Farmall H Update

Bryce Frazier

Well-known Member
Just went out and fired the H up, with it idling, and the clutch out, I pulled the control rod as far as it would go, and nothing happened. Engine did bog down or anything. Then tried it with the belt pulley on (which shouldn't matter right) and it still didn't do anything.

Mom was freaked out that I was even outside, so, that is all I can do for today...

Maybe tomorrow I pop the cover off the bottom and see what is what?!

Oh, yes there was a thick ish purple fluid in it. I tried removing the cap, but it pulled everything out, the tube, seal, washer, and a spring that was on the cap, so, I need to fix that...

Any ideas? First thing would be check out the drive coupler huh? When I got the tractor it didn't even have a control rod on it, so I guessed that the hydraulics were bad, useless, or un-needed...

Bryce
 
Making sure its still connected and has oil would be the first thing to try. Lots of guys will tell you to put hytran in it but if you use it a lot you'd probably be better off with 30 wt non detergent oil. I had hydraulic oil in mine for a while plowing and it eventually got hot and wouldn't lift. Never had a problem with 30wt. If you only use it occasionally then hydraulic oil is fine.
 
Oh, yes there was a thick ish purple fluid in it. - Thats one problem right there!

I tried removing the cap, but it pulled everything out, the tube, seal, washer, and a spring that was on the cap, so, I need to fix that... - Next Problem, you didnt pull the right cap or something. Its just a piece of pipe with a cap on it.
 
Right, I get that, but instead of unscrewing the cap from the pipe, the cap was rusted TO the pipe, and it unscrewed the pipe from the tank...

I have no idea what is in it for fluid, but from experience, it kind of looked like older ATF fluid?! Maybe a little thicker though? Either way, how do I drain it out? I want to to match all the rest of my equipment, which is hydrotran, "heavy weight". Works really good for me, even when it is HOT...
 
(quoted from post at 13:30:54 06/04/15) Right, I get that, but instead of unscrewing the cap from the pipe, the cap was rusted TO the pipe, and it unscrewed the pipe from the tank...

I have no idea what is in it for fluid, but from experience, it kind of looked like older ATF fluid?! Maybe a little thicker though? Either way, how do I drain it out? I want to to match all the rest of my equipment, which is hydrotran, "heavy weight". Works really good for me, even when it is HOT...

Should be a drain plug in the bottom.
 
The spring, washer, and felt seal are original equipment for all the pipe openings but you rarely see them anymore.
 
You could very well have some old ATF in there. I think one of my Ms has it in the pump and it work great. Drain plug is on the bottom. If youre referring to Hytran, its not the best in he belly pump, but will work. I found it bubbles up too much and makes the hydraulics slower and weaker.
Back to the pipe, I fiqured out what you were talking about. Every M or H ive ever had has had those missing on top.
 
Well, I have that "hydrotran" stuff in my Super C, and it runs the lift on the JD No.5 mower. Other than that, I don't have any other hydraulics, but everyone I have talked to has told me to KEEP EVERYTHING THE SAME. Which, makes sense.

What would be an ideal fluid to run in them? Because I am thinking that I should go ahead and just drain the Super C out, because it leaks all over the place, and I kind of think part of it may be due to how thin that hydrotran is when it is hot...

Someone else on here said 30 wt. Sound right to all yall?
 
The hydraulic systems on the letter series tractors (Farmall A, B, H and M and I don't know about the later C which came out in 1947) were late 1930's designs. The owners manual for the Farmall H says to use only clean engine oil which was also called out for use in the engine. I don't know when detergent motor oils were introduced but I'm thinking the non-detergent oils were the engine oil in use at that time. Since detergent oils have come onto the market they are now used in the engine for their increased cleaning properties and most everyone now use them in the engines. However, using detergent oils in your lift all or belly pump causes them to bubble or foam which is detrimental to the system performance hence non-detergent 30 weight oil is most commonly used in the hydraulic system on the H and M model tractors. Non-detergent 30 weight is easily obtainable and can be found at most automotive and farm and home type stores. Another problem in using Hy-Tran or similar hydraulic fluid in your H is that being thinner in viscosity it is more prone to leaking. The Super C being introduced in 1951 with the Touch Control Hydraulic System was initially required to use IH Touch Control Fluid which is no longer produced but similar to the present Hy-Tran which as you know is readily available.
I would suggest that the non-detergent 30 weight motor oil be used in your H for hydraulic fluid and it is easy to maintain the system as the product is available and your system was designed for it's use. The owners manual states to service the system yearly with 6 quarts of new oil and not to overfill. Overfilling causes the excess oil to be vented through the fill cap which will appear on everything near the vent and fill cap. Maintaining your tractors with different types of fluids is not difficult and using the same engine oil in each is understandable but not for the hydraulic system as they are certainly different designs from different times, Hal.
 
I forgot to comment on the leaks of the Hy-Tran fluid on your Super C. You need to realize that your tractor is close to 65 years old and gaskets get old and brittle with age. You didn't note where your system is leaking fluid which could be in the front pump location or the touch control unit itself but the underlying cause most likely are the seals and gaskets. I have a 1953 Super C which I restored including the entire hydraulic system was removed, disassembled, cleaned and all new seals, O-rings, gaskets, etc. installed which leaked so bad everywhere that I had to add fluid on a monthly basis before it's restoration. It was restored and the hydraulics rebuilt in 2010 and filled with Hy-Tran and haven't added a drop since that time as there is no leakage anywhere in the system at this time. Hot Hy-Tran is not your problem and adding a higher viscosity type fluid then the system was designed for will lead to other problems with your hydraulics. The last I knew everything was still available to rebuild and reseal your Super C hydraulic system from CaseIH to eliminate your leakage issues, Hal.
 
Just a comment on foaming oil. If detergent oils foam, how could an engine with hydraulic valve lifters ever function. Foaming is the worlds worst enemy of any hydraulic lifter or lash adjuster and all of those engines require detergent oil to keep the lifters clean and operating . Detergent oils all have anti foaming additives and a non detergent does not. As far as the H not developing any hydraulic pressure it could be as simple as the lever is improperly indexed externally to the lug that goes inside of the pump . A quick feel of the lever compared to a working one will tell you that.
 
How hard should it be to pull the lever? Mine pulls out VERY easily, and seems to have a spring return setup, wants to go back on it's own??
 
The rod moves pretty easily through its length of travel, but will stay in the lift position (it has a detent). if it is running, and the ports are capped, the pressure will override the detent and unlatch the rod to fall back to the hold position (small stop on the rod touching the rod bracket) If no engine speed change, the coupling may be missing. Jim
 

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