Ford 655C service advice

Just bought a very used 1989 (I think) Ford 655C and want to do at least an oil change and any other filters and easily accessible maintenance things assuming (to be safe as I dont know...) that it was neglected and I shoukd do as much as I can and should before I really use it. Cursory searches online show too much junk to wade through. Should I try and find a tractor repairman who makes house calls? Or is there a good site folks can recommend for filter kits and 'how to' info?

Welcome to HEF Barty !
From your questions I take it that you have no experience doing basic maintenance on equipment.
Buy a service manual for your Ford. EBay is a good place to find one.
You really, really need one.
You should get someone to help show you how to do that oil change. It is super important that you use the correct oil.
Servicing the fuel filters and the associated components is not something you should attempt without competent help there to show you how to do it.

Thanks for the welcome! I do not have any experience doing basic maintenance on heavy equipment. I have alot on regular vehicles.... I just did an oil change, rear differential, and transfer case service on my '15 F-250 6.2L gasser. I have had a couple diesel trucks in the past and maintained them. I put a listing out on CL for someone to come help show me and have 1 response already. The machine came with the service and repair manual but that has nothing in it about routine maintenance (11 chapters of more intense repair stuff), so I think I need the operators/owners manual? Also no clue about where to order parts and filters as I assume you cannot run down to Walmart or Advance Auto to grab filters..... Is Tractor Supply a good resource for lubricants and filters?

NAPA

I got the owners manual. It at least gives lubricant information, but this is old... dont know whether things have changed in 30 years (like they do for on-road vehicles) in terms of what you 'should' use. For instance the engine lubricant is listed as 'Ford M2C-121-B/c or M2C-159-A/B'. In the ambient temperature chart it shows a very wide range of weights to use depending on the outside temp. Living in Vermont we get below zero sometimes in winter and 90 degrees in the dead of summer. I wont be putting all that much time on this as its not a commercial machine to me, but its arriving with black oil that was overdue for a change when I bought it and I will be doing work here in November / December before the ground freezes solid and maybe plow a small driveway a few times through the winter.

Chart says 0 degress should be 10w30. Plus 10 degrees should be 15w30, plus 20 degrees should be 20w40 or 20w50. Then 40 degrees and above calls for SAE 30. Never seen a chart with different oil weights for every 10 degrees of temperature change.... thinking I will do 20w40 and try not to run it unless I get snowed in when the temp is below 20 degrees. Then I can change it again the spring when temps are back consistently in the 40's and above. The manual doesn't say what oil filter to use... I guess maybe NAPA would have that info? Hopefully the guy I will have come help will at least know this elementary stuff but I'd like to purchase what I need ahead of time. For engine oil and transmission (10w30), should I use synthetic blend oils? Full synthetic?

Engine oil. 15W-40. Delo or Delvac. Some use Rotella but I have no experience with it. Synthetic blend is better. I'd look for a 5W-40 in a blend or full synthetic, but be prepared, a good synthetic will dislodge a lot of the carbon built up in the block. As for filters, Wix, Napa Gold or Baldwin will serve you well.

Fuel filters. Look around on YouTube for videos showing how to change fuel filters on a CAV injection pump. Don't use NAPA or Wix filters. They block fuel flow. Look for Baldwin or OEM. Messicks.com is a good source for OEM anything. Check out their online parts diagrams under NewHolland, Construction.

Transmission. A Napa, Wix or Baldwin filter is what to look for. Baldwin is a BT5. Valvoline makes a transmission fluid that meets Ford specs.; VV813. Most others don't. Needs to "meet or exceed" Ford M2C134D spec. Most say recommended for or equivalent to and are actually a 20W hydraulic fluid. M2C134D (aka 134D) is closer to 40W. You can use the TSC Travelers Premium in the hydraulics, but not the transmission or center housing. Check out your manual. You drain the transmission via drain plug under the transmission. The drain plug in the converter is harder to get to.

Center Housing. Use 134D. No filter to change. Drain plug is inline and behind the transmission drain plug.

Hydraulic. Travelers Premium is a cheap solution. Check your manual. I think you have two hydraulic filters.

Power Steering. I think you'll need an OEM filter. I don't remember if Napa sells one. Use 134D in the P/S pump.

Coolant is a big deal. You need to check your coolant for Nitrite level and freeze protection. Probably best to dump in and start fresh. Don't use the new ELC coolants. This is old tech. You need a coolant with Sodium Nitrite. Fleetguard makes a good nitrite coolant as does CAT. CAT calls theirs DEAC. I forget what name Fleetguard is using these days.

Fuel Tank. You might want to pump out your tank and make sure there's not anything floating around or laying on the bottom. You won't believe what accumulates in there. 2-3oz of synthetic 2cyl oil per 5 gallons fuel helps keep your injectors clean.

Best forums for help with your service and repair issues is this forum and Yesterday's Tractors Ford forum. There's a lot of good folks out there willing to help you if you have an interest. I'm sure I'm forgetting something but that's plenty to get you going.

Here's a link to Wix filters by application. http://www.wixfilters.com/Lookup/Applications.aspx?Section=1

I knew I'd forget something. You need air filters. They're in the link. My Baldwin BT5 transmission filter was incorrect. Looks like you need a BT260 or a Wix 51664.

Wow.... Check Break.... thats fantastic. Thank you so much for your time! Really, appreciate it. Sounds like I should stock up on Travelers premium and 134D (Valvoline VV813 is the preferred stuff?) Radiator flush recommended (like old truck... with a garden hose, or no?) before I put all new in? And assume that would be a 50/50 mix with the DEAC full strength stuff? I'm not putting hundreds or thousands of hours on this so I would rather spend more money for the best fluids since she is an old well used machine... You said Transmission filter is a BT5? I see that is the oil filter from Baldwin... is there a gold standard on oil filters for these?

Barty88 said:

Wow.... Check Break.... thats fantastic. Thank you so much for your time! Really, appreciate it. Sounds like I should stock up on Travelers premium and 134D (Valvoline VV813 is the preferred stuff?) Radiator flush recommended (like old truck... with a garden hose, or no?) before I put all new in? And assume that would be a 50/50 mix with the DEAC full strength stuff? I'm not putting hundreds or thousands of hours on this so I would rather spend more money for the best fluids since she is an old well used machine... You said Transmission filter is a BT5? I see that is the oil filter from Baldwin... is there a gold standard on oil filters for these?

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No flush, just drain and replace. 50/50 mix distilled water and DEAC coolant. Walmart sells distilled water for under a buck a gallon. Valvoline is the preferred Ford transmission fluid. I don't trust CNH's OEM Ambra fluid anymore. Baldwin is a very good filter. So is Donaldson, if you can find them. Wix is fine for what you need. Napa Gold is made by Wix. I screwed up on the BT5. Make that a BT260. It has been suggested to me that filters that don't sell in volume are likely made by one manufacturer and all the others paint it their color and claim it's the best. I don't know what's true, but you can't go wrong if it says Baldwin or Donaldson and Wix will serve you just as well. Sorry for the bumb steer on the transmission filter. Messicks has OEM, but they're probably 2x the price and made by Wix or Baldwin.

I actually used your advice on Baldwin and their site is great. Lists all the filters I need here:

https://www.baldwinfilters.com/port...ine=38240&equipment=Loaders&manufacturer=FORD

Pretty much ordered them all on ebay but the oil filter. I'll probably do Wix (or NAPA gold for that). Thanks a ton again!

For the coolant.... the manual syas to drain the radiator and block, shut the cocks again and then add 26.75 fl Oz of chemical unhibitor FW-15 (Ford Specification ESN-M99B169-A)... then do the 50/50 of water and Ford Antifreeze. Should I do that as well or just the DEAC 50/50?

When the manual was written, everyone was using standard ethylene glycol. FW-15 is the Ford brand of sodium nitrite additive you mix with standard antifreeze to make it into diesel engine coolant. The additive helps reduce cavitation which causes pinholes to form in your cylinder wall. Now that the antifreeze manufacturers manufacture a diesel engine coolant with all the additives in it, all you have to do is monitor the condition of your antifreeze (with test strips) and add the FW-15 or Nalcool/Pencool or Nitrite recharge of another name and you're good to go. Too much is just as bad or worse than not enough. If you have access to DEAC, it will last for years and years before you have to add anything to it. DEAC may be available in a premix (50/50) form but I'm too cheap to pay Caterpillar prices for distilled water so I buy the 100% formula and thin to 50/50.

I'd use it for an hour, drain the engine oil and antifreeze. Antifreeze into a clean white bucket. If there's no sediment that settles in the bucket then refill with new. If there's sediment, then refill with rainwater and run it another hour and drain, repeat until there's no more sediment. Obviously do this above freezing only.

All the other fluids, change the filters and leave the fluids alone if possible. I'd run conventional (non synthetic) 15w40 and use a block heater for an hour before starting if it's below 30 outside. Run the fuel low a few times to get rid of all the old stale fuel, and be aware that most diesel includes bio diesel these days (at least in wi, mn) and bio starts degrading in hours... I'd consider converting to a small plastic tank for quicker turnover if you're using this thing very rarely, and very little at a time. The reason I wouldn't change the hydraulic fluid, the first hose you break will leak a good portion of that on the ground, so wait till you blow most of the hoses before draining all the old fluid. The exception would be if you have water in a powershift transmission fluid, change that before working it.

Thanks Check Break, thats what I figured about the coolant but wanted to be sure. Thankfully radiators arent that expensive on ebay if this one goes south. I assume, Delmer, that you are suggesting rainwater because of the chlorine or flouride and stuff in city water sources? Would I be OK using my hose as I am on a well and we have virtually nothing in that water? Was considering a block heater too, never installed one but thinking that wont be too tough... and you say conventional... not even a synthetic blend? Thats interesting, love the advice from people who know what they are doing as I normally would just put the best /most expensive stuff in and figure that would be the right thing to do.... Will be easier to do the tranny service in the summer too. Will have to look at the fuel tank and see how hard replacing it is... you guys know if theres a drain plug or something on the bottom or will I have to siphon it out to drain? Diesel around here in Vermont I think is typically just the on-road low sulphur diesel I would use, not alot of bio-diesel that I have seen here (which is odd considering its VT and they are very 'green' here). The fuel filters are not that expensive so I can just replace that more often and add the 2cyl oil as Check Break suggested.

On another note... all the ssites I have seen so far deal with older tractors... these 'newer' backhoes dont have alot of resources I can find for cab parts. Any leads on where to find stuff like that? I need a door handle, a window latch, the entire wiper motor and blade assembly, and some other stuff that is not a necessity but would be nice like cracked plastic pieces. And what about glass? The only glass I see on ebay are the panels I DONT need. The windshield is serviceable but cracked in several places all the way across, and one lower panel I may just leave is spidered. I am excited to start working on it as soon as the shipper gets it here, thanks for all the input guys!

I like rainwater because it is soft, not many minerals, and slightly acidic, so it makes a nice flush that you can run a couple hours, or weeks and drain the sediment out. Your well water is probably fine if it's not terribly hard. Where you get into trouble is adding a gallon every couple of days because something is leaking, that will plug a radiator up with hard water deposits. One time flushing won't really matter in the scheme of things.

I'd use conventional because you might change it annually, because you won't get the hours to change it more often. It will be dirty, but the oil will not be broken down, where a synthetic would last longer. If you're going 24/7 and oil changes are downtime, then synthetic allows a longer change interval, and save money. Year old synthetic with the same dirt isn't going to protect the engine any better than year old conventional, they'll both be dumped just because they're a year old.

The dealer might have some parts and glass, the wiper and possibly latches will be cheaper if you can match the names and numbers off them and order outside the dealer. The glass can come from a glass shop, don't know which would be cheaper.

Your tank might be fine if you keep up with it. The plastic tank is a last resort if problems come up, or you really want to keep fuel fresh.

Barty88 said:

On another note... all the ssites I have seen so far deal with older tractors... these 'newer' backhoes dont have alot of resources I can find for cab parts. Any leads on where to find stuff like that? I need a door handle, a window latch, the entire wiper motor and blade assembly, and some other stuff that is not a necessity but would be nice like cracked plastic pieces. And what about glass? The only glass I see on ebay are the panels I DONT need. The windshield is serviceable but cracked in several places all the way across, and one lower panel I may just leave is spidered. I am excited to start working on it as soon as the shipper gets it here, thanks for all the input guys!

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I have maintained my 655c for 20 years, and have never had a major breakdown of any sort. Any green or yellow Ford/New Holland dealership can get you most parts for that unit. Their oil, transmission and hydraulic filters are pretty close in price to aftermarket. For the engine oil, one can use a standard Ford older v-8 engine filter either PH-1 or PH-8a . They are so cheap you can change them every 50 hours. The cross references are all over the net. You definitely don't want to change the fuel tank or radiator unless they are shot. Nightmare project. The transmission and rear axle and hydraulic system take the same hydraulic fluid. I use an anti wear AW 20 weight. And yes, hydraulic fluid usually gets changed by a broken hose. You should get a rubber dust cup for the air filter housing. They are always hard and non working after a few years. This unit has a great operators manual, far better than anything put out by John Deere. All you need to know to keep it going is in there. As for draining the fuel tank, on the bottom of the engine on the passenger side there is a fuel shut off and here you could open the tube and flush out anything. Never did it because the engine has a glass water trap and a separate filter. For air filters, Napa has always been more than the dealer. There is also a power steering filter rather easy to change, inside the pump housing on the engine. I would use standard oil. I used Delo for years and now the $9.00 gallon Walmart diesel engine oil - delivered. Can't beat that and the specs are good according to my oil lab samples. You certainly cannot judge diesel engine oil by color. The samples I send look like coal tar but the lab says all is good on all points. Typically, my oil goes 2x or more the recommended change time.

Would like to know how much you paid and how many hours? Been a great unit and outdigs my Deere 710d which have a monster 6 cylinder engine and weighs several thousand pounds more.

So, its been a little while since I posted because I JUST got the darn thing delivered today... what an Odyssey. I was successful with your help locating and have all the filters bought and most of the fluids that you all recommended. Having trouble finding the 134d, though. I may swing by the local Ford truck dealership later today and see if they have it. Auto parts store could get me the Valvoline VV813 but only in a 5 gallon $120 bucket. I was just going to change the filter for now as suggested and maybe look at it more closely in the summer warmer months but figure I will need to add fluid there if I replace the filter, just have to find it. I plan on at least going home today, running it for a little while and doing the engine oil, that 'seems' like the easiest.

I did get an owners manual which indeed is VERY helpful, so I now have that and the much bulkier (and probably wont personally use repair manual). Check Break, you said earlier no flush, just replace coolant. Delmer suggested a flush... is there any chance of harm with that flush or were you saying it just wasn't necessary? I plan to probably do that next unless I shouldn't with a 50/50 mix and try to locate test strips. I did get the CAT coolant for this that 'should' last a very long time but they didnt have any test strips. Are they available online somewhere?

690elc... thanks, thats all great info too! Any leads on where to find a rubber dust cup? I wont change the air filters until I locate one of those... there is really no dealers around here so I pretty much have to order my stuff online. I think (hope) I got a good deal on this at $8,500 plus $150 I spent renting a car and gas to go down and see it and another $600 on delivery. With almost $300 in filters and fluids and a couple misc. things I am sitting at $9,500 delivered and all I need to do the fluids and filters changes (minus tranny fluid... just have the filter). It has 7500 hours roughly. Cracked windshield I would like to replace and a rear wiper motor assembly and a couple door latches... otherwise she appears all there, usually starts right up and doesn't really smoke at all, though the cabin with the doors shut smells a little smokey (but I dont know whats normal)... but i dont think exhaust is getting in there based on engine and muffler placement I dont think it could, right?

I will try to post more as I get things done. Thanks again for everyone's input and help. Much appreciated!

"usually starts right up and doesn't really smoke at all, though the cabin with the doors shut smells a little smokey (but I dont know whats normal)... but i dont think exhaust is getting in there based on engine and muffler placement I don't think it could, right?"
Carbon monoxide is odorless , but it comes along with smokey smells. You best find the cause of the odor while you still can.

I said to flush it only if you see sediment in the old coolant, it's up to you, but I'd never put new coolant in without flushing. I've drained coolant, flushed, and then put the same coolant back in.

CO is not as much of a concern with a diesel as with a gas engine. You don't want to breathe diesel exhaust, it's bad for you for other reasons.