OC4 has 1 speed forward and 4 speeds in reverse

art · December 28, 2015, 07:21:09 PM

Hello all. New to this group though I have looked for answers about my recently purchased OC4. I bought it with a stuck engine with the assurance from the seller that it had lived under a tarp. Long story short, after soaking cylinders for a week I took the head off to find water in all the cylinders. Ok I thought, more soaking, tapping, heated oil soak, more tapping, more oil soaks etc for about a month and a half. Finally broke the pistons out. Engine needing parts I found that about $1400 would get me parts to which I thought I couldn't justify that. I decided to look for a transplant which I found in a Massey Harris 22 engine which is a Continental 140cu in. I installed that using the bell housing. It fits nicely with some welded engine mounts.

A very long story short, I started it up this past weekend to move it under cover. Much to my surprise when I shifted it into reverse to back up I went forward. Huh? I shifted it into 1st and it went backwards the same was true with all the forward gears. The engine turns in the same direction as the Hercules. My question is does anyone have any idea what is wrong? A clue might be that when I got the machine, the differential cover was held on by only 2 bolts

Blake Malkamaki · December 29, 2015, 04:26:59 PM

Is this an early OC-4 or a late (3 cylinder) OC-4? Does it have a reverser?

I'm not an OC-4 expert, but it sounds like you may be blessed with a tractor with an auxiliary transmission. If so, that transmission is probably in reverse causing all speeds in the other transmission to be in reverse. Change the auxiliary to a forward speed and all should be well.

art · December 30, 2015, 03:06:03 AM

I think it's an earlier OC4 that came with a 3 cylinder Hercules. There is only one gearbox though.
I think I know whats wrong. I opened up the rear differential cover and it seems that the ring gear is on the right side of the case. The manual I have shows the ring gear on the left side of the case. That would reverse everything. Now I just have to pull the final drives off.

Blake Malkamaki · December 30, 2015, 02:42:39 PM

I wonder if that was originally one of those tractors with a trencher mounted, and where the engine pointed to the back?

Jack in NB · December 31, 2015, 12:01:18 PM

Blake - my first reaction to your reply: Come on, it's not April 1 !

But were there actually machines configured that way?

I think Art's got his solution with the reversed crown gear.

There was an incident back in the fifties here at the local coop garage where the mechanic(?) installed either the diff pumpkin or the entire rear axle backward, and severely damaged the back wall of the shop when attempting to back the car out . . .

Happy New Year, folks !

Jack

Blake Malkamaki · December 31, 2015, 04:42:08 PM

I don't know which way was forward on these machines, but yes they existed.

art · January 06, 2016, 02:10:11 PM

I seem to recall that when or if you wanted to reverse the direction of a Volkswagon beetle transaxle you had to open the case and reverse the gear.

hotratz · January 07, 2016, 08:03:00 PM

Quote from: art on January 06, 2016, 02:10:11 PM
I seem to recall that when or if you wanted to reverse the direction of a Volkswagon beetle transaxle you had to open the case and reverse the gear.

Correct on flipping the VW transaxles. The early VW buses were reversed to accommodate the additional two gear reduction gearboxes on the ends of the axles. (portal axles)

I wonder what application required flipping the gear in the OC-4?

myownbossman · January 08, 2016, 12:22:56 AM

Maybe they had a forklift mounted on the rear. My Harlo is a 424 Ford ind tractor with the diff flipped and a lift on the back