4630 Transmission Rattle

Billy NY

Well-known Member
After finishing cutting 2 fields yesterday with a rotary cutter, I noticed a clanking/rattling sound when the tractor was idled down before shutting it off. It's a sound like a thicker steel cover plate that is loose or something, but it's definitely inside the transmission and seems to be located towards the front, say in line vertically at where the sheet metal starts just in front of the 2 gear levers. It does not sound like something from the clutch assembly as the bell housing is further away, unless it's a deceptive sound transferring through somehow.

It goes away when you depress the clutch pedal. It's most prominent at low idle, and when you shut it off, as the engine slows to a stop, it slows at the exact same rate.

Biggest question is, what inside this transmission,(8 spd w/mechanical shuttle)would let loose to cause this ?

Little history on the transmission, 4th has always made a whine, 5th started doing this later, just a little at lower RPM, and when I first got the tractor, the transmission was overfull by 5 qts.

Last September, I completed a full service of this tractor, including the transmission. Drained that out, removed the screen from it, took it apart, and meticulously cleaned it. I found a small quantity of metal fines, about the head of a pencil eraser in volume + or -. Replaced the gasket and o-ring like was recommended here by Destroked 450. Glad to know about that screen. 35 hours of use since the full service of every fluid in the tractor, including the front drive axle. Tractor runs great otherwise.

PTO, works the same as it did, finicky to engage smoothly, full power to the mower.

Prior to this, I did shear a couple of grade 2 bolts on the shaft, the mower was set a little too low in the front. It cuts better that way, but will scalp Tussocks or Hummocks, (those big tufts of grass you find in a marsh) on the edge of this field. So there were some shock loads, but those grade 2's shear easily, heck if you have the throttle up a tad when engaging the PTO, it will shear one. Was suggested to raise the throttle a bit when engaging, make sure the pressure is adequate at the clutch pack I assume. Long time ford tractor mechanic suggested this, seems to work.

I've got the full manual set, will look over the transmission section, but have resigned to the fact that this will likely have to go to the shop and could be very costly. Also parts might be difficult to find. Tractor now has about 1310 hours on it and has the original working hour meter. Odd with such low hours to have a problem like this, must be more to this.
 
Makes sense, thanks for the tip. It's cooled overnight, and I cannot hear this noise now.
I do tend to be observant of any kinds of odd noise or visible problems, but know things like this ( if a valid concern ) do not fix themselves.

Will have to monitor. The transmission clanks a little on shut off, but that appears to be something normal. Sound I heard last night was different, more pronounced, but seems only when it's hot now.
Figure its best to catch something before it fails or turns catastrophic. But, if it ain't broke, don't fix it LOL !
 
Do NOT jump to conclusions! It could be a normal gear rattle that becomes more pronounced at lower idle speeds. Many '65-up 4-cylinder Fords are this way with regards to dual power and PTO rattle.

I'm not saying that you don't have a legitimate problem, but if the noise goes away when you rev it up, and nothing comes out the drain plug when you drain the oil, I would not be in a rush to tear it down.
 
Bern, I agree with you 100% ! As you would know, servicing this transmission is as easy as changing the engine oil. Holds about the same quantity of oil too. I have a spare gasket and o-ring on hand for the strainer and cover on the bottom of the transmission. I'll monitor for now, drain a little oil, see if there is anything settled out in it. Always been attentive to noises with any equipment, sometimes a tad too much,playing it safe but a little while ago, this rattle was not to be heard.
 

What oil are you running in it, does transmissions seem to run a little hotel than the standard 8x2 trans.
They don't seem to like the cheap 303 oils, I'd use NH Ambra, Kabota Super UTD, Cam2 J20-C from Rural King.
 
(quoted from post at 16:07:35 05/26/18)
What oil are you running in it, does transmissions seem to run a little hotel than the standard 8x2 trans.
They don't seem to like the cheap 303 oils, I'd use NH Ambra, Kabota Super UTD, Cam2 J20-C from Rural King.

Sometimes spell check can be really aggravating!

Should have said.
These transmissions seem to run a little hotter than the standard 8x2 trans.
 

What oil are you running in it, does transmissions seem to run a little hotel than the standard 8x2 trans.
They don't seem to like the cheap 303 oils, I'd use NH Ambra, Kabota Super UTD, Cam2 J20-C from Rural King.
 
The splines on the PTO input shaft that is driven by the pressure plate hub may be getting ready to strip. I have replaced 2 of these on 4630"s in the last year. Both had been used extensively to run disc mowers. Both had less than 4000 Hours. The splines on the shaft and the hub were completely machined away.
 
NH Ambra.

About 35 hours on it now since the transmission was serviced. All fluids were drained from this tractor last September, new filters and fluids replaced. This was the only component where I found a small quantity of metal fines. I saved all the filters to cut open, which I have not done yet. I found very small flakes, about the same volume as a pencil eraser head + or - and it took a lot of flushing of that strainer to get that amount. I spent quite a bit of time just cleaning that strainer. It certainly was not plugged or anything and looked good visually, but each round of flushing produced just enough fines to notice, so it took some work to add up. I took photos of everything I did, had planned to make a post about doing this service work and observations I made from doing same, for others here with this model.

I particularly don't like the cheap hydraulic oils given the performance in cold weather. Put that in a hundred series and see how long it takes for the hydraulics work when it's 20 Deg F or less, also seems to turn milky sooner from moisture in my opinion which could be wrong or applies the same to all hydraulic fluids. The cost of Ambra or equivalent will still be less than any major repair and at least you know it's the right specification. + the service interval and the hours I typically run this tractor would be under 100 hours per year.

Don't like auto correct either, what gets me is that even when you type a sentence or word correctly, you have to press the check mark to "enter" it, it was right the first time LOL !
 
I'm wondering what the cause was on those. Be real curious to know how the operators of each tractor engaged the PTO. Move the lever to the stop, make a slight pause then move the lever forward slowly until engaged. It's hard to engage these smoothly no matter how careful you are, doing exactly what the owners manual says. It either comes on instantly, sometimes shearing a grade 2 bolt, or almost sounds like it's grinding or ratcheting briefly before engaging. Looking at this section in the shop manual, good photos and description of the I PTO. Hate to think what is going on in there if something is grinding. Was like this since I've owned it. Will check for metal fines. Ran fine for 3 hours yesterday, and that rattle I heard the other day was not there.
 

PTO's on these tractors don't have a soft engagement like on the larger models.
I try not to engage to pto above 1000 engine rpm, with my drum mower just as the pto starts in engage I'll flip the lever off and back on again and do these 3-4 times leaving it on a little longer each time.
Seems to work better that way weather than to let it fully engage all at once, on smaller implements I'll just turn it on.
The grinding noise you hear is the pto clutches rattling has they are engaging.
 
That's interesting,will have to try that. My tachometer works until 1000 RPM, then pegs to the right, need to replace it but the hour meter works fine so I've left as is given the hours are true. Service manager and part owner of local CNH dealer knows these tractors well, said about the same thing, bring the RPMs up just a bit. So just under 1000 RPM seems to work well. Just seems like you are grinding something every time when it does that. Once in awhile it engages smoothly, say like my 850 ford would.
 
I wouldn't think about it too much. There's a lot of moving parts in the box. For as much metal as you got out of it, I'd not be concerned. What I would do is make sure that the clutch is properly adjusted, the linkage not excessively worn.. and make sure the main shift lever is tight and not badly worn. If the lever jumps the rail... or the clutch doesn't fully disengage.. then you're looking for a repair bill. a BIG repair bill. Syncro's are expensive...

Rod
 
Gotcha, clutch works perfectly and everything shifts well, all is tight like a new tractor. Low hours are true as you can tell, no pedal wear, and nothing really has been touched on the tractor, even the tachometer cable still had its 1997 tag on it and was corroded to the instrument cluster from a mouse nest being in there.

Looking at the diagrams on this, can imagine these to be expensive repairs and know to be easy with operating the transmission and always fully depress the clutch etc.

Glad to know that amount of metal fines should not be much concern, but will check for same at the next transmission oil change.
 
I got original manuals with the 3910 I just purchased. In there they say to reduce rpms to idle before
engaging the IND PTO. Makes sense to me and have always done that with IND PTOs. You are right on with
that.
 
I have replaced 2 instrument panels recently; my '65 3000 and the newly purchased '88 3910. Even though the 3000 had the generator and zero'd on the right and the 3910 was alternator driven and zero'd on the left, ebay has them for $80 and free shipping as I recall.

I just keep the old ones and write the hours under the battery hood for future reference. Installation is clean as their pre wiring makes it simple:

I have a can of graphite lock spray so I just squirt some on the cable end and the mating surface on the rear of the new panel.

Installation:

Tach drive no brainer.
Press in lights: Oil press, gen, turn signals if you have them, no brainer
Battery wire: Single point connection since distribution on the panel module is made for you
Thermostat wire....terminal hiding below 12v input and distribution (voltage regulator module), but it's there over behind the temp gauge
Ground wire: Anywhere on the metallic portion of the housing
Fuel tank sending unit wire: Lug over behind fuel gauge
Done

Fire it up and give it a few minutes to limber up and away you go. A new panel just makes you feel like you are running a new tractor. Does me........like sitting in a new seat.
 

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