# Repair/service manuals for Ford 420



## Donald A. (Feb 24, 2018)

Hello everyone,

Just bought my 1st tractor. It is a used Ford 420 industrial diesel. I already have an operators manual for the tractor.

My tractor will need repairs and maintenance. I will be doing this on my own.

Does anyone know where I can obtain a Repair/Service manual for my tractor for* free*? Will libraries have copies? Parts are expensive enough to begin with. I believe this is the repair manual's index numbers;

FO-S-230A,231+
Any help would be appreciated. 

Thank you and God bless


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## Donald A. (Feb 24, 2018)

I also tried to fin the numbers on differential/trans/engine/loader. I found the numbers were located on a foil sticker on the inside of the right hood. Found what was left of it. Cannot read it. I could not find a number on the engine, but found some numbers on other parts. Here they are.

*Differential*. Left side
31 3 70
C5 NN 4024 Y
MH
FoMoCo 

*Transmission*. Right side
CC 40
CY NN 700o AN
HH
FoMoCo

*F/E Loader*. 
7705465. (right side)
291591. (left side)

Where can I find the number of the diesel engine?

Thank you and God bless


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Donald,

I'm afraid that you will have to bite the bullet and buy a shop/service/repair manual for your tractor. Check sources on the internet. Ebay usually has a good selection. The cheapest way to go is a download, but I personally prefer hard copy myself. I have difficulty finding information from downloads. You will want a searchable download if that's the route you choose to go. 

The tractor's model number, manufacture code, and serial number (3 sets of numbers) are stamped into the metal on a flat spot just above and behind the starter. These numbers may be obscured with paint, rust/corrosion, or dirt. You may have to clean them with a wire brush to be able to read them. 

The engine numbers will be found stamped into a machined surface on the right side down by where the engine mates up with the oil pan. There are also raised casting numbers on the side of the engine.


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## Donald A. (Feb 24, 2018)

sixbales said:


> Donald,
> 
> I'm afraid that you will have to bite the bullet and buy a shop/service/repair manual for your tractor. Check sources on the internet. Ebay usually has a good selection. The cheapest way to go is a download, but I personally prefer hard copy myself. I have difficulty finding information from downloads. You will want a searchable download if that's the route you choose to go.
> 
> ...


Thank you,

I wished someone had a .pdf file of the service manual, somewhere.

I cleaned the surface of that flat spot as good as I could. It is very difficult to see the numbers due to the F/E loader frame. Here is what I saw.

OE 26
3B886256

Thank you and God bless


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Hi Donald, the problem is that not many people own a Ford 420 industrial tractor. Chances of finding someone that owns one are fairly remote.

Your numbers on the previous post do not fit a 420. Could be that the transmission was swapped out.....identifying another tractor? The model number for a 420 should start with a KD1 (1975-76) or KD2 (1976-78). The date code would start with a 5,6,7,or 8.


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## Donald A. (Feb 24, 2018)

sixbales said:


> Hi Donald, the problem is that not many people own a Ford 420 industrial tractor. Chances of finding someone that owns one are fairly remote.
> 
> Your numbers on the previous post do not fit a 420. Could be that the transmission was swapped out.....identifying another tractor? The model number for a 420 should start with a KD1 (1975-76) or KD2 (1976-78). The date code would start with a 5,6,7,or 8.


Thank you very much.

I was told that there should be 3 lines of numbers/letters on that flat spot behind the starter and I only found 2. I will have to clean it more thoroughly. That will take a little time because that spot is hard to access due to the loader frame. I must consult my yoga guru for that. Lol


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2018)

Welcome to the wonderful world of older used tractor ownership. You need to check more carefully (a strong light helps) for id numbers on your tractor (they are stamped into it) If there's no more info on the right side flat spot, check the corresponding spot on the left side. I see the service manual for the 420 runs in the $140 range on Amazon. Meanwhile, the owner/operator manual you have will have oodles of service/maintenance procedures that will need to be done to prevent further degradation to the tractor systems. A couple of words of caution. Regardless of what the seller told you about the tractor.....assume he only "fixed" the immediate problem that prevented him doing the job he had gotten on the tractor to do.....he did no regular maintenance on the machine. Assume the tractor set for long periods of time as using it became (a) harder, and (b) he wanted it sold before he needed to do expensive repairs. REGARDING THE 3 POINT HYDRAULICS: Do not move any screws or bolts on this except the fluid level check port, the drain plug, and the filler port as the others can let loose pieces and parts loose into the mechanism. Lastly, although you said you plan to do all the work on the tractor yourself, I have found that one of the best tools in my tool box is my new bff.....a tractor mechanic recommended by the shop that's serviced my vehicles for the last 20+years. In fact the owner of the auto shop has his 1965 David Brown diesel in that mechanics shop today as are the new aftermarket fenders for my Ford 2000 for painting (the #2 man in the shop does painting nights and weekends). In my area I have good luck at the New Holland parts counter, but the service department is of no use to me due to inexperience and disinterest in helping to conserve (I will not admit to restoring it, as it's a working tractor) my 50 year old Ford.


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2018)

Also wanted to mention to you the NHC online parts lists are a good source for reference and parts info as is Messicks.com


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## thepumpguysc (Jan 25, 2015)

Welcome..
I find that a rattle can of "paint/gasket remover" from the parts store or Wally World can be one of the best tools in your box..
Just spray it on, watch it bubble & wipe it off..
Have a bottle of water handy, as most are caustic & will burn you hands/fingers..


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## Donald A. (Feb 24, 2018)

Graysonr said:


> Welcome to the wonderful world of older used tractor ownership. You need to check more carefully (a strong light helps) for id numbers on your tractor (they are stamped into it) If there's no more info on the right side flat spot, check the corresponding spot on the left side. I see the service manual for the 420 runs in the $140 range on Amazon. Meanwhile, the owner/operator manual you have will have oodles of service/maintenance procedures that will need to be done to prevent further degradation to the tractor systems. A couple of words of caution. Regardless of what the seller told you about the tractor.....assume he only "fixed" the immediate problem that prevented him doing the job he had gotten on the tractor to do.....he did no regular maintenance on the machine. Assume the tractor set for long periods of time as using it became (a) harder, and (b) he wanted it sold before he needed to do expensive repairs. REGARDING THE 3 POINT HYDRAULICS: Do not move any screws or bolts on this except the fluid level check port, the drain plug, and the filler port as the others can let loose pieces and parts loose into the mechanism. Lastly, although you said you plan to do all the work on the tractor yourself, I have found that one of the best tools in my tool box is my new bff.....a tractor mechanic recommended by the shop that's serviced my vehicles for the last 20+years. In fact the owner of the auto shop has his 1965 David Brown diesel in that mechanics shop today as are the new aftermarket fenders for my Ford 2000 for painting (the #2 man in the shop does painting nights and weekends). In my area I have good luck at the New Holland parts counter, but the service department is of no use to me due to inexperience and disinterest in helping to conserve (I will not admit to restoring it, as it's a working tractor) my 50 year old Ford.


Thanks for the info.

I bought the tractor, fully aware of the problems that needed fixing. That is how I got it cheap. I drove it home all the way on the shoulder for 40 miles. Everyone wanted to charge $200 for delivery just for 40 miles. So I saved money and enjoyed the trip. It did ok. I worked it on my property for a little bit. Now some of the known issues have come to the surface. Again, that was expected. The leaks on the rams, old hoses, and bottom connection on the resevoir got worse. The hydraulic fluid got low and one of the old hose connections sprung a bigger leak. So I parked it on solid ground. Now I need to replace all of the hoses and I believe I can dissassemble the rams and replace all O rings. I bought 5 gallons of 303 for $21.99. According to your info, there should be a procedural step to doing this so I won't get any garbage in the pump. If you know how and what I should do in order, please let me know. 
Thank you and God bless.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2018)

I have no background or experience with FELs. Personally when I end up in an area I don't feel comfortable with, I ask on here. Some guys kinda been there, done that. Also I look to youtube videos and google for ideas. Just a thought, If you have a Parker Hydraulics (I've had them help with fuel line parts and tubing for my rear lighting circuit) store or a NAPA store, they will build hoses for you. NAPA spotta be while you wait.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2018)

Ok looks like you got a 770 loader. You can look this up on the New Holland web site and see complete parts break down. Some may still be available others, at least you have the ford part numbers to shop the aftermarket places on line. If you have a NH dealer in the area, their parts counter may help locating aftermarket pieces. Good luck!
https://partstore.agriculture.newholland.com/us/HINESEQUIP/parts-search.html#epc::mr57486ag5494749 Once on this site, you can change the dealer to the one in your area.


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## Donald A. (Feb 24, 2018)

Graysonr said:


> Ok looks like you got a 770 loader. You can look this up on the New Holland web site and see complete parts break down. Some may still be available others, at least you have the ford part numbers to shop the aftermarket places on line. If you have a NH dealer in the area, their parts counter may help locating aftermarket pieces. Good luck!
> https://partstore.agriculture.newholland.com/us/HINESEQUIP/parts-search.html#epc::mr57486ag5494749 Once on this site, you can change the dealer to the one in your area.


A 770 loader?? It says Ford 420 on the FEL. The original owner had cut off the two smaller rams on the bucket and replaced it with one single large ram. Maybe that is why it looks like a 770.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2018)

I picked up the 770 from the first 3 digits of your loader info in your early posts. I see no 420 loader listed in the ford online parts catalog. If this is not correct, sorry. Ford or someone later may have decided to put the "420" badge out on the loader where it could be seen since the loader frame covers so much of the tractor side?


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## Donald A. (Feb 24, 2018)

Graysonr said:


> I picked up the 770 from the first 3 digits of your loader info in your early posts. I see no 420 loader listed in the ford online parts catalog. If this is not correct, sorry. Ford or someone later may have decided to put the "420" badge out on the loader where it could be seen since the loader frame covers so much of the tractor side?


Sorry,
I think you are right. They may have put Ford 420 on the loader itself for it to be visible. So 770 is a part number and not a tractor model number? I will see if I can find more numbers. Thank you again

P.s. are there forum threads about the proper procedure of changinging out your loader's hydraulics so not to harm the pump?


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2018)

Yes, I think you will find 770 is the model number of the loader itself. You can use the search feature here to see if there's info available but.....you mentioned you have leaking cylinders, hoses that need replacing, and somewhere in that process you need to make sure the reservoir is properly filled with no air in the lines or pistons. I think if you now ask for advice on the best sequence to do this, the guys who are 770 fel savey will pick up and give advice. Also, I believe you mentioned that the 1 cylinder on the bucket dump is a modification, so, if it is one of the leakers, does it have any id on it? Did the guy you bought from install it? Might be helpful to know this. I don't know what it takes to rebuild a leaking hydraulic cylinder, are the parts open source or propriatory? You've got me curious now, so I'm off to google.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2018)

Gotta love youtube. I did a search on www "how to repair a hydraulic cylinder". Apparently as long as you can remove a cylinder without destructing it, it is totally repairable as long as the piston or the interior of the cylinder is not damaged. Seals seem to be open source and a business that sells seals will not be surprised to see you walk in with a piston in hand and asking for a set of seals to fit it.


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## Donald A. (Feb 24, 2018)

Graysonr said:


> Gotta love youtube. I did a search on www "how to repair a hydraulic cylinder". Apparently as long as you can remove a cylinder without destructing it, it is totally repairable as long as the piston or the interior of the cylinder is not damaged. Seals seem to be open source and a business that sells seals will not be surprised to see you walk in with a piston in hand and asking for a set of seals to fit it.


Thank you very much.

Now I am very confused about my tractor. I found the rest of the numbers and cannot find them in the parts list. I called the Ford tractor place and they were perplexed. So here are the 3 lines of alphanumericc on the flat portion behind the starter.

B886256
OE26
D1014C

According to this it is an allpurpose ag-engine (not industrial) of the 4000 series (not a 420) made May 26, 1970, but the 4000 series were not made then. Diesel, indepedant PTO, HP transmission. And was built in Brildon, England. And has a 770 loader on it labelled Ford 420.

What gives? My head hurts.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2018)

OK, go back and read what RCWELLS said about the origins and evolution of the 420 on your original thread, that will explain to some extent what the NH dealer told you. I've never heard of a factory in Brildon....I do know there was one in Basildon, England. The information on the flat, is on the case of the clutch housing (as I recall) so if it was ever traded out, the data would then not be original to the tractor. www says all over that 420's were built 75-78. Fact: Ford used serial numbers sequentially regardless of what the next tractor coming down the line was. Fact: Fords built in England, Belgium, Brazil, and maybe other countries did not use the same norms for id as was used here in the USA. That's an awfully high serial number for a 70 build date and 80 would have been an 0 also. So, is this another model that someone painted and badged as a 420, has someone replaced the transmission/clutch housing, or is this just a case of the different id's from the English factory? Question: any evidence of blue or gray paint under the yellow? How long did the previous owner have the tractor? Over the years some people including some Ford dealers played fast and loose with paint and badges. Usually badging to a newer rather than an older model.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2018)

There may be some good news buried in all the blurring of the heritage of your "420". (Don't expect that ford would have made a special engine for an industrial tractor. They would have most likely used an off the shelf existing and proven engine. Ditto other components. 75-78 is an awfully short production run, normally ford was doing 10 year production runs, looks like they were maybe using up existing stock as the 3 and 4000 production run stopped after the 74 model year. Ford was frugal, for example if an engine for a 3000 had leaky cylinder walls, they would sleeve it down to use it in a 2000)
On your original thread a few of the guys I respect suggested that the 420 was an amalgam of 4000 and 3000 parts. This may be good news as the IT FO-31 shop manual may be a good research tool for you as it covers both 3000 and 4000 tractors. Also IT prints a 770 FEL shop manual as well. Both in the $30 range from Amazon or Ebay.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2018)

P. S. Normally an Industrial tractor would have had a 50 model code rather than 10. So I really wonder if you will find an undercoating of blue and gray.


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## Donald A. (Feb 24, 2018)

Graysonr said:


> There may be some good news buried in all the blurring of the heritage of your "420". (Don't expect that ford would have made a special engine for an industrial tractor. They would have most likely used an off the shelf existing and proven engine. Ditto other components. 75-78 is an awfully short production run, normally ford was doing 10 year production runs, looks like they were maybe using up existing stock as the 3 and 4000 production run stopped after the 74 model year. Ford was frugal, for example if an engine for a 3000 had leaky cylinder walls, they would sleeve it down to use it in a 2000)
> On your original thread a few of the guys I respect suggested that the 420 was an amalgam of 4000 and 3000 parts. This may be good news as the IT FO-31 shop manual may be a good research tool for you as it covers both 3000 and 4000 tractors. Also IT prints a 770 FEL shop manual as well. Both in the $30 range from Amazon or Ebay.


WOW!

I feel like Johnny Cash and his Cadilac. "I Got it One Piece at a Time" lol

So in laymens terms, what do I have? 420, 4000, 3000?

To answer your other questions from your other post. The tractor powertrain is mostly blue with a few exceptions. One of the rear axle sides is mostly yellow. The engine has just a little red paint in with the blue. 

I was at Tractor Supply earlier today. I remember seeing a F0-31 manual there for $35. I think I will get it.

I really appreciate your help.

Thank you and God bless


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2018)

ok, What do you have? Tractordata.com says a 4000 has a wheelbase of 84.5" and 12.4 x 38 rear tires. width doesn't matter because it's easy to oversize tire width. On the other hand a 3000 has a 75.8" wheelbase and 12.4 x 28 tires. The difference will be obvious, and I think you will find it's one or the other.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

QUOTE: "Now I am very confused about my tractor. I found the rest of the numbers and cannot find them in the parts list. I called the Ford tractor place and they were perplexed. So here are the 3 lines of alphanumericc on the flat portion behind the starter.
B886256
OE26
D1014C
According to this it is an allpurpose ag-engine (not industrial) of the 4000 series (not a 420) made May 26, 1970, but the 4000 series were not made then. Diesel, indepedant PTO, HP transmission. And was built in Brildon, England. And has a 770 loader on it labelled Ford 420."
_________________________________________________________
Here is a translation of your tractor's numbers. Note that this may be a swapped transmission from another tractor:

*Model D1014C* - Ford 4000 all purpose tractor (1968-1975), diesel engine, Independent PTO 540 rpm, 8x2 speed manual transmission (4x1 + hi/lo).

*Mfg. Code 0E26* - Tractor build/assembly date May 26th, 1970.

*Serial No. B886256* - Made in Basildon, England.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Go to the following website to learn more about a 770 loader:

http://www.tractorparts.com/PDFs/FORDUTILLDRSINFO.pdfhttp://www.tractorparts.com/PDFs/FORDUTILLDRSINFO.pdf

Also found this on the internet: "The _*770 Loader*_ was a tractor attachment manufactured by the _*Ford*_ Motor Company between 1979 and 1986. The variants included the _*770 Loader*_ that was available on the 1300, 1500 and 1700 tractor models and the 770A and _*770B*_, which were used on the 1310, 1510, 1710 and 1910 models."

If this is your case, you have a light duty loader attached to a Ford 4000 tractor. You should see evidence of modified mounting brackets (cutting/fabricating/welding) to make it fit. This also explains the welding and reinforcements to repair breaks on the lift arms in your picture.

I had a light duty loader attached to a Massey Ferguson 150 tractor many years ago. It worked fine, and I did a lot of work with it. But, I made a lot of repairs to cracks/breaks in the loader lift arms and frame. I did mostly manure handling with it. Not heavy duty type work. Some earthwork.


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## DarinH (6 mo ago)

Donald A. said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> Just bought my 1st tractor. It is a used Ford 420 industrial diesel. I already have an operators manual for the tractor.
> 
> ...





Donald A. said:


> I also tried to fin the numbers on differential/trans/engine/loader. I found the numbers were located on a foil sticker on the inside of the right hood. Found what was left of it. Cannot read it. I could not find a number on the engine, but found some numbers on other parts. Here they are.
> 
> *Differential*. Left side
> 31 3 70
> ...


I own a Ford 420 industrial tractor. I found all the information fir the tractor on the data plate located inside the hood on the left side. I hope this is helpful.


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## Ultradog (Feb 27, 2005)

Welcome to the forum Darin.
You are correct that quite often you can find the model and serial #s on a foil tag under the hood and also hand stamped into the bell housing just above and to the rear of the starter.
But don't forget that after most of 50 years things can get changed.
The numbers on my yellow tractor show it to be a 1973 ag/all purpose model.
But I put the front end from a 4400 utility on it, steered it with parts from a 3500 industrial - using the power steering box from a 4600 ag/all purpose, side hoods from who knows what model and added the hard nose from an mid 1980s 545 industrial on it.
It is just one example of the many frankentractors out here.


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