as well from somewhere I don't think can be mentioned on here. I've found a freeze plug style block heater on it and it works but needs a new cord. I've had it plugged in for an hour or so and (with the battery charger hooked up) it fired right up so I think some new batteries and a new cord and I'll be set. It's had a pretty poor repaint so the decals for high/low etc are all gone so I'll have to try it once I get it off the trailer. I noticed with it running the AMP light is on, once I rev it past 1200 or so it goes out but if I rev it higher and keep it up there it will start to flash - what is it trying to tell me? Thanks, Sam
 
I may be confused on this but if the power steering and the hydro work, the problem with your 3pt isn't the pump. Have you tried moving the draft control lever to "position?" If it is set to heavy draft, I think the hitch will drop in an attempt to create maximum draft, and will not come up with the position control lever.

The AMP light is trying to tell you that there is something wrong with the charging system. Alternator, regulator, or wiring.
 
I've tried most combinations of the two hitch levers and haven't
accomplished so much as a sound or a twitch of the hitch. Will
grab a multimeter and see what's going on with the charging.
Thanks, Sam
 
Dead head one of the aux valves while trying to lift hitch. If that does not work, I would take cover off under seat and look for unhooked linkage.
 
I gave up on tandem batteries and use one big one. I just put mine in the cab, left side between the seat and the side of the cab. I bought new HEAVY battery cables. 1100 amps battery I think. Yes, freeze plug heater. They are easy to install. Yes, ether aid.
Case IH has a coolant conditioner that I add annually. And I use nothing but Case IH Hy-tran.
You will love the Hydro as a loader tractor. (but you will probably hate it for everything else. They are a real dog on road hauling.
 
I have no auxiliary valves. There was a loader on it and it appears the supply hose for its valve has just been looped around. Will do on the plate under the seat. Thanks, Sam
 
I will see what I can find for a battery. It actually has a freeze plug heater already, I just hadn't found it. Once I get sorted out with it I'll change the coolant and start from fresh. Thanks, Sam
 
Well, the multimeter says when the light is on it's not charging
(12.3v). Once the light is out I get 15.4 volts. When the light
starts flashing I'm getting 15.4v, then it drops, goes back to
15.4 and repeat. The lights also seem to 'flash' so I'm thinking
the regulator's dying. It's had a 10si grafted on so I'll get
another. Thanks, Sam
 
As I'm unable to deadhead a valve I've taken the cover off beneath the seat. With the tractor running I get a slight increase in oil level from no obvious source and a barely detectable flow in the oil. To the right of the tractor I see the control valve? With the draft lever at 'light' the square block to the rear of the valve doesn't move when I move the position control lever. With the draft lever in the center position or ahead of center (to heavy) moving the position control lever results in a proportional movement of the square block in the same direction. I don't know if this helps but it's all I can see. Thanks, Sam
 
Your description of movement sounds normal. With draft control lever on light toward rear it already pulls the valve out and with it on heavy, which is where you should leave it then the position control lever would move the valve (block you are seeing move pulls stem of valve). Make sure that when you push position control lever all the way forward into offset that it contacts the action control device and moving lever in and out of action control (offset) that valve lever pivots. The action control mechanism just dumps oil supply to slow hitch reaction time. You either have no or only slight flow from pump, unloading valve sticking in draft control valve assembly or fluid is just leaking away , looping around in valve section. You can take pipe off from hitch pump to check free flow in a bucket but if you cannot deadhead system it is pretty hard to simulate stuck unloading valve. You could put a valve in the looped hose and partially restrict flow. I just have to assume the system relief valve is still intact in the aux valve body mounting plate.
 
Sounds good. I am seeing the 'action control' section at the front of the position control. Where is the action control device? Where is the unloading valve for the draft control located and can it be disassembled or otherwise checked? I'm assuming the hitch pump has the smaller steel line coming off it (not the larger rubber one)? If I disconnect the loop for the loader valve and insert a valve I assume I need to be careful that I don't exceed max system pressure when I close (or partially close) the valve? What is the max system pressure? Thank you and sorry for all the questions. Sam
 
The 10SI is the only type of alternator listed for the Hydro 70 tractor.

A bad diode trio may cause symptoms like you are describing. If the diode trio does not provide power internally to the regulator the alternator may still continue to provide charging voltage. The filed coil in the rotor will still continue to receive power through the light bulb but the light will remain on and the output amps of the alternator will be reduced.

More likely your problem is poor connections either internally or external to the alternator.
 
Thank you. I didn't realize a 10 SI was original to the tractor. I
had another one here and I've swapped it on and it's taken
care of my issues. Sam
 
Sorry guys i am new to this page... i have hydro 100 tractor its in bad shape. I need help finding the year of the tractor to start rebuilding it, most of the plates are missing. Does anybody know where to look on the tractor to find the year?
 

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