new problem

[HenryO]

Looking for suggestions. When I start my H the oil pressure is fine /. After using the tracor hard the oil pressure drops to almost nothing. Ideas anyone????? Oil is 10-30 Delvac

 

[DeltaRed]

I'd say your oil pump is worn.I would use 15/40 oil.Check it with another gauge first.

 

[teddy52food]

Oil pump and loose bearings.

 

[littlered1]

When I start my H the needle of the oil gauge is about 3/4. After heating up and a little work the needle at idle will fall to about 1/2 way. I consider it normal. I use Rotella 15W40. Are you getting good pressure at WOT? How long have you had this problem; is this something new??

 

[redforlife]

Well cool oil will have more pressure. As the oil warms up and becomes thinner, the being thinner will cause lower pressure. Worn pump or bearings also cause lower pressure. The more wear, the lower the pressure.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

On my Dad's 340 utility, it had low oil pressure when warm; at warm idle=zero. So what I did was take the oil pressure regulator in the oil pump apart, and add a shim (a washer actually)behind the spring. That took care of the low pressure.(All bearing clearances were fine.) Mark

 

[FBH44]

Have the same thing on 1950 "H", and I run 20W-50. Not sure it is the right thing to do, but I do it. Holds good pressure.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Try straight weight oil. It's thicker and will give you more oil pressure

That's what he engine was designed for

 

[Allan in NE]

Naw, That's an old wives tale.

Operate a tractor for a day and drop the oil. You'll notice it's about as "thick" as water.

Allan

 

[Allan in NE]

Your engine needs an overhaul.

Allan

 

[Stemmy]

your oil pump cover is probably warped, and when the oil is up to temp it loses pressure. drop the pan, take the pump out, remove cover and make it flat again by using a stone, mill or worse case scenario a belt sander. I had to do this to my 44 BN, the cover was warped in some spots about .030". then while your at it get a new pressure relief spring and gasket from your dealer.

 

[wisbaker]

I guess I'm a dinosaur. We had two Farmalls when I was a kid a Super M and an H, plus a late JD A. Aunt and Uncle decided to get into hay for their horses and bought a H, rake, baler,mower and wagon. Used it about three months and the tractor started loosing oil pressure and getting hot. About this time they split up and My Aunt was left to get rid of the tractor and equipment, sold it all to a gentleman, he listened to here tale of woe and bought the tractor and equipment rather cheaply. showed up with fresh 30 weight oil, change the oil and proceeded to use the tractor for a few years after selling the hay equipment for what he paid for everything. As a young lad I drove VW bugs- the real ones without wimpy things like radiators, heat and defrosters. I acquired a copy of John Muir's "How to Keep You Volkswagen Alive a Manual of Step By Step Procedures for the Complete Idiot with illustrations by Greg Tosh" Old John was a big proponent of straight weight oil in anything air cooled. While in college I worked as a mechanic for a local golf course, was a big fan of Shell Rotella 30 weight, that went in all the air cooled equipment, there was another drum, I think it was Rotella D that went in our diesel tractors, also 30 weight. I can't remember what we used in the Gasoline tractors, I'm thinking what ever Ford recommended but I'm also thinking if they had an alternative for straight weight that's what I used. As a fresh graduate of Michigan State University College of Agriculture I started farming the Folk's place. I was fitting for wheat in the summer using the Super M trying to lug 3-14's through a hard clay that was pretty dry. The old Super M wasn't real happy, it was using a lot more fuel than normal and running hot. I shut it down and next time I was in the big city I stopped into QFF (Quality Farm & Fleet) and picked up a new filter and 2 gallons of 40 weight oil. Changed the oil and headed back out again (I am hard headed), the old Super M was much happier, ran at a normal temperature, fuel consumption was back to normal and in some areas I went up a gear. Did a similar trick with a '68 Javelin, about the time I'd hit the commuter lot or home (depending if I was coming or going) oil pressure light would flicker and the rods would be talking to me, heavy oil and a quart of STP and the symptoms went away.

Shorter version- get thicker oil, 15-40 or 20-50 if you have to do the multi-vis thing 30 or 40 weight if you want to go hard core, change your oil and filter and report back to us- if it doesn't do any good, we'll think of other ways to spend your money. If it works tell us so we can feel like we know what we're talking about.

And yes I know oil technology has improved tremendously in the last 20 years, my theory was the folks at International Harvester designed the thing to run with straight weight oil, if they were really that incompetent we would of found out by now (and let's not talk about IH 460/560s). I realize this and actually use 5W-20 in our cars and trucks that call for 5W-20 even though I'm a thick oil/ single viscosity disciple.

 

[mkirsch]

Most of these responses are varying levels of the denial stage.

It *COULD* be the oil pump, but unlikely.

It *COULD* be that thicker oil will help, but unlikely.

The most likely culprit is worn bearings, which means engine overhaul sooner or later. Nobody wants to go there because it's the most expensive option.

 

[Janicholson]

The H/M oil pump has a cast iron cover and is not prone to warping, but it can be worn and need flat sanding on a piece of glass. The gear eng clearance is .001 to .0005" it is set using very thin gaskets (IH has them). Plastigauge the rods and mains while the pan is off and replace the bearings with undersize, or new of the same size, if needed. Jim

 

[Dean Olson]

It getting close to being worn out.

I had an H that had enough power to do what I needed, used oil, smoked, low oil pressure etc etc. I ran 20-50 oil in it and got 5-10 psi after it warmed up. Previous to the 20w50 it barely moved the needle when hot. I ran it like that, about 3 years, till I got my 53 Super H rebuilt. I ended up selling it for what I pd for it. With full disclosure of course, although it was obvious it smoked and had low oil pressure.

The SH holds about 60 psi hot or cold.