Oil pressure dropped to 10 pounds

[shooter56]

I was moving some stone today I was working the l185 pretty hard trying to get all the stone moved and spread. I was back bladeing the stone and I noticed the oil light flickering. So I thought the wire was loose on the pressure sender. So I finished up parked it and let it cool down. So I just checked the wire, tight. So I really got worried so I took the oil pressure gauge that I never put on and put it in. 10 lbs oil pressure With the engine around 1800 rpms when idling no more than 5 lbs I shut It off , damn.

 

[85Hokie]

I was moving so stone today I was working the l185 pretty hard trying to get all the stone moved and spread. I was back bladeing the stone and I noticed the oil light flickering. So I thought the wire was loose on the pressure sender. So I finished up parked it and let it cool down. So I just checked the wire, tight. So I really got worried so I took the oil pressure gauge that I never put on and put it in. 10 lbs oil pressure With the engine around 1800 rpms when idling no more than 5 lbs I shut It off , damn.

A 30 year old tractor.....sounds to me a cam plug - thats just a swag....
But that is what rings in my head!

 

[Lil Foot]

Sounds like you might have lost a cam plug.
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4011&highlight=plug
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27342&highlight=plug
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7923&highlight=plug&page=2

 

[shooter56]

Should I worry about the plug? I'm going to drain the oil tomorrow , maybe it will come out with the oil. Or should I pull the oil pan?

 

[Daren Todd]

It will need to be fixed. The camshaft is ported to allow oil to the top end. With the plug out, oil will flow out the end of the camshaft instead of traveling up to the valve cover.

Repair isn't that hard. Hardest part of the whole job is scraping 30 plus year old gasket

 

[85Hokie]

I was moving so stone today I was working the l185 pretty hard trying to get all the stone moved and spread. I was back bladeing the stone and I noticed the oil light flickering. So I thought the wire was loose on the pressure sender. So I finished up parked it and let it cool down. So I just checked the wire, tight. So I really got worried so I took the oil pressure gauge that I never put on and put it in. 10 lbs oil pressure With the engine around 1800 rpms when idling no more than 5 lbs I shut It off , damn.

Lil Foot has a great one picked!!!

Hats off to Speedy....

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27342&highlight=plug

in theory - sounds like a damn fine plan!

Somehow ....you gotta find that spot to drill through the front case!

 

[shooter56]

I think I am going to try that method. I saw that post some weeks ago, didn't think I was going to try it.

I saw a thick rubber plug that will push into a properly sized hole, I may try that. The case is aluminium I assume.

Lil Foot has a great one picked!!!

Hats off to Speedy....

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27342&highlight=plug

in theory - sounds like a damn fine plan!

Somehow ....you gotta find that spot to drill through the front case!

 

[twomany]

I think I am going to try that method. I saw that post some weeks ago, didn't think I was going to try it.

I saw a thick rubber plug that will push into a properly sized hole, I may try that. The case is aluminium I assume.

If the cam plug is the issue.

The stone work had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH IT! 'Just a coincidence of time.

 

[007kubotaguy]

Hello
One other thing you may want to check first is the relief valve in the oil filter housing. This can sometimes get trash in it causing low oil pressure.
Good luck Lance

 

[D2Cat]

As mentioned, what you were doing with the machine had nothing to do with the plug falling out (if that's what it is).

The camshaft is steel. The plug is aluminum. After so many times of the heating and cooling down cycles of the dis-similar metals they part company!

I had it happen to a B6100 in about 1985. No internet, no OTT fourm, just had to find a dealer and trust them, or begin the work yourself. I ended up welding a tapered roller bearing into the end of the camshaft. Just need to be REAL sure you have a good ground and as close to the work as possible!!!!

 

[twomany]

As mentioned, what you were doing with the machine had nothing to do with the plug falling out (if that's what it is).

The camshaft is steel. The plug is aluminum. After so many times of the heating and cooling down cycles of the dis-similar metals they part company!

I had it happen to a B6100 in about 1985. No internet, no OTT fourm, just had to find a dealer and trust them, or begin the work yourself. I ended up welding a tapered roller bearing into the end of the camshaft. Just need to be REAL sure you have a good ground and as close to the work as possible!!!!

How does a tapered roller bearing welded on to the cam shaft aid oil pressure to the main or crank journals?

I seem to be missing something here, and it's NOT welding technique.

 

[Lil Foot]

How does a tapered roller bearing welded on to the cam shaft aid oil pressure to the main or crank journals?

I think Len (D2Cat) probably meant to say "welding a tapered roller bearing ROLLER into the end of the camshaft".
Basically he used the tapered roller to replace the aluminum plug in the hole in the end of the camshaft, and then welded it to make sure it stayed there.

 

[D2Cat]

Bill, thanks for clarifying my thoughts.

You'd think toomany, with all his experience and machines, could figure it out but I think he enjoys a little bantering.

 

[Lil Foot]

No problem Len-
I often fall into the mode where I explain something that is so clear to me that I'm sure I everyone will understand it; then later I re-read my post & find that I left out some key word or phrase that is needed for others to figure out what I meant. Thank God for the edit button.

 

[85Hokie]

No problem Len-
I often fall into the mode where I explain something that is so clear to me that I'm sure I everyone will understand it; then later I re-read my post & find that I left out some key word or phrase that is needed for others to figure out what I meant. Thank God for the edit button.

D2Cat: Bill, thanks for clarifying my thoughts.
you'd think toomany, with all his experience and machines, could figure it out but I think he enjoys a little bantering.

I often think I am crystal clear when I tell my little high school geniuses what not to do OR what to do first....

just yesterday - I explained, twice and DREW a @#$%$@# picture on the whiteboard, "make sure you build and sand THIS sub-assembly FIRST - the attached it to the main body".......

well at least 5 out of 20 screwed it to the main body of the project first before building and sanding......"I asked each of the 5.....did you not hear what I explained or the picture on the board".....

Students said "I forgot" ........

Len - I KNEW exactly what you meant! AND I aint never seen a cam plug!!!!

 

[twomany]

Ahh

A handy piece of steel.from the "parts bin". ;-)

 

[D2Cat]

Hey, toomany...it came from my "bone pile".

It amazes me how many folks don't know what that is!

 

[shooter56]

I will look at the relief valve today, it would be a easy fix! But back to the plug, would it come out and fall into the pan, or be swallowed and ground up by the engine? I could pull the pan to get it out if I had to.

 

[Daren Todd]

Mine fell out into the front crank case cover then dropped into the oil pan. That's how I realized I needed to do the repair. The plug did not come out of the pan when I changed the oil when I got the tractor, nor when I drained the oil and pulled the oil pan.

I pulled the oil pan first to check the bottom end of the engine, and the pick up tube for the oil pump. Found the plug sitting in the bottom of the pan when I dropped it Figured then that it was a sure bet that the plug had popped out

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I will look at the relief valve today, it would be a easy fix! But back to the plug, would it come out and fall into the pan, or be swallowed and ground up by the engine? I could pull the pan to get it out if I had to.

It's pointless to pull the pan looking for the plug, it's aluminum and it can spend it's life at the bottom of the oil bath with no ill effect to the engine.

Just pull the front cover and the cam and missing plug will be staring you in the face.

Note:
While drilling a hole in the front of the gear case sounds like a quick and easy fix, all it takes is one OOPS, and it will be costing you a lot more than a little time and a couple of gaskets and seals to fix it right.