equinekingdom

Hi everyone!

Totally new here, and don't know much about tractors at all, so I need some help!! I have a Ford 4000 55 HP tractor with a front loader/bucket. When we use it for more than a few minutes at a time, this yellow/whitish fluid shows up on the area where the power shifter stick is (no idea what it's called) - the area on the "floor" of the tractor inbetween your feet where you shift gears. Any ideas what it is, or where it might be coming from?

Also, we think there is a hydraulic leak in one of the lines going to the lifter for the bucket. We just got a hay spear that attaches to the bucket, and it can't lift the bales (1200-1500lbs) off the ground - it can get them about inches off the ground, then the hydraulics "fail" and it starts dropping towards the ground and stretching the hydraulics and the bucket back down towards the ground. Is this because of a leak? I can get a picture of the part where the hose attaches if necessary.

Thanks so much!! I look forward to learning a lot about my tractor from you all since I think probably everyone else on hear knows more than I do! All I know is I like my blue tractor.

marcus6701

The leak at the shifter would most likely be trans/hyd. fluid. Some tractors used the gear box fluid as part of the hyd. fluid.
1200-1500 lbs may be too much weight. It may be causing the pressure relief valve in the pump to open after getting it up a few inches off the ground. A hyd. leak would create low pressure all the time limiting your lifting power all together. I think you need to check the hyd. pressure to see if its putting out the correct amount. What hyd line is leaking. Is it to the bucket or the main lift arms?