Ford 641 Hydraulic gaskets

Hello all! I am working on my 641 hydraulic system. I have owned the tractor for 2 years and learning a lot as I'm fixing a lot! While running a hay mower with frequent hydraulic use, I sprung a heavy leak at the belly of the tractor right where it breaks in half, at the back of the trans. My transmission was still full of fluid, but the hydraulic reservoir was near empty. Upon inspection, I see a lot of black RTV on the crack where the tractor splits which tells me the previous owner already dealt with this. I assume the best proper fix is to split the tractor and replace seals. I'm not sure if I'm up for that job and am debating trying the RTV again. I also found leaking at another plate a foot or so back which I am assuming is a hydraulic inspection plate. I removed it and the gasket, which seemed like cardboard, was torn up pretty bad. I cannot seem to find a replacement gasket for sale. Is this something that can be made from a cork gasket? Should I make an RTV gasket? It also seemed to have an oval shaped sponge like material, but I can't make sense of what that was doing. Any information on this plate is appreciated. As well as thoughts on breaking the tractor in half. Is that a massive job?

Thanks!
Andy

If I am understanding correctly; The gasket between the sections probably bunched up and tore, because the bolts loosened up. In the past, on the 1000 series, and Fordson Majors, we would loosen the bolts, to allow a gap, leave a couple side bolts in place, clean the surfaces real well, take a new gasket, and split it at the top bolt,carefully work it up into place, putting a couple bolts back in place to hold spacing and alignment, pull the two we had left in, put the gasket into place, seal the split with permatex, and pull it back together. The plate should seal with any good gasket material, and some non hardening, permatex. We had a fleet of leased tractors, and I made the section gasket replacement repair many times, out in the middle of a pea field, with two jacks, to support the sections.

Wow, I had not even considered being able to do it this way. The tractor will separate enough to get the flanges clean? I assume so since you've done it. Thank you for this idea!

You can put in a couple bolts that are about 1/2" longer than normal, just wide enough to get a narrow knife blade in to scrape it. The original gaskets aren't normally glued. Just make sure you keep everything level.