1978 4600 hydraulic oil fill plug location??

Scott154

New User
So, newbie here and need help. I have service manual and tried Google and can not get a definitive answer on the oil check plug on hydraulics for a 4600 series. I'm having an issue with 3pt not holding to where I set the lever. Lever gets at about 3/4 up and starts rising, never stopping till it reaches as high as it can go. I put lever half way down before it starts falling and never stops. I'm either all the way up or down. Wanted to check fluid of hydraulics but can't seem to find plug. Any help?? Is it somewhere in this picture?
mvphoto54169.jpg

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The Operator's Manual (sometimes called the Owner's Manual) has the information on normal routine maintenance items like fluid filling and fluid level checking. The Service Manual assumes that you have access to the Operator's Manual and so it doesn't repeat that information.

On your 4600, the sump for the 3 point hydraulic system is the rear axle itself. There is a large hex head plug on top of the differential housing under your right butt cheek when you're sitting on the tractor. That is the plug for the fill hole. There should be a square headed pipe plug on the right side, near your right heel when you're sitting on the tractor. That square headed plug is the plug for the level check hole. Remove both plugs and fill it through the fill hole until it just starts to drip out of the level check hole when all cylinders are extended, meaning with the lift arms in the raised position and if you have any other hydraulic equipment attached, extend the cylinders on those as well.

Use a Universal Tractor/Trans Hydraulic Fluid (UTF) that says on the label that it meets or exceeds the Ford/New Holland M2C134D fluid specification.

As for the lift behavior, which handle are you raising? And is the other one fully down? The inboard lift handle (closest to the center of the tractor) is the draft control handle and if that is the handle you are using then it may be acting properly. Draft control is used for an implement that drafts, like a plow for turning soil, and the position of the handle tells the system how hard you want it to draft (resist the drag of the ground or other obstacles like roots and rocks) before it lifts itself automatically when the draft increases above the threshold that you've set with the draft control handle. The outboard control handle is the position control handle. If you are using an implement where you want to control the height of the lift arms exactly, move the draft control handle all of the way down and use the position control handle to control the position of the implement. To use only draft control move the position control handle all of the way down and control the draft with the draft control handle. If neither handle is completely down then you will get a mixture of both modes.
 
(quoted from post at 17:21:18 05/04/20) 4600 has dip stick on left hand side under lift arm. Can be seen from front behind step.

According to the parts site, it only had a dipstick if it had a cab. Otherwise it uses the same type of level check plug as the 3 cylinder 4000.

Dipstick and tube are parts labelled #61 & #62 in the parts drawing at the link below and level check plug is #6. And the fill plug is #35.

4600 rear axle center housing parts drawing

From the part description for the dipstick:

Oil Level Indicator Assy., 4100, 4600 W/Cab
Product No: 82005156
 
(quoted from post at 13:59:58 05/04/20) The Operator's Manual (sometimes called the Owner's Manual) has the information on normal routine maintenance items like fluid filling and fluid level checking. The Service Manual assumes that you have access to the Operator's Manual and so it doesn't repeat that information.

On your 4600, the sump for the 3 point hydraulic system is the rear axle itself. There is a large hex head plug on top of the differential housing under your right butt cheek when you're sitting on the tractor. That is the plug for the fill hole. There should be a square headed pipe plug on the right side, near your right heel when you're sitting on the tractor. That square headed plug is the plug for the level check hole. Remove both plugs and fill it through the fill hole until it just starts to drip out of the level check hole when all cylinders are extended, meaning with the lift arms in the raised position and if you have any other hydraulic equipment attached, extend the cylinders on those as well.

Use a Universal Tractor/Trans Hydraulic Fluid (UTF) that says on the label that it meets or exceeds the Ford/New Holland M2C134D fluid specification.

As for the lift behavior, which handle are you raising? And is the other one fully down? The inboard lift handle (closest to the center of the tractor) is the draft control handle and if that is the handle you are using then it may be acting properly. Draft control is used for an implement that drafts, like a plow for turning soil, and the position of the handle tells the system how hard you want it to draft (resist the drag of the ground or other obstacles like roots and rocks) before it lifts itself automatically when the draft increases above the threshold that you've set with the draft control handle. The outboard control handle is the position control handle. If you are using an implement where you want to control the height of the lift arms exactly, move the draft control handle all of the way down and use the position control handle to control the position of the implement. To use only draft control move the position control handle all of the way down and control the draft with the draft control handle. If neither handle is completely down then you will get a mixture of both modes.

I never could find a square head anywhere in that area. All normal heads or allen heads. Only area I saw a square head was up on the transmission area, which would be up by right foot, toe area. Small one.

My draft lever is in the middle position on slide. And I can not get it to move up or down. Dont wanna haul this to a shop if I don't have to but I'm not sure what the issue is if the level isn't low.

I saw on another board this may be the plug area?
mvphoto54177.jpg
 
I assume that there is no dipstick on the left side correct?

The upper section in your last picture is the flow control valve and the lower section is the hydraulic pump housing.

The level check plug on my '73 4000 is about where that recessed hole is in your latest picture off to the left of the pump housing. I have to remove the foot rest to access it as my foot rest is tighter to the center housing than yours looks, probably because the mounting brackets on mine are bent. Mine is such a pain that I made a flexible "dipstick" out of a large cable zip tie that I stick in the fill hole that works its way past the differential gears and marked the fluid level with a sharpie when I had the foot rest off and the level check plug open and knew I had the proper fluid level and use that now to check the level.

Is there an allen head screw in that recess on yours? If so, that may be it. If it is just a blind hole then it may be further to the rear or lower down than that. I can't tell from the close up picture exactly how high or low that recess is. Get a picture from farther away showing a larger area, and also one from below the level of the foot rest looking up, as mine is actually easier to see from below.

Do not remove any hex head or philips head screws or bolts in that area as it likely holds the bracket for the return line which will shift out of place when you remove the screw and you won't be able to get that reconnected unless you open things up.
 
I didn't happen to look in that recessed hole. But I will next time I'm up there. But no dipstick on left side. Appreciate all your help. Dunno why this is such a PITA but dang it is.
 
I just noticed this in one of your previous posts:

My draft lever is in the middle position on slide. And I can not get it to move up or down. Dont wanna haul this to a shop if I don't have to but I'm not sure what the issue is if the level isn't low.

For position control to work properly the draft control handle needs to be all of the way down. If you can't get it to move then the control linkage inside is probably frozen for some reason, so you'll need to pull the top cover. You should be able to do it yourself if you have mid-level wrenching skills, just get the proper service manual for your tractor and follow the procedures. Only difficult part is that the top cover is heavy, so you'll need either an overhead hoist of some kind or a helper with strong arms.
 
(quoted from post at 06:29:18 05/05/20) I didn't happen to look in that recessed hole. But I will next time I'm up there. But no dipstick on left side. Appreciate all your help. Dunno why this is such a PITA but dang it is.
If your 4600 is like my 2600 you have to get on your knees and look from under the running board to see the plug. It's tucked under there and don't remove the one with the screw head if there is one.
 
What do you have for a relief valve. Maybe the relief valve itself is the problem.Any way to tell how the valve is supposed to work and seal?
 
(quoted from post at 16:44:13 05/04/20)

I never could find a square head anywhere in that area. All normal heads or allen heads. Only area I saw a square head was up on the transmission area, which would be up by right foot, toe area. Small one.

My draft lever is in the middle position on slide. And I can not get it to move up or down. Dont wanna haul this to a shop if I don't have to but I'm not sure what the issue is if the level isn't low.

I saw on another board this may be the plug area?
mvphoto54177.jpg

4000 had a square plug in the side of the hydraulic pump for checking oil level, 4600 has a higher flow pump with the oil plug located higher on the axle housing for increased oil capacity.
The allen head plug in the photo is in that location even though the parts listing calls for a square head plug, it's simply a 1/4" pipe plug, item 9A in the parts drawing.
 
(quoted from post at 17:08:06 05/05/20) What do you have for a relief valve. Maybe the relief valve itself is the problem.Any way to tell how the valve is supposed to work and seal?

I have no idea about any of that? Where is relief valve?
 
(quoted from post at 06:27:49 05/06/20)
(quoted from post at 16:44:13 05/04/20)

I never could find a square head anywhere in that area. All normal heads or allen heads. Only area I saw a square head was up on the transmission area, which would be up by right foot, toe area. Small one.

My draft lever is in the middle position on slide. And I can not get it to move up or down. Dont wanna haul this to a shop if I don't have to but I'm not sure what the issue is if the level isn't low.

I saw on another board this may be the plug area?
mvphoto54177.jpg

4000 had a square plug in the side of the hydraulic pump for checking oil level, 4600 has a higher flow pump with the oil plug located higher on the axle housing for increased oil capacity.
The allen head plug in the photo is in that location even though the parts listing calls for a square head plug, it's simply a 1/4" pipe plug, item 9A in the parts drawing.

So this is the check oil plug? Just has a different plug in it, correct?
 

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