Ford 3000 Diesel

Anonymous-0 · Sep 28, 2009

Anyone that owns a 3000 diesel, what has been your experience with the tractor? Good tractor or should I look for another series? Also the tractor I’m going to take a look at the owner says when cold it runs a bit rough until it gets warm. I have seen other diesels that ran cold when they had bad glow plugs. From what I can find on the internet Ford offered a “Diesel cold start aids” dealer installed.

Lefty · Sep 28, 2009

If I recall the thousand series starting aid was a heating coil in the intake manifold actuvated by turning the key backwards for a bit,then further back to "heat start".Some also had a self resetting enrichner button where the fuel shutoff cable attached to the pump arm.You pushed the dash knb in,then poke the enrichner button in.These aids were related to cold weather initial starting only.

Ultradog MN · Sep 28, 2009

Lefty is correct. No glow plugs on that model.
Might or might not have the goofy Thermostart system whis is a heat coil in the manifold which allows a trickle of diesel to drain into it which aids in cold weather starts.
Rough start up might be the injectors. You could bring them in or for about $45 apiece just replace them. Check Fleabay.
Ford 3000 is known to be one of the best light utility models ever built by any brand or color.
Rugged, reliable, nimble, powerful (38HP)Good parts availability and altogether a fun tractor to drive and own.
Keep in mind that you could buy them with or without several options which will kind of make or break it's usefulness.
If the one you're looking at has the 8 speed tranny with LPTO, Differential lock and power steering you will really like it.
You could live without LPTO and you could live without the Diff lock. But I would hesitate to buy the one with the straight up 4 speed.

TimMiller · Sep 28, 2009

We have one and its a great tractor. Steering on ours is a bit hard (worn gears), but thats the biggest complaint. Ours has diff lock (great when discing), 4 speed trans, with high and low, for 8 speeds, 4 high is fast. Plenty of power for running an 8' disc, 6' shredder, pulling 130 hay bales across the hay field.

da-bees · Sep 28, 2009

Ultradog said"I would hesatate to buy a straight 4 speed".
da-bees added "or an sos",and "I agree it is a fine model".

Anonymous-0 · Sep 28, 2009

I've owned a 3000 for about 16 years and have never done anything but put 3 batteries in it, replaced the muffler once, and have ran it so hard I can't believe it still cranks and runs, never had to add oil to the engine, never had to use ether to crank it. In my opinion this would be one of the best tractors that has ever been made by Ford, should my 3000 ever die it would be replaced with another one. Have owned about 16 tractors in the last 25 years and the 3000 has been my workhorse that has held up to some long hours and hard work.

Mathias NY · Sep 28, 2009

I've owned my 3000 Diesel with 8spd transmission, for 3 years now. It's an 'ok' tractor. I don't regret buying it, but I've close.

They are imprecise and difficult to work with in close quarters. But if you have big open fields, where you can just drive along, it will with do great. I bought mine to be a general 3pt hitch tractor and was sorely disappointed. Since I started using it for drawbar work, it has redeemed itself some.

Also, the front end isn't really design for a loader.

In all fairness though, the one I bought had been neglected for many years and might be rougher than most. Hope this helps.

Old Ford Mechanic · Sep 28, 2009

Glow plugs are a starting aid.The 3000 has none.The 3000 is a great little utility tractor.They work well with small 3 point implements such as moldboard plows,small disc harrows,box blades and other small implements.The 3000 front axle however is not designed to hold up to the rigors of a front loader.The center pin and bushing and the wheel spindles,bushing's and bearing's are too light.The 3 cylinder deisel engines are bullet proof and with proper maintenence will last for thousands of hours.The 8 speed transmisson is preferred in this tractor because of the HiLo combination of gearing.Stay away from the SOS or as they are better know SELECT-O-SPEED models.Power steering is available on these tractors and helps in close quarters.Fine little tractors they are.

cj in wisconsin · Sep 29, 2009

Bought one used in 77 still use it almost daily , great machine.

cj in wisconsin · Sep 29, 2009

Bought one used in 77 still use it almost daily , great machine.

Wesley Stephens · Sep 29, 2009

I've spent many hours on a 3000 and they are very good tractors.

Ford 3000 Diesel

Anonymous-0

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Lefty

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Ultradog MN

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TimMiller

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da-bees

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Anonymous-0

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Mathias NY

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Old Ford Mechanic

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cj in wisconsin

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cj in wisconsin

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Wesley Stephens

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