question Zetor 3340 clutch or reverser problem

Howdy all,
I searched as best I could for a fix to my problem before posting this question / problem.

I have a 3340 (I believe 1995) and it has developed the following issue. I can put the reverser lever in forward or reverse, but cannot put it in any gear (1-5), or I can put it in gear 1-5 but then the reverser won't go into forward or reverse.

Is this a clutch issue or something internal with a synchronizer?

I spoke to a Zetor dealership about 60 miles away and they didn't have any ideas on what the issue could be, nor do they make service calls.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.
TIA,

Sounds like clutch isnt releasing. Can you try looking under the tractor for movement of the clutch slave clinder while some one else presses the pedal ? Most likely the master cylinder is leaking

Thanks for the reply. Apologies for delayed response, work and life had other plans for me.

Found a different Zetor dealer and their shop foreman seemed to think it was the master or slave cylinder and encouraged the replacement of both. The reason being is that when one went out the other tends to follow shortly.
I have replaced both and the problem continues. I am going to try and bleed the system again and see if that helps. I'll also check and make sure there is movement at the slave cylinder.

Hi

If it's grinding the gears when you try to engage one you may have a buttress cap broken. You should be able to find reference to them on the forum.

Mike

Thanks, I look that term up.

After reading more here on Zetor World I did the following:
Opened the inspection hatch and found lots of surface rust.
Saw parts (fingers?) moving when clutch was pressed Went ahead and sprayed penetrating oil in there in case plates had rusted together. I read where one member drilled a 1/2" hole 1" in front of the inspection cover but I was hesitant to do that at this point.

Got the tractor started in Hi 3rd gear. Drove it around and applied the brakes (hard) and clutch together multiple times. Only able to shift from 3 to 2 once, tried to shift back into 3rd and had the same issue of grinding.

One thing that I noticed is that when I applied the brakes hard, the left rear tire locked up and the right didn't seem to be impacted by the brakes being applied.

Letting it sit and idle right now while I'm in for lunch. Any thoughts?

ETA: I looked for write up on buttress cap replacement but was unable to find anything, just lots of post mentioning cap may be the problem. Does anyone have a link to step by step replacement?

Hi

The B/C's are a top hat shaped part which the levers pivot on. They're on the levers with the long bolts. When they break the rim comes off, it's sometimes difficult to see. Replacement is straight forward but very fiddly.

Mike

I have the exact same shifting problem with the Zetor 3340 that I just bought. It only has 600 hrs on the tractor, but has had almost no maintenance.

So far, I've changed antifreeze, engine oil & filter, most of the milky white hydraulic fluid & filter, and the master cylinder that mounts on the back of the clutch pedal. I didn't get the paper hydraulic filter bowl back on correctly, so I lost a lot of hydraulic fluid.

It's still not going into gear, so I'm about to go buy more hydraulic fluid to bring the level back to the mark on the dipstick.

I'm probably going to buy the slave cylinder and buttress caps if it doesn't shift today. Does anyone have any suggestions? What was the solution for the original post?

I just topped off the hydraulic fluid. It goes in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th gear, but it wont go in forward or reverse gear while the engine is running.

My 7745 has similar problems. I can get the clutch to disengage enough to shift by pressing pedal a few times and/or by reducing RPM to about 900.

I read that the slave cylinder piston should move at least 1/2" - I suspect I need to replace or rebuild the slave cylinder as mine actuates 3/8".

I picked up a new slave cylinder from a local Zetor dealer a few hours ago. I just installed it, bled the system from the slave cylinder bleeder screw, and still no clutch. I can put everything in gear with the engine off and it moves forward when the starter is turning the engine over, but it wont shift properly once the engine is running. I guess I have to try and see if I can figure out what the clutch fingers and buttress caps are.

I popped the inspection lid off the clutch housing. Best I can tell, the buttress caps are fine, and the finger's gaps are a millimeter or less. I tried pushing the tractor into a dirt embankment to try and free things up, but now the tractor is completely stuck. I cant get it out of 2nd gear, low gear, or forward gear.

Maybe now I can get more answers online, since I have a more universal tractor problem that isn't specific to Zetor. Lol

Well, I jacked up the rear end to get the tractor out of gear.

Then, I tried running the tractor in high gear on the road while holding down the clutch pedal for a while. Instead of causing the clutch to work properly, it just blew the seal on the $82 slave cylinder I installed yesterday. I'm starting to regret buying this tractor.

Hi,

There are 3 buttress caps and it's sometimes difficult to spot the breakage. Usually the brim of the top hat breaks away. The only time I've had a new cylinder problem is when the piston comes out of the cylinder due to the thrust bearing siezing and wearing the fingers away. If you couldn't get it out of gear when you had it stuck it is probably because you had it in 4wd and suffered "wind up" of the gearbox.

Mike

Clutch pedal would not move. I disconnected the pedal from slave cylinder and started tractor in gear and it jumped forward. Reassembled slave cylinder and clutch assembly, bleed slave cylinder, slave cylinder engages and disengages but tractor doesn't move. Wonder if plunger in slave cylinder is stuck open?