1959 Ford 881 S.O.S. diesel stopped abruptly in 10th gear

CGA55

Member
Hey guys, never used a forum before, so not sure how to post yet. Anyways, I just bought an 881, driving it to the farm it did great, 28 miles without any trouble except it never got into 10th gear. Then, 300 yards before the gate on a pave it finally went into 10th nd abruptly died, skidded at the end and now won't start, go into neutral, and when trying to pull it, R/H rear wheel wants to turn in reverse, opposite the L/H wheel!?

I've got the 3 set manual ordered, assume the S-O-S cable let-go, safety featute shut fuel off, and rear end pin sheared. Of course I have no clue. Any ideas or experience with this sort of scenario? I'd appreciate any input, especially if there's anyway to get her into a neutral condition so I can tow her home without damaging her any more...

Thanks,

Charlie Pea of Ridge Arkansas
 
In order to tow it:
There is a traction disconnect lever on the left side aft of the running board mounted on a round plate. You remove the lever, turn it over, re-intall it and rotate it about 60 degrees toward the rear. Sometimes it helps to rock the rear tire fore and aft to disengage. If you force the lever rearward it can pop out of place leaving the lever free to rotate but it is disengaged internally from the coupler and doesn't release the drive line.
 
(quoted from post at 18:41:32 09/17/13) In order to tow it:
There is a traction disconnect lever on the left side aft of the running board mounted on a round plate. You remove the lever, turn it over, re-intall it and rotate it about 60 degrees toward the reau Ir. Sometimes it helps to rock the rear tire fore and aft to disengage. If you force the lever rearward it can pop out of place leaving the lever free to rotate but it is disengaged internally from the coupler and doesn't release the drive line.


Thanks, I appreciate you - Charlie
 

Sorry, got so excited I forgot to ask if any tools are required e.g., must I remove the plate to access the lever, or is the lever exposed and for hand operation?
 

First - there's nothing wrong with your rear end! Not sure what happened to your transmission . . . unless it was halfway between 9th and 10th and trying to apply both at the same time.

Do as Texas said. It should take an 11/16 wrench to remove the nut from the lockout strap. I often use a 12" adjustable end wrench to disengage and engage the traction disconnect rather than the lock strap. But if you do don't overpressure it.
 
(quoted from post at 19:46:56 09/17/13)
First - there's nothing wrong with your rear end! Not sure what happened to your transmission . . . unless it was halfway between 9th and 10th and trying to apply both at the same time.

Do as Texas said. It should take an 11/16 wrench to remove the nut from the lockout strap. I often use a

Thanks again, it moved clock-wise est. 45-60° k



.
But if you do don't overpressure it.
 
(quoted from post at 19:46:56 09/17/13)
First - there's nothing wrong with your rear end! Not sure what happened to your transmission . . . unless it was halfway between 9th and 10th and trying to apply both at the same time.

Do as Texas said. It should take an 11/16 wrench to remove the nut from the lockout strap. I often use a

Thanks again, it moved clock-wise est. 45-60° k



.
But if you do don't overpressure it.
 
No tools aside from a wrench to remove the locking nut and turn the locking strap.

Rock the tractor back and forth. DO NOT force the disconnect mechanism.

Better yet, get the engine started and drive it where you want to take it.

Dean
 
I tried starting it after disconnecting the lever but it barely turns over, even with a jump with awg #6 and truck battery. Never lost oil pressure or or overheated. Moved SOS lever to park, then neutral but no go... :-(
 
I want to thank yawl for all your kind input. Turns out she died because the injector pump stopped supplying fuel! Wouldn't turn over with traction release, once I returned the lever, she turned over again. Plenty of good fuel, broke line downstream of filyet at pump inlet and had flow. Broke injector line, but get no flow either by gravity or when turning engine over in start position... Can see that fuel control lever turns swashplate shaft. Is it possible that tank foreign object (rust etc) might have starved pump, if so; is there any way to prime pump, or determine if connecting drive has failed?
 

I want to thank yawl for all your kind input. Turns out she died because the injector pump stopped supplying fuel! Wouldn't turn over with traction release, once I returned the lever, she turned over again. Plenty of good fuel, broke line downstream of filyet at pump inlet and had flow. Broke injector line, but get no flow either by gravity or when turning engine over in start position... Can see that fuel control lever turns swashplate shaft. Is it possible that tank foreign object (rust etc) might have starved pump, if so; is there any way to prime pump, or determine if connecting drive has failed?
 


I want to thank yawl for all your kind input. Turns out she died because the injector pump stopped supplying fuel! Wouldn't turn over with traction release, once I returned the lever, she turned over again. Plenty of good fuel, broke line downstream of filyet at pump inlet and had flow. Broke injector line, but get no flow either by gravity or when turning engine over in start position... Can see that fuel control lever turns swashplate shaft. Is it possible that tank foreign object (rust etc) might have starved pump, if so; is there any way to prime pump, or determine if connecting drive has failed?
 

(Revision A.) Again, I want to thank yawl for all your kind input. Turns out she died because the injector pump stopped supplying fuel! Don't care to try and remove pump assy from block mtg pad without service manual or witnessing, don't want to mess with timing.

Again, I should have all three manuals delivered before Friday, but noticed a wire exciting through a grommet in that round plate near the traction leaver, but it has been cut short and isn't connected, just wrapped up around the lever handle, and hanging loose...

She wouldn't turn over with traction release, once I returned the lever, she turned over again. There's plenty of good fuel, filter cartridge appears fairly new, so I broke line downstream of filter at pump inlet and had flow.

Broke injector line, but get no flow either by gravity or when turning engine over in start position. Put a little positive pressure in tank, didn't seem to pass-through pump/piston assembly or bleed out 1 of 4 injector outlets. I didn't remove tank return line connection.

I don't see any solenoid fuel shutoff valve, so don't believe there could be any SOS interlock to prevent startups in any transmission position, unless there's some elaborate mechanical coupling connected to pump drive.

Can see that fuel control lever turns swashplate shaft. Is it possible that tank foreign object (rust etc) might have starved pump, if so; is there any way to prime pump, or determine if connecting drive has failed?

Thanks again guys, Charlie in Pea Ridge, Arkansas
 

(Revision A.) Again, I want to thank yawl for all your kind input. Turns out she died because the injector pump stopped supplying fuel! Don't care to try and remove pump assy from block mtg pad without service manual or witnessing, don't want to mess with timing.

Again, I should have all three manuals delivered before Friday, but noticed a wire exciting through a grommet in that round plate near the traction leaver, but it has been cut short and isn't connected, just wrapped up around the lever handle, and hanging loose...

She wouldn't turn over with traction release, once I returned the lever, she turned over again. There's plenty of good fuel, filter cartridge appears fairly new, so I broke line downstream of filter at pump inlet and had flow.

Broke injector line, but get no flow either by gravity or when turning engine over in start position. Put a little positive pressure in tank, didn't seem to pass-through pump/piston assembly or bleed out 1 of 4 injector outlets. I didn't remove tank return line connection.

I don't see any solenoid fuel shutoff valve, so don't believe there could be any SOS interlock to prevent startups in any transmission position, unless there's some elaborate mechanical coupling connected to pump drive.

Can see that fuel control lever turns swashplate shaft. Is it possible that tank foreign object (rust etc) might have starved pump, if so; is there any way to prime pump, or determine if connecting drive has failed?

Thanks again guys, Charlie in Pea Ridge, Arkansas
 

(Revision A.) Again, I want to thank yawl for all your kind input. The input regarding traction release got her to the barn - yeah! :)

It turns out she died because the injector pump stopped supplying fuel (pretty darn sure about this, as she was scooting-along great for 28 miles without any problems, then suddenly died)! I don't care to try and remove pump assy from block mtg pad to determine if its connected, I'd imagine it's driven similar to a distributor. without service manual or witnessing, don't want to mess with timing.

Again, I should have all three manuals delivered before Friday, but noticed a wire exciting through a grommet in that round plate near the traction leaver, but it has been cut short and isn't connected, just wrapped up around the lever handle, and hanging loose...

She wouldn't turn over with traction release, once I returned the lever, she turned over again. There's plenty of good fuel, filter cartridge appears fairly new, so I broke line downstream of filter at pump inlet and had flow.

Broke injector line, but get no flow either by gravity or when turning engine over in start position. Put a little positive pressure in tank, didn't seem to pass-through pump/piston assembly or bleed out 1 of 4 injector outlets. I didn't remove tank return line connection.

I don't see any solenoid fuel shutoff valve, so don't believe there could be any SOS interlock to prevent startups in any transmission position, unless there's some elaborate mechanical coupling connected to pump drive.

Can see that fuel control lever turns swashplate shaft. Is it possible that tank foreign object (rust etc) might have starved pump, if so; is there any way to prime pump, or determine if connecting drive has failed?

Thanks again guys, Charlie in Pea Ridge, Arkansas
 
(reply to post at 19:46:56 09/1it7/13)

(Revision A.) I hope I'm not repeating myself or pestering you fine folks, but like I said earlie; this is my first time to ever post anything on-line.

Again, I want to thank yawl for all your kind input. The input regarding traction release got her to the barn - oyeah! :)

It turns out she died because the injector pump stopped supplying fuel (pretty darn sure about this, as she was scooting-along great for 28 miles without any problems, then suddenly died)! I don't care to try and remove pump assy from block mtg pad to determine if its connected, I'd imagine it's driven similar to a distributor. without service manual or witnessing, don't want to mess with timing.

Again, I should have all three manuals delivered before Friday, but noticed a wire exciting through a grommet in that round plate near the traction leaver, but it has been cut short and isn't connected, just wrapped up around the lever handle, and hanging loose...

She wouldn't turn over with traction release, once I returned the lever, she turned over again. There's plenty of good fuel, filter cartridge appears fairly new, so I broke line downstream of filter at pump inlet and had flow.

Broke injector line, but get no flow either by gravity or when turning engine over in start position. Put a little positive pressure in tank, didn't seem to pass-through pump/piston assembly or bleed out 1 of 4 injector outlets. I didn't remove tank return line connection.

I don't see any solenoid fuel shutoff valve, so don't believe there could be any SOS interlock to prevent startups in any transmission position, unless there's some elaborate mechanical coupling connected to pump drive.

Can see that fuel control lever turns swashplate shaft. Is it possible that tank foreign object (rust etc) might have starved pump, if so; is there any way to prime pump, or determine if connecting drive has failed?

Thanks again guys, Charlie in Pea Ridge, Arkansas
 
I can't help you much on your fuel delivery problem, but I can tell you that the only safety interlock related to the S-O-S transmission that has any effect on the starting of the engine is a safety switch in line with the starter switch than only allows the starter to turn if the selector valve in the transmission is in the Park position. If you are jumping the starter directly and the starter is turning, then you can rule that out as a possible cause of keeping the engine from starting.
 

A couple of suggestions: I have a 971D. It will crank for a week at almost fast enough to start but won't start, so make sure that it has a good charge and cranks rapidly. I finally removed my starter and found bronze powder around the bushing. After a rebuild the engine fires right up. You found that your fuel supply interrupted. One way to help it to prime is to remove the front window. If fuel is up to that level it will run right out. It takes a lot of cranking to prime, with boosting through adequate cables.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top