Leak on my 8n ford

[pinball]

On my 8n there is a small oil drip coming out of a hole a hole underneath . I suppose the seal for the tranny is leaking. I suppose you have to break the tractor in half to install a new seal. I was wondering if theres a good additive you could add to the oil to maybe help the seal seal better. not much of a drip but still messy on the cement floor. thanks for any info. Norm

 

[Bruce (VA)]

See tip # 51.

Nothing in a can will help.

Splitting the tractor to replace the transmission seal or crank seal isn't worth the time to me. Buy a drop pan and more fluids.
75 Tips

 

[Den N Ms]

Nothing in a can will help.But the can will catch it.lol,Have seen a Sardine can tied under one before.

 

[Bob]

These 'ol grrrls like to drip and leak a bit to "mark their territory", their sealing shystems aren't as sophisticated as those of a new 'bota yuppy tractor.

That's why we love them!

That being said, the transmission front seal is a "modern-style" radial oil seal, but the rear crankshaft seal is simply a "rope seal" that is prone too drizzle a bit even after being replaced by a "pro" under the best of conditions.

A pie tin with a little kitty litter inside set under the strategic spot works well, or open up a cardboard box or two left over from your beverage of choice and slip it underneath and it will sop up the drips for a long time before needing replacement. (Which, of course, will require more of your beverage of choice to be consumed!) DARN!

Just say'in!

 

[HCooke]

You've gotten good advice. I would live with it.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Had a fellow call me off a craigslist ad for a tractor I was selling.
He had an 860 he had recently bought that was leaking pretty bad from under the transmission.
We talked for a bit.
He was an interesting guy. From India. Good humor, intelligent, personable. But not a mechanic by any means. He wanted me to fix the tractor.
So I went to look at it. Crawled under it.
Yeah, it had a steady drip.
I noticed what looked like a piece of the transmission flaking off under there where that cotter pin should be. So I picked at it with my pocket knife. The flaking was some bondo that the previous owner had put under there to plug the hole.
I picked at it a little more, the patch fell off and then whoosh, at least a gallon of oil poured out. I felt bad for the guy and cussed the sob seller.
I never fix other people's tractors but might have done his. Cause I liked him. Cept it had a heavy Wagner pipe style loader on it and I just couldn't bring myself to spend a couple weekends wrenching on the thing - either in the dirt at his place or trailer it home to do it here. So I gave him the number of a couple of local tractor mechanics, condoled with bim a bit, cussed the seller again and wished him luck, then went on my way.
Dunno why I wrote this. But I did.
Don't plug that hole. Either split the tractor or live with it.

 

[Lester Isby]

I use the cardboard box method.

 

[NoNewParts]

Every time I stop at a dollar type store, I grab a few kitty litter pans. very handy. Kick em under anything that leaks.
Also handy when working on anything that pukes when you take it apart.

ps run the rear oil level at the low end of safe.
heavy trans seal leaker?.....park in uphill, or run the fronts up on some boards inside........

 

[Bruce (VA)]

" park in uphill,"

Nope.

Then the oil gets on the clutch disc.
75 Tips

 

[Bruce (VA)]

I drove a 1947 Chevy in HS. The pic is me under the hood of it, which is where I spent a lot of time. It leaked oil so bad from the rear seal that I kept a coffee can under it at night. Each morning, I'd pour a cup or so of oil back in the engine.

IIRC, $3 filled the tank, plus .50 for a quart of oil and all was well.

Which was a lot of money when I was making $1.25 an hour.

 

[Richard G.]

Bruce, love the picture. That old Chevy had the thick babbited rods if I remember correctly.
Richard in NW SC

 

[pinball]

Your right about the old babbed rods. remember them well myself. Sounds like a lot of good advice. thanks to you all.

 

[Ken(Ark)]

As others have said , it is probably more trouble to fix than it is worth unless your clutch is slipping . First thing to do is determine if it is transmission fluid or motor oil . Are you having to add a lot of oil ?

If it is transmission fluid ( hydraulic or gear oil ) you could park it facing uphill or drain a little oil to lower the fill level . It might be a good time to drop the pump , clean it , and add fresh oil to the "Low" level . A 5 gallon bucket of decent hydraulic oil is $30 .

Not much you can do for motor oil leaks. As the bearings wear the crank pushes the rope seal further and wallers out the hole as the seal hardens with time and heat , allowing more oil to escape . Some high mileage motor oils have seal conditioners that may help but I doubt you would notice any difference . Same goes for heavier weight oils , I doubt it would noticeable .

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Yep, 216 Chevy had babbitt bearings. So did some of the 1953 235 Chevy's; I think the 235's w/ the Powerglide transmission had inserts. I do know for sure that the 1954 235 engine had "doweled" inserts. Apparently the engineers couldn't keep the early inserts from spinning so they doweled them to the caps. Had a 1940 Chevy w/ a 1954 235 engine in it.

I can't recall now what engine my 47 had. It wasn't the OEM 216; the radiator had been moved forward & a 235 dropped in.

 

[Benj R]

Nice picture Bruce. Love the old chevys. Very familiar with the 216s 235s and 261s.