Ford 3600 - love the engineering!

I've got a pretty nice restored 3600 I bought a few years ago at an auction. Haven't had to work on it much but I ran it out of diesel over the weekend digging post holes. Refueled and it wouldn't start, so I grabbed a crescent wrench and went looking for the bleed screw on the injector pump. I didn't have the manual with me but know the general routine. Bled the pump, still no start. Starting looking at access to the injectors and saw the lines go under the battery tray. Grrr. Took the battery out and looking for the bolts on the tray, I noticed one side was on a hinge pin. Looked at the other side: a nice slotted bracket with a captive bolt! Put the battery back in, loosened the captive bolt and swung the tray (with battery still in it) out of the way! Voila, clear access to the injectors. Cracked all 3, bled them for a while and it fired right up! Swung the tray back, tightened the bolt and I was back in business.

Some might say "Big deal, why are you so excited?" but working on cars/trucks lately, it seems like every little maintenance chore has an obstacle course to get through. Whether it's changing plugs, belts, oil or air filter, routine maintenance has become a PITA. Just wanted to tip my hat to the Ford engineer who said "let's put the battery tray on a swivel"

I like that to.

JML755,
One thing to pay attention to, as you swing that battery out and back, is the battery cables. Many of those tractors have burnt up over the years because the cables have rubbed thru and have grounded out the battery. Fire starts right next to the fuel tank!!
Some people like to add a little extra cover onto the cables. Like an old piece of garden hose.
HTH
Keith

Battery trays also like to pinch the wire harness near the fuel tank as well. Ford used to have BIG problems with that until they notched the bracket and bolted the wire harness down in place.

Yes!
I've sold a few of these 3 cyl Fords in the past few years. If a buyer comes to look at it I will usually open that battery tray for them so they can see the plug wires (gasser) or injectors.
They generally are impressed.

What Keith said, I did this on our 3600, covered that cable with garden hose, so I did not have to worry about a fire.

i'm glad my 5000 has a swing out tray for that darn 4dlt battery..

Works great until you decide to put a loader on the tractor, now battery tray swivels about 1.5 inches. BTDT. If I need access still have to remove battery and tray, then can't spin the engine without jumper cables or some other rigged up solution. Find it easier/quicker to tow the tractor and get it spinning a little quicker. Have not had to do this for quite a while since I learned my lesson, but tractor usually fired off within 30-40 feet. Sometimes have to wait for a second body to drive the tow vehicle.

Kirk

I have a Ford 720 loader installed and my battery tray swings out just fine. I park mine with the bucket facing down, that may position the loader arm so the battery tray clears it.

All loaders are not equal. My Great Bend 330 Loader frame does a real nice job of blocking the tray. I imagine some of the thought/design process centered on access to engine. Frame is pretty much at same height as hood so it interferes very little for most of the engine access (filters/starter/etc.) and I can always remove the tray if I need to get to the top of the engine for injectors or anything else up there.

Kirk

On my 2000 3 cyl, when I had the one arm on the tractor, it blocked the air filter. Had to remove the loader to clean it. Not a better idea.

John