Steering problems IH 574/2500A

Hi All: I have a new to me 2500A / 574 Diesel with loader. When I purchased this it blew a Hdy line on the loader. When we got it home and backed it off the trailer the Wife and I took turns driving it around the barn yard. I went to back it up some and the steering stopped working! We stopped and shut the tractor down. No fluid on the dip stick...... Nothing notta! ( I checked it when I test drove it a week ago and it was low and a little milky so a full fulid change was in the works anyway. To get it going I added 5 Gallons of trans/Hydro fluid, Started it back up and still no steering. The front wheels are still pointed to the left. So I worked the steering back and forth a bit. When I turn to the left I can barely turn it, ( lots of resistance) to the right I can spin the wheel as much as I want. Still could not get the front wheels to straighten out. I ran it forward and reverse for a while, at the same time I kept turning the steering wheel to the right. I finally got the front wheels almost straight. But the steering is not working still.
Is there some bleeding I I need to do? Can someone enlighten me on the most likely areas to look at to fix this. I just purchased this tractor and have just ordered the manuals. So I am kinda flying blind here.
I appreciate any help.
Andrew

Hi Andrew, if tractor has a 3pt, work the 3pt up
and down. Is the loader run off the main hydraulic
or off a pump driven by crankshaft? If the loader
is off the main hydraulic pump work the loader up
and down and the steering wheel left full then
right full.
Lift front end off the ground with loader and then
you can turn steering wheel easily. If tractor has
remote hydraulic outlets on the rear try pulling
the remote out lever until you hear hydraulic
relief valve buzz. Lever by your right heel below
3pt lever. If all else fails, look under the left
foot rest and the hydraulic filter is there on top
of the MCV valve.
On the bottom left of MCV valve there should be a
steel hydraulic line that feeds the power
steering.
With engine OFF and a clean bucket under the MCV
loosen the nut of the power steering line and
start engine and work steering wheel and watch for
leaking hydraulic fluid.

If the hydraulic fluid was milky, I would be
changing fluid and filter.

Good luck
JimB

Thanks JimB2: I will try that this weekend. The steering work well before I ran it low on fluid. I can't wait for the manuals to arrive. The tractor seems to be in poor/fair shape: After I got it into the barn I was able to look it over much more closely and I found a few things:
1 The middle two injectors are missing one hold down nut each.
2. The tractor will need to be totally rewired... The harness is trashed.
3 The air cleaner is there but not connected.
4. The only gauge that works is the oil pressure gauge.
5. No tell tail or warning lights, all are missing.
6. The fuel filters are missing. The whole assembly is gone.
7. The fuel line is missing clamps and the electric fuel pump is on top of the transmission in the trans shift linkage.
8. The plumbing for the brakes has been really messed with...lots of hoses added???
9. I stopped counting... The list goes on for a ways.

My wife says I like "Do it yourself tractors...." I guess maybe so my IH 444 was a mess when I go it too :lol:

Andrew

Andrew, sounds like the tractor has lots of little
challenges. Should have a D-239 German Diesel
engine same as 574,674,684,685,695,3240 and
various other applications. The older D-239 had
the Bosch fuel filters which were many $ and newer
had the CAV fuel filter system same as MF Perkins
Diesels and same as 444 except IIRC it did not
use the banjo fittings.
There was no electric fuel pump on the ag models
but the fuel tanks have a had of collecting trash
or dead lady bugs in the bottom that restrics or
blocks the outlet and starves engine of fuel.

Good luck with your tractor.
JimB

Thanks for all the info and help Jim!

In addition to what Jim says you might want to try adding more fluid.