# FORD 6600 4x4 (1981)



## tilegrfos (Feb 7, 2013)

I would like to ask you some technical information for my FORD 6600 4x4.

Firstly it is a model of 1981, I bought it used from an old farmer (in Greece).

The indicator of the fuel level doesn't work at all, while temperature and rpm indicators work properly. Any idea of what can I do to fix it?

Another problem is that the farmer didn't have the operation manual of th tractor nor the service manual. I asked it from a Ford-dealer, but they sent the user manual of the 2x4 tractor, and the didn't send me the service manual. Does anyone has the operation manual of the 4x4 and it's service maual?

Last but not least I would like to ask how the transimission type hand-brake works, because I think that in my tractor doesn't work.

Thanks in advance
George.


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## harry16 (Dec 8, 2011)

There is an operator's manual supplement for a Ford 6600 FWD on ebay for about $15. It is only 8 pages, but should cover maintanance and operation of the front wheel drive. See ebay item no. 251219487223. 

You can also find service manuals for a Ford 6600 on ebay. The I&T manuals are not expensive, but they do not go into extreme detail.

Your fuel gauge sending unit (float sensing unit inside tank) is probably defective. You have to remove the hood to get to it. It is installed in the top of the tank. I see that you have a cab on your tractor, which means that you have to tip the cab back to remove the hood. You might want to defer this repair until you have to split the tractor to change the clutch.

You can loosen the instrument cluster (carefully - tip it out to gain access to the connections in back) and check the gauge by shorting the fuel gauge terminal that connects to the sending unit to ground to see if you get a reading. If the gauge is defective, I think you will have to replace the instrument cluster. You can find replacement instrument clusters on ebay see item 261160769509.

Parking brakes are a European requirement. In the States, we usually use a foot brake locking mechanism for parking the tractor. Go to the New Holland Online Parts Store on the internet to see if they provide details about your parking brake. Diagrams attached.

In looking at the attached parking brake mechanism in the diagram, it is possible that it simply locks the footbrakes. To check this out, step on the footbrakes and pull up the parking brake handle. Do the footbrakes stay engaged??


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## tilegrfos (Feb 7, 2013)

Thank you very much!


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## tilegrfos (Feb 7, 2013)

If I bind the hand throttle with an elastic rope, so that it acts like a spring for the foot throttle when I change gears on the road, will I cause problem on the throttle mechanism?

I try to make the foot throttle of the tractor to act like the throttle of the car. In a manual transimition car we take our foot off th throttle to change gears, so that the gear can sychronize with the revs of the engine. Can I do the same thing on the tractor, by binding the hand throttle on a fixed point?

Sorry for repeating the question, but my English are not so good, and I don't know if my question was comprehensible.


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## Big_T (Dec 1, 2011)

The hand throttle is not supposed to move with the foot throttle. Check to see if you leave the hand throttle at idle position, if the foot throttle then works as you want it to. As I understand it, the foot throttle only will drop as low as the hand throttle is set.. Set the hand throttle to 1000 rpm, then the foot throttle can advance higher, but not lower.. that's how it is supposed to work. 

There should be a foot throttle return spring under the Right Hand running board (foot rest). If the foot throttle doesn't return after being advanced beyond the hand throttle setting, the problem is between the foot throttle pedal and the bottom of the hand throttle rod (lower right rear corner of the steering box). Find out if the return spring is there, and if so, why the linkage is binding.

There is a friction disc on the hand throttle shaft, that you can tighten to get the hand throttle to hold position. Tighten the nut on the end of the shaft. With the cab on your tractor, you may not be able get to this friction disc. 

So, YES, if you cannot get the hand throttle to hold position, I think that you can do same thing on the tractor by binding the hand throttle on a fixed point. Try it out offroad, to make sure there are no problems.


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## tilegrfos (Feb 7, 2013)

Thanks for your answer.

I would like to ask another question (please don't shoot me :tractorsm ).
Some implements of the tractor require high revs, but low speed. The lower speed of the tractor, at 1900 rpm (rated revs for 540 rpm @ pto), is too high for some implements. So when I use them, I press the clutch pedal to maintain a low speed for the tractor. May I cause damage to the clutch and after some years have to change it?
Is there any other way having low speed for the tractor, but high revs for the engine.

Once again THANKS for your advice!


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## Big_T (Dec 1, 2011)

Operate in low range/first gear, which I'm sure you do. Beyond that, if the speed is too fast, then you have to slip the clutch to do the job. We all have this problem, but some tractors are geared better for this type of work than others. 

I assume you are talking about using a rotary tiller. YES, it will take a toll on the clutch, but hopefully you do not do a great deal of rotary tilling. If you wait for a good rain before doing your tilling, the ground is softer and will till easier. Another trick is to till at a shallow depth, and go over it 2-3 times progressively deeper if that helps. Once the ground has been broken, it tills easier in future years. If you are doing a lot of tilling, your might consider using conventional plows to break the soil and then disc harrow to break it further.

If you have to do a large amount of this type of work, requiring you to slip the clutch, let me know and I'll check if there is anything (gear reduction) available to slow the tractor further.


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## tilegrfos (Feb 7, 2013)

I have this problem with the implement that takes the potatoes out when they have grown. It takes power off the pto. The revs of the engine should be about 1500 rpm so that it can work properly, but the tractor goes too fast and can't work properly. The implement I refferred previously is like this one on this video: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oBtjSGVg9A[/ame]


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## Big_T (Dec 1, 2011)

Compliments of Bern, who is an expert on these old Ford tractors:

"Install *creeper gears *into the rear of his transmission. Ford made a kit to do just that. Good luck finding one."

There is not much chance that you can find a Ford CREEPER GEAR KIT for your tractor, but it doesn't hurt to try. Call your local Ford/New Holland dealer. 

Maybe you can get the potato digger manufacturer to modify his digger to run on lower PTO speed?? Or make modifications yourself??


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## Big_T (Dec 1, 2011)

I did some checking with the New Holland Online Parts Store. They list a "reduction gearbox assembly kit" for your transmission. The price is ridiculous ($7700+). So forget about that possibility.

I also received a note from a potato farmer stating the following: 

"*We ran a MF 275 for years with a 3pt digger. Slow down to 1200-1300 rpm. Run in 1st gear*."

*"You may need to add extra 'knockers'. We installed extra 'knockers' in order to shake off as much moist sticky dirt as possible and run at slowest speed to avoid bruising."* 

So, I recommend that you try slowing your engine down to 1200-1300 rpm. Run at the slowest speed to avoid bruising the potatoes. Experiment with various rpm's and see where it works best for you. And add extra "knockers" as necessary to shake off the moist sticky dirt.


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## tilegrfos (Feb 7, 2013)

Thanks for your advice.


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## tilegrfos (Feb 7, 2013)

I would like to ask you if you know what the transmission type handbrake does. 

I thought that it was another type of the usual handbrake type of the cars (just for "holding" the tractor when the engine is off), but someone told me that it is used to keep the 4WD attached.

I tried using the 4WD without pulling the transmission handbrake and it worked properly.

If anybody knows please let me know.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

We normally do not have transmission handbrakes on tractors here in the USA. We have footbrake locks which serve the same purpose as a parking brake. They are used for holding the tractor in place when parked - just like an automobile parking brake.

The transmission handbrake should have no affect on the 4 wheel drive engagement, which you have verified. 

Just to be sure we are talking about the same transmission handbrake, it is located on the Left Hand side of your tractor, bolted to the rear differential housing housing near the PTO lever. It has it's own lever attached that you pull up. You should release the transmission handbrake before moving the tractor. The engine should "grunt" if you try moving with the handbrake engaged.

See attached diagram. It appears that you can adjust the transmission handbrake by tightening locknut #33 on the brake control rod #23. If there is no brake adjustment remaining, you will have to replace the two brake discs #15 on the diagram. Doesn't look to be a big job (but I've never done one).


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## tilegrfos (Feb 7, 2013)

Thank you.

I would like to ask you if the transmission of this model is synchronized with the engine, because the keep telling me that it is not synchronized, but I change gears easily without stopping the tractor.

It seems to me that the transmission is synchronized. 

So once again I need your help!!!

The transmission is synchronized or not???


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

From what I can determine on the internet, your Ford 6600 transmission is NOT a synchromesh transmission. 

"The introduction of the Ford Series 10 tractors (i.e., 2610, 3610, 4610, 5610, 6610 7610, etc.) in September 1981 saw the implementation of the very first synchromesh gearbox to the Ford tractor line. This was introduced on the Series 10 tractors and was known as Synchroshift by Ford." 

So, the successor to your 6600 (the Ford 6610) had the first synchromesh transmission.


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