lost oil pressure.

[Ed Bashaw]

1948 8N # 64215. Just finished spending 6 months going thru this tractor. Rear seals, rusted out wheels, tractor was in the middle of a 12V conversion and wouldn"t run when i got it. A number of you helped me along the way! The new paint was dry and it ran like a dream! Oil press was at 30 running hard and 10 at idle. Worked it hard for about an hour hogging grass about 3 ft high. Temp got to 200 so went to shop to blow out the rad when I noticed no oil press at all. Oil in crankcase and no oil going to the gauge... Engine still sounds good so I don"t beleive any damage was done. What steps do I take? Thanks in advance for listening. Ed B in Oregon.

 

[old]

No oil coming out line going to the gauge right?? If that is so I would drain the oil out and make sure the oil pick up tube hasn't broken loose from the oil pump. You can do that by draining out the oil then reaching up into the drain plug hole see if you can move the pick up or maybe you will find that it is laying loose in the pan. If you find either one you need to drop the pan and fix that problem before you run it again

 

[Jerry/MT]

I would disconnect the oil line that runs to the gauge and crank the engine over to see if I got any oil flow out of the oil line. If not, you"ll have to pull the pan and make sure that your oil pickup isn"t cracked or unsealed so the pump is sucking air and won"t prime or the screen is clogged, etc.

 

[Larry 8N75381]

I had the same issue a month ago, plenty of oil, no pressure, no oil out of the line to the filter [easiest place to open up]. Problem - lost prime to pump, not sure why except renter had moved it out of shed so he could park his mower for the winter. I just happened to have a place near the barns where there is about a two foot drop in about five feet. After looking at the oil flow diagram in the shop manual, I decided that maybe I could get enough oil up the pump suction line by driving nose first down that incline and stopping with the front wheels down and the rear still up on top of the slope.

Worked like a charm!!!
And so far the pump has kept prime - now keep[ing my fingers crossed!

Oh yes, I doubt that you did much damage. I had run mine a hour or so before I noticed, and the pressure came back up to 15+ pounds. They are tough little engines! Of course, low rpms and low compression help. Also much of the lubrication is by splash which you get plenty with a full crankcase.

 

[Bob]

Larry posted:

"I doubt that you did much damage."

"I had run mine a hour or so before I noticed."

"Also much of the lubrication is by splash which you get plenty with a full crankcase."

Remind me NOT to let you operate or work on any of my tractors!

 

[Anonymous-0]

What I did was drain my oil and the screen above the drain was sludged up from excessive MMo use.I had a can of starting fluid that I used to clean the pick up screen.Then pulled the distributor (front mount) so I could get to the oil relief valve(to prime the pump).I used gear oil for my brushog to prime the pump.Much to my amazement oil pressure can up to40 psi...I was happy you will be too,after you prime your oil pump,but clean your pick up screen first using something that will evaporate quickly.

 

[ZANE]

I would first do as OLD suggested and drain the oil and check the pick up tube. If it seems tight you can reprime the pump by removing the pressure regulator plug which is under the water pump on the top edge of the timing cover and pumping in some motor oil so it can trickle down into the pump. Re install the oil pump regulator plug, spring and plunger. (Plunger has a cut away on one side.) If all is well this should get the oil pressure back up.

Another thing, you should not use any multigrade oil in the crankcase. Especially since you lost the oil pressure while the engine was running. Sure sign of badly worn oil pump and or worn bearings. Use only straight 30W oil or if in a hot climate with badly worn pump and bearings even 40W will be advisable.

This engine does not have any "splash" oiling of the crankcase components. The crankshaft is well above the oil level. When oil pressure is lost it's a matter of seconds until major damage to the crankshaft bearing can be done.

Zane

 

[Ed Bashaw]

Zane and others, Primed the pump and got oil press again. Started with 40 psi and 20 at idle and after about 1/2 hour of working went to 10 or 15 when working hard and just about nothing at idle. Sounds like that's OK? I'm running 10/30 oil. Will switch to straight 30 or 40? How about 15/40? The pick up tube felt solid. The motor sounds good but spits and sputters a little when working. It has new plugs, points and condensor. Can I check the dwell?? It acts like plugs or maybe plug wires to me however the hi speed jet can be turned almost completly in and turning back three complete turns doesn't seem to change anything. Thanks a bunch for your help!! Ed Bashaw in Oregon