Select o Speed experts

Aaron9876

Member
1969 gas ford 4400 with selectospeed

Finally getting to do some maintenance on this tractor trying to get it ready for spring/summer. It had 2 issues that i wanted to get fixed.

1) R1 would engage very suddenly couldn't get it to slowly move

2) 5th would hesitate significantly before engaging

I adjusted the bands per the manual band 1 was pretty close, 2 was a little loose, and 3 was way to tight. Then when i tried to drive the tractor R1 along with a few other gears wouldn't engage. I tightened band 3 about 2 turns and that got all of the gears working again then fine tuned band 3 more until i could use all gears reasonably functioning.

However R1 still engages to hard (but better than before) and 5th still lags (atleast 3-4 seconds before engaging and then engages very softly)

looking for some input on possible causes

pressure measured at servo #1 was about 15 psi low from manual. Didn't measure the rest, thats probably my next step along with adjusting the valve block to restore proper pressure per manual.

Any guidance would be appreciated, from what i saw it seemed that band 3 was the problem child.
 
Your on the right track, per the manual, check the sequencing valves, they can stick or fail. And did you clean the valve ports and check all the little springs etc.??
 
ok, finally got around to working a little on this tractor...checked psi at all 3 servos, all the same around 195 at 800 rpm 10 psi short of the 205 specified. Hard to see that causing my problems. Head of the sequencing valve adjustment screw was sticking out about 1 1/2 turns. Adjusted it flush per the manual.

How the heck do you get the retainer off the other two adjustment screws? I tried to make a little right angle screw driver with no success, it just bent...screw was to tight. Even if i could remove it there is absolutely no room to put it back on? Im afraid if i remove it I will drop it down into the tranny.

Prior to adjusments i noticed while operating it this weekend that the tranny was getting hot...like cant keep your hand on it hot. Manual says operating temp is like 110 deg F. so something is slipping I would assume.

In a nutshell my new question is do i just need to take that valve body off and disassemble/clean/reassemble?

And what kinds of fluid do you put in that tranny the nearest new Holland dealership is like 2 hours away, tractor supply about 15 ...?
 
The M2C41A spec was what was recommended when that tractor was new, but that was so long ago that most brands don't even mention that spec in their list of which specs they meet.

A Google search shows that a Pennzoil product called Hydra-tranz still says that it meets the old M2C41A spec, but I can't find any place that still sells that product. It looks like it might have been discontinued.

Any New Holland dealer (New Holland now owns the legacy of the Ford tractor brand) will recommend M2C134D, which is their current spec, but their 134D fluid is about $70.00 or more for a 5 gallon bucket. You can find generic UTF (Universal Tractor Fluid) that meet the newest M2C134D specification for a lot less. Tractor Supply carries one called Traveller Universal Tractor Tran/Hydraulic Fluid that meets the 134D spec and sells for around $40.00 for a 5 gallon bucket these days, and is sometimes on sale for around $35.00. Just find a UTF that says on the label that it meets or exceeds either the M2C41A spec or the M2C134D spec and you should be fine.
 
Got the pressure adjusted finally, apparently if you read the manual slowly it actually tells you to remove the valve body to remove the retainers...seriously im an engineer...A child could have enough forsight to prevent that from being necessary...

A few pointers for anyone who ever come upon this thread...

1)Don't move the little pipe coming out of the valve body unless you need to line it up for the top of the valve body to fit on. I couldnt get the valve body back on and finally realized it was because that pipe can slide in and out and need to line up with a retainer. If however you slide it to far in you remove the other end from its socket...big mistake. Took me an hour to get that (apparently the forum didnt approve of this word) back on. If you are unfortunate enough to do this put the tube back into the valve body as far as you can then you get to play find the female end of the tube.

2)Use your hand or anything else to cover the transmission when you put it into neutral to adjust the pressure. When in neutral none of the bands are applied and hence the ring gears spin...and spray fluid everywhere...including your face. If you then panic and accidentally push the selector cable the wrong way...it spins faster and then sprays more fluid.

Boosting the pressure did seem to have an effect on the bands, going to change filter and fluid readjust bands and see if some of my problems will have went away. Pickup screen was clean.
 
From doing a little more research I went with the tractor supply utf. Thanks for the help in that area. Everything's reassembled... re adjusted bands...still having issues. Had to tighten bands 2 and 3 again just to get tractor to move. Adjusted 2 and 3 until I could stall out motor by using brakes while in gear. Is it possible the friction material on the bands is gone? Does anyone have an idea why the factory specs arnt working for band adjustment?
 
I am nearing the time to work on this tractor again. I've still got pretty much every problem that i started with and the most concerning, the transmission gets very hot during use is still an issue. Anyone got ideas? Is there anywhere else to ask for advice on this transmission?
 
Forddoc here on the forum works on a lot of them, he has a shop in Iowa. He helped me out with my transmission.

Might run the problems by him.
 
(quoted from post at 12:45:04 04/10/15) I am nearing the time to work on this tractor again. I've still got pretty much every problem that i started with and the most concerning, the transmission gets very hot during use is still an issue. Anyone got ideas? Is there anywhere else to ask for advice on this transmission?

The SOS in my '59 971 works perfectly, and it gets hot enough when working like baling hay, that it hurts when my bare leg goes against it. I have read on here that this is normal. There are various guys around the country who rebuild them. if you were to give your location someone will probably recommend someone nearby.
 
A '69 4400 with an S-O-S should have a dual core radiator with transmission cooler lines going up to the radiator. Are your lines still there and intact? Maybe a previous owner looped them at the trans when they had a leak? If the cooler lines are still there, is the radiator itself clean and clear in terms of the fins not being blocked?

My '73 4000 S-O-S has always been a little jerky starting out either reverse gear. I've found that the more often I work it the smoother it gets, but then if I don't use it at all for several weeks or longer then it gets jerky again.

5th gear hesitates a little when starting out on mine as well, but mine's only about a half to a full second, not 3 to 4 seconds like you're describing. Almost sounds like a leak or a clog in an internal line such that it's taking a while to build enough pressure to get everything to engage.

I've tested the pressure on mine and I get 205 psi right on the nose so I haven't had to do any adjusting on that, and I've kept the bands adjusted and changed the fluid and filter regularly and I'll just keep knocking wood as I continue to use it. I got it for a steal, so I figure that after the first 3 or 4 years it had paid for itself and kept me from having to buy a more expensive machine.
 
Thanks for the replies. I will check the return line to see if im getting flow.

Any input on the band adjusting and why the factory specs arnt working? Still a little nervous about that...

Also does anyone know where to get the fluid filter for that? couldnt find one, thinking about making a steel plate to replace the current cast cover and plumbing on a modern external screw on filter. But if i can avoid that by simply buying the correct filter that would be best.
 
The filter at Dennis Carpenter is the one for the pre 65' SOS trans. The 65+ ones I believe have an externally accessible filter, not the same as the one that Dennis Carpenter sells.

Get with Forddoc, he works on them a lot, as well as do some of the other guys here, they can give you some more info on that.
 
Current part number for the filter is 309735 and should be available through any New Holland dealer, or on-line at Messicks or partspring.com.
 

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