# Ford 4500 Hydraulics



## T_Heikkinen (Jul 26, 2018)

Looking for info on my Ford 4500 power reversing tractor ... I drained the hydraulic system from the info I found, i.e. front reservoir, both loader arms, the connection leading from the hand controls, and the gear case. 

I drained the gear case with the bottom drain plug, but how do I drain the torque converter?

Also the 3 pt?

These three systems are separate correct? Loader/trans/3pt ... all should use their own fluids?

How do I go about bleeding this system?

I have a manual for it but cant seem to find the info on how to do a complete system flush.

Thanks for any and all help/info.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

The loader has its reservoir in the frame, an an engine front mounted pump if it is a Ford loader. The transmission and torque converter share the same sump. The three point hydraulics share the transmission sump, but has a separate pump.

Some transmission cases have a plate on the bottom that allows access to the torque converter pump, the drain plug in the torque converter can be reached through there. 1/2 inch plug on outer circumference of the converter. Others have to be reached through the plate under the steering box.

The lines to the cooler in the radiator should be disconnected and blown out and the filter in that circuit changed to eliminate contaminated oil.

If the hydraulic oil has been water contaminated for some time, and run until it turns to a sticky froth, splitting the tractor and washing everything out may be the only viable solution.


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## T_Heikkinen (Jul 26, 2018)

Thanks again for the info RC ... as of now, the fluid for the trans seems to have cleared up when I flushed the system! So good news there

The issue I'm having is with the loader ... it'll run beautiful at first, and then the controls start to whine after a while, granted they still work, just noisy ... when I put the new fluid in, it sucked down the new then after a bit it came out white and frothy ... I feel like I'm pulling air somewhere on the system, such as the pump or somewhere on the suction side.

Some previous owner replaced part of a broken line that returns from the loader arm/reservoir to the filter bay/nose reservoir with rubber hose and pipe clamps in a few places ... there is also replacement rubber hose and pipe clamps going from the nose reservoir to the pump ... going to check all connections this week while I'm off.

If no such luck, I guess I'll have to finally contact my local mechanic and see what he'll charge to take a look see ... I've been looking to find old fluid I could filter and run thru the system to flush out anything that could possibly still be in the loader arms/hydraulic set up but its hard to come by where I live


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

If the pump for the loader is pulling air the loader will be jerky in operation. If the fluid is milky it contains water. Water in fluid lowers the temperature at which it performs, and will result in whining as it cavitates in the pump and valves.

When you drained the loader hydraulics, did you drain the lower loader frame on both sides too?


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## T_Heikkinen (Jul 26, 2018)

ok ... i'll have to flush it again maybe ... i did drain both arms ... there was 4 or 5 drain points in the system I opened up


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