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Ford tractor transmission froze up

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
The transmission appears to have froze up tight on my 601 Workmaster. The engine will instantly stall out when the clutch is released in neutral. I couldn't get it freed up before nightfall. Could it be the 90wt gear oil turned solid? I am thinking of trying to set up the space heater tomorrow in an attempt to free it. Supposed to get another big snow storm tonight and I wanted to clean the drive with it. The tractor had been sitting for awhile and I had a little trouble even getting it started. Any other ideas for getting it loose?
 
It may be stuck in two gears at the same time. If so you would not be able to move the shift lever.

If it's been sitting a while it may just be froze to the ground.

Let us know what you find.
 
No, the tractor stalls out in neutral. It was fine when it was parked. Its just a basic 4 speed transmission.
 
Rubber boot in the gear shift?

Loosen drain plug a bit, bet the boot
leaked and water froze in the bottom
of the transmission (as the other
posters have suggested).
 
After you saying it stalls in neutral I would definately say you have ice in the bottom of the transmisison. My antique F14 did that every winter.

Condensation builds up over the warm months then there is a group of gears called your "Cluster Gears" that turn any time the engine is running and the clutch is not pushed in. This is even in nuetral.

The cluster gears are all one big group of gears machined out of the same piece of steel. There are different sizes of gears in this cluster and the shift lever slides other gears over the selected cluster gear to give you different speeds.

This is the easiest way I can explain it and hope you understand it.

Keep warm!

John in Central-South Illinois near St. Louis.
 
We once had a farm-all "H" tractor that did the same thing. Let the clutch out,and it would stall. Neighbor said to start a small fire under the tractor in order to thaw the ice. So we did. It didn't take long, and everything was freed up. Worked very well. Dumped some antifreeze in the transmission(quick fix). Never froze up again. Come spring time, we changed the gear oil. CAUTION: check for gas leaks before building fire.
 
The other day someone mentioned they would put a pan with a layer of charcoal lit under their tractor to warm it up.
 
be carefull my uncle broke the bull gears in his john deere b that way he thought a quick jolt would break them free it did alright in a gazillion pieces costly mistake get it thawed and at least drain the water off should be at the bottom will be the first to drain then turn to oil or a better solution would be to change the oil
 
Open the drain plug. If nothing comes out, put it back in. Throw a tarp over the tractor, then get a salamander fired up under the tractor.
When you get it thawed out, drain the oil/water out. Refill with 134D or TDH.

If you've got 80W90 in it now and it's very cold that will also create problems due to the weight of the oil.
You need a lighter oil in the winter. For everyone that raves about how 90 weight was spec'd as new... they also fail to mention that it was generally cut with a considerable amount of kerosene in the winter to make it flow.
Today we have a modern universal tractor hydraulic oil that fills that purpose...

Rod
 
You have ice in the transmission. Take the top off the transmission, open the plug under it, and then put a electric hair dryer in the transmission and cover it for a couple hours. Fill it up to the level with new oil and put a new boot over the shifter and you will be on your way.
 
Yep had it happen before. Something you can do tonightthat will help if you have it on hand that is. Pout a bottle of heet in to the tranny or a bottle of rubbing alcohol. By morning it will most like be freed up if its caused by water. BTDT and the heet or rubbing alcohol works. Had that type of thing happen years ago. Had storm coming in and fueled up all the tractor just in case so one would be sure to start. Well the gas had water in it and at the time had only 3 tractors . All the sediment bowls had a block of ice in them. Didn't have any heet but did have the rubbing alcohol and with in an hour had them up and running
Hobby farm
 
I'm guessing have water in that transmission that is frozen. 90 wt gear lube won't do that. I had a '69 K-20 Chevy that had a broken tooth and I used STP in it until I got it fixed. STP is 200 wt, and even it moved through the gears as hard is it was to shift until it warmed up in zero temps. I'm betting ice. Not saying that you do, but if you ever do leave the tractor set outside, needs more than a coffee can over that stack, needs one over that shifter (boot) too. Them old cracked shifter boots invite the rain in...been there, done that. Contaminated gear lube. New shifter boot, and sets out all night in an enclosed barn from now on.

Mark
 
Thanks to all who posted. I will resume tomorrow with trying to get the transmission unthawed. It probably did get some moisture in there.
 
Build a box underneath the tractor withold plywood, tin, or sheetrock, any kind of paneling you have around. Then put your heater in there. or if the knipco type just point it into a three sided enclosure. Then just crack the drain plug, the water should go to the bottom, and you can drain it off.

Gordo
 
Same problem here, with my Jubilee. Mine, however, was parked in a tobacco barn with a wooden floor and no access to electricity. I considered using a generator, but deicided to make that a last resort. Fire was not an option, with the wooden floor.

Here's was worked, really well:
I opened the drain and revealed the ice plug. Then I poured an entire tea kettle of boiling water in the gear box. Then I used a propane torch to melt the ice plug. All of the water and the gear oil came rushing out.

Replaced the fluid, and it ran perfectly, and our road is plowed.

Good Luck.
 
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