Ford 4000 Diesel Automatic Transmission

01GE · Nov 9, 2017

New to the forum.
I have a late 60's Ford 4000 diesel with an automatic transmission.
Bought it used, been a great machine. Recently the transmission appears to be out of sync.

When park is selected, it is actually in 2nd or 3rd gear. I cant get to neutral or reverse.

Is there a separate reservoir for the transmission, and if so, where might it be?

Thanks in advance.

Billy NY · Nov 9, 2017

Select-O-Speed transmission. You must have the correct manuals to work on these, do not attempt repairs without them. Do not remove the top cover or the cable linkage to the selector without doing so by the book. Costly mistakes can easily be made. I had a '64 model 4000 with S-O-S, not sure if the trans shares with the hydraulic and rear differential on this later model. DO NOT use any other fluid in this transmission then what is specified, that is also a costly mistake.

mooger · Nov 9, 2017

Select-O-Speed, 10 speeds forward, 2 reverse, neutral and park. As Billy says, do not remove or adjust anything without the Ford Service manual to follow. The transmission has wet clutch packs, and also brake bands which can be adjusted from outside the case. The bands have struts that can fall out of place if the adjusting screws are turned out too far--at that point, the trans has to be removed and disassembled.

Post your question at the Ford forum on this site for the possibility of better response.

I bought an earlier model tractor with a non-working SOS in the 1990s. Did a front and rear split and took the trans completely apart. The fix turned out to be simple and cheap, but I probably spent more time muddling thru the manuals than actually working on the tractor.
Ford Forum

mooger · Nov 10, 2017

I should have answered your question directly: there isn't a separate, 'remote' reservoir for the transmission, as your question seems to imply. Only the transmission case holds the oil required for the Select-O-Speed to function.

Not intending to be the least bit critical, but it's not an automatic because it doesn't shift automatically. It shifts manually, as you know.

The SOS is actually shifted by oil pressure provided by a dedicated oil pump which is driven off the transmission input shaft. Moving the Selector lever to different speeds simply directs pressure oil to the clutch packs/brake band servos required to combine the planetary gear elements for the speed selected.
Ford Forum

01GE · Nov 10, 2017

Thanks for the information, its quite helpful.
Knowing that it is a single reservoir helps.

The tractor didnt show any signs of degrading or escalating behavior in the transmission. The Shifter still moves smoothly between gears, etc. Just one day it was fine and the next it wouldnt go into park. Understanding the mechanism helps too as I wondered if it could be a filter or clog like the lift mechanisms sometimes.

Where can I get manuals for this machine and, as I am not THAT mechanically inclined I will have to find a local guru.

Thanks again,,, I would really like to keep this old girl going. She is my dedicated bush hog machine.

Leroy · Nov 10, 2017

If you fine a thousand people that knows standard tractor transmissions finding one in that thousand that know about the S_O_S transmission you will be luckey

sotxbill · Nov 10, 2017

I am guessing the shift hub to cable disk... is slipped and now you can no longer put it back into park or even reverse...

just went through one of these.. had to purchase a used shifter mechanisum to get the parts I needed. Then use the book to adjust the slack in the cable via the adjuster on the back of the shifter to get it lined back up again. the shift cables were also damaged, but it was the uppper cable so I got lucky there.

As others said,, you will need a manual to get it right.

Ford 4000 Diesel Automatic Transmission

01GE

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Billy NY

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mooger

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mooger

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01GE

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Leroy

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sotxbill

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