Question for the experts..

[K.Campbell]

I’ve had this old Ferguson TO30 for a very long time. I checked the oil this evening and the oil was greyish, it sits in an unheated lean-to and from time to time I start it just to make sure the battery is up to snuff. There is no oil in the antifreeze and the oil level itself is showing full. The other day my gear shifter wouldn’t shift due to the cold temps.. and I’m guessing condensation froze up the Internals. After it started I let it run for a while and the shifter freed up. So back to the greyish oil, what’s the chances that it could be condensation.. it’s like 5 above zero right now in Ohio, but earlier this year it was humid as heck and everything in my leanto was sweating. What’s your thoughts? There is no metal flake in the oil btw .

 

[Jim.ME]

I’ve had this old Ferguson TO30 for a very long time. I checked the oil this evening and the oil was greyish, it sits in an unheated lean-to and from time to time I start it just to make sure the battery is up to snuff. There is no oil in the antifreeze and the oil level itself is showing full. The other day my gear shifter wouldn’t shift due to the cold temps.. and I’m guessing condensation froze up the Internals. After it started I let it run for a while and the shifter freed up. So back to the greyish oil, what’s the chances that it could be condensation.. it’s like 5 above zero right now in Ohio, but earlier this year it was humid as heck and everything in my leanto was sweating. What’s your thoughts? There is no metal flake in the oil btw .

It well could be condensation. When you let it run awhile is that usually 10-15 minutes with maybe a quick lap around the yard? If it doesn't go out and work so it gets up to temperature and stay there for at least an hour, it won't evaporate much if any condensation out of the oil. Running 10-15 minutes might make it worse in some cases. JMHO

 

[TimothyF]

Do you have the rubber cover on your gear shifter? If not buy one. Time to change the oil and filter. Throw a can of BG EPR oil flush in there when you do it for good measure too.

 

[brendonh]

Fergies and Ford N's come with a condensation generator free from the factory. Those things are always full of water..... ahh the good ole days...

 

[K.Campbell]

I changed the oil today and done a few other adjustments, cleaned my points, rotor and replaced cap. I also cleaned the air breather tube on the engine. I ran it for an hour and rechecked the oil.. it’s perfect. Hopefully that took care of that! One other anomaly I noticed today, when I put may hand over the breather it did not kill the engine, meaning that it has an air leak in the system somewhere. I sprayed some carb cleaner all around the rubber fittings and the carb itself and I found no difference. You could feel suction when you revved the engine, but I was always under the impression it should kill the engine when tightly cupped over the screen in the dash

 

[TimothyF]

Probably time to clean and change the oil in the air cleaner too. Spray a bunch of carb cleaner up into the air cleaner mesh to clean it out as well. Or you can take the entire canister off the tractor and soak it in some gas. Make sure all the air cleaner hose clamps are tight.

 

[rustred]

I changed the oil today and done a few other adjustments, cleaned my points, rotor and replaced cap. I also cleaned the air breather tube on the engine. I ran it for an hour and rechecked the oil.. it’s perfect. Hopefully that took care of that! One other anomaly I noticed today, when I put may hand over the breather it did not kill the engine, meaning that it has an air leak in the system somewhere. I sprayed some carb cleaner all around the rubber fittings and the carb itself and I found no difference. You could feel suction when you revved the engine, but I was always under the impression it should kill the engine when tightly cupped over the screen in the dash

you have to do that at the carb.