I don’t know much about these things beyond starting and driving. The damn thing just always started and ran. So don’t rip me too bad if these are dumb questions.
Been sitting in the barn for about 5 years now (yeah I know, I know).

Going to drain out the old diesel and put on a new filter, add new fuel
New oil and filter
New transmission, rear, and hydraulic system fluid, and filter.
Top off power steering fluid
Grease all the zerks
Charge the battery (guessing it will need replacing)
Gravity Bleed the fuel system starting at the filter then to the injectors.

Then comes the actual starting attempt. What should I do here since it’s been sitting so long? Presume I just don’t want to go cranking it with the starter.

As for the battery. It’s a massive 4DLT wet cell battery. I assume battery technology has come a ways since the 70s. Should I stick with a 4DLT or is there something else I should go with?
I don’t have electricity in the barn so the battery is likely going to be taken out and go with me to keep on a tender.
Though I may very well get a solar tender and not have to do that.

What am I missing in my thought process and/or what is wrong in my thinking here.

I ordered a repair manual that should be here in the next day or so. So I will know all the specific fluids and their capacities along with filter and grease type.

I have watched a number of videos and all seems pretty straight forward.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Black92LX,

Fluids, filters, fresh battery and light it up.
Shouldn't need to bleed the fuel system as it hasn't been apart.
For that I just crack a fuel line loose at the nozzle and crank it till fuel comes out, one at a time.

Those things will run on most anything and are pretty hard to kill, I've pre-filled filters with ATF when they have been run out of fuel to get them going in the field.

When I was in Florida I had a second job of rebuilding those.
A guy would buy a container full of them from Ireland for $5,000, most in pieces and we would build them back up.

One that we got running had a rod and piston missing with the rod cut off at the big end.
Had a fiberglass patch over the hole in the block where the piston came out.
We used that one for a tow/pusher rig.

Engine oil and filter definitely.

Fuel and filter probably. Visually check the tank for rust and water. Condensation from temperature swings will build up moisture in the strangest places.

Other fluids, I'd just crack the plug and check for water. If you get water, then change fluid and filter. If not, then run it for a while and change after it's had a chance to stir up the sludge.

Other than that, I'd crank with the fuel shut off to distribute some oil around. If it has an oil pressure gauge, see if it will crank enough to show pressure on the gauge.

Diesel can grow algae (actually a misnomer as it's bacteria and fungus not a plant) if it didn't have a diesel stabilizer in it. "Algae" will clog the living hell out of anything and everything in your fuel system. You might find yourself in an infinite "do loop" of charging your battery, repairing something in the fuel system, cranking the engine, battery gets too low, rinse and repeat.

Root cause of "algae" is water (either in fuel or absorbed from humid air). Before you ever crank the engine, my recommendation is:

drain all water from bottom of diesel tank as diesel floats on water

drain/bleed fuel system from tank to filter to injectors

treat remaining diesel with diesel additive (e.g. Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment - Super Concentrated Diesel Formula )

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Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

I replaced the 4DLT on my diesel Ford 4000SU with a Red Top Optima battery around 7 years ago. I keep a battery maintainer on it when I’m not using the tractor. So far so good.

^^^^^^^
What Group battery did you use?
Looks like mine needs to be shorter due to its location to the hood.

Looking at the fluid the trans and hydraulic system both call for 134D.
Local Tractor Supply has VP Racing Ultra JA20 Utility Tractor Fluid in stock.
These are what the label says it is compatible with for Fords:

quote:

Ford: ESN-M2C, 134B, 134C, M2C41-B, M2C134-D, M2C48-B, M2C48-C, M2C159-B/C, M2C86-A/B

Does not say just 134D but M2C134-D would that be an acceptable fluid to use?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/...luid-5-gal-vp2040114

I don’t remember and it’s out at the ranch so I can’t easily check. The 4DLT tray was so huge I just got the one that was the best price and had the biggest CCA and reserve capacity. The vertical space on my tractor made the battery height no issue. The Optima has a handle and weighs far less than the 4DLT. Much easier to install.

I initially did this because no place nearby had a 4DLT available.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: arfmel,

First thing I would do is see if the motor will turn over by hand. If it is seized up then you want to figure if it is worth going on with the project.

Should he fog the cylinders before cranking it to avoid scoring the walls?

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
Should he fog the cylinders before cranking it to avoid scoring the walls?

If it's like our old 4000, I'm not sure the rings even touch the cyl walls... I might dry crank it a bit to get the oil flowing, but it's a 50+ year old tractor, I'd be scared if it wasn't below spec on a compression test.

It bitches when you run it out of fuel, but if you crank on it long enough, it fires up. I'd drain the tank, purge what's in the lines/filter/injectors, swap the filter & try it.

Transmission fluid - I'm 42 & it might have been changed in my lifetime, but I would have been single digits. I doubt it even leaks enough to have been 'changed' in my lifetime. Get it running, then worry about the trans/hydro.

Went to the big tractor dealer in town earlier in the week to get my filters but they don’t sell Ford/New Holland stuff so did not have what I needed and the closest Ford/NH PLACE is 2 counties over and no time to get out there.
So I gave NAPA a try and was able to get Fuel, Oil, and hydraulic filters Oil and Hydraulic made in the USA Fuel filter in Mexico.
Went to tractor supply lastnight and got some oil, coolant, hoped to get some StarTron Diesel treatment but they were out. Figured I would hold off on the hydraulic fluid as suggested since I need 10 gallons.

Well had the day off today and headed down to the cabin. Pulled the battery and put it on the charger. I have been watching a bunch of YouTube videos about old Fords and man all those tractors look like hell. Mine is a 1977 3600 with 2200 hours (if correct) and looks way better than those in the videos. So I am convinced I am going to get this thing running. Fortunately it has been stored in a barn with a concrete floor for 15 years and under a cover on gravel for 10 years before that. Not sure about the prior owner(s).






Need to take the battery tray off and clean it up and repaint it. It’s pretty much the worst part of the tractor.

Figured I would start the fluids by draining the fuel. Disconnected the fuel line from the shut off valve, placed my funnel under the shut off valve and aimed at my bucket. Unscrewed the petcock and not even a single drop, stuck a screw driver under the clip to fully remove the petcock, and unfortunately broke the lip off but was able to pull the petcock out and still not a single drop. One video I watched said their was buggered up so I just unscrewed the whole valve.
HOT DAMN!!!!!! It was like Niagara Falls and WAY out flowed my funnel. Got about 6 gallons in the buckets and probably 4 on the floor.






The diesel was super clean pretty much. I chunks or rust came out. The tank looked like it had a black film over the whole thing after drained but nothing in the buckets.
Should I try to clean the tank somehow while I have the valve out?
In the tank there appeared to be a sock that would have slid over the strainer on the valve I presume but did not take my grabber so I could not get it out.
I could also see what looked like a shepherds hook that was coming from where the gauges are so I am guessing that would be for the fuel gauge but seems like it should have some sort of float on it or something.

I made a wall of paper towels to keep the diesel contained and ran out to get some lunch and cat litter.
Came back put out the cat litter and checked the battery and it was stuck at 1.0 volt so at that point I figured I would call it a day.

What are the chances of finding an actual Ford shut off valve?

So the Ford won today’s battle but I am going to win this war!!!

I am half tempted to start recording my adventure in getting this tractor running.

That black stuff is black diesel death. It has to go. You can choose different methods but its death to your fuel filters and fuel.

Damn nice looking old Ford tractor. Well worth your efforts.

That tractor looks almost exactly like my 4000SU.

But in much nicer condition.
You might want to put a good dose of biocide in the tank with the fresh diesel. And I would continue to use it in the future. That black film is probably a fungus.

You didn't lose, you just made a blood sacrifice to the tractor gods.

That looks like new for a 50 Y/O tractor.

Look online for the petcock, but I wouldn't look to hard - it wasn't exactly useful. The P/N you probably need is: JB Weld.

Clean the tank. Probably easiest to pull it. Change the oil. Pop a battery in it & let it rip. Probably need a battery charger to crank some fuel to it, if it's like ours.

Wouldn’t hurt to use a biocide in something that sits around unused like that tractor does. I use a diesel treat like Howells, along with a biocide. Dad had a bus with a DD8v71 that sat for twenty years. Fired it up and it ran great on that twenty year old fuel.

I’ve used both KILLEM and Bio Kleen. It may seem expensive for 16oz, but 16oz treats around 2000 gallons as a prophylactic, and around 500 (IIRC?) gallons as a treatment (which it looks like you need). I put a few drops in every can of diesel that I bring home. I trust my stored diesel to be good practically indefinitely.

Don’t suck that black slime into the pump by trying to start it. That will cause you some real headache and expense.

quote:

Originally posted by snidera:
You didn't lose, you just made a blood sacrifice to the tractor gods.

That looks like new for a 50 Y/O tractor.

Look online for the petcock, but I wouldn't look to hard - it wasn't exactly useful. The P/N you probably need is: JB Weld.

Clean the tank. Probably easiest to pull it. Change the oil. Pop a battery in it & let it rip. Probably need a battery charger to crank some fuel to it, if it's like ours.

Lots of replacement valves out there would like to find a Ford part if the cost is not ridiculous.

Taking the tank off looks to be a gigantic pain. Is there something I can just plug the bottom of the tank then pour in the tank and let it soak that crap off for awhile and drain the crap out?

quote:

Taking the tank off looks to be a gigantic pain. Is there something I can just plug the bottom of the tank then pour in the tank and let it soak that crap off for awhile and drain the crap out?

Looks to be regular pipe joints, either 3/8 or 1/2
A pipe plug is about $1.50 most places.

A 3/8 pipe is .675", 1/2 pipe is .840" wide.

quote:

Originally posted by powermad:

quote:

Taking the tank off looks to be a gigantic pain. Is there something I can just plug the bottom of the tank then pour in the tank and let it soak that crap off for awhile and drain the crap out?

Looks to be regular pipe joints, either 3/8 or 1/2
A pipe plug is about $1.50 most places.

A 3/8 pipe is .675", 1/2 pipe is .840" wide.

I am good on the plug. I’ll just stick the old valve in there since it held solid anyway.

I was more asking about a chemical or something I could fill the tank with and let sit for awhile then drain it and get the crap out.

We drain the tanks, remove and take them to the hot pressure washer with soap.

Do you have access to electricity and water ?