B7100 oil psi

[steve01]

Here is the problem I was pushing around some brush and my oil psi light started flashing. pulled the tractor over to the barn and decided to change the oil and filter(hadn't done it yet this spring). filled it up with Rotella 15w40 and started the tractor while it was idling no light as soon as it was raised above idle the light came on. If you let the tractor sit you can start it and the let it idle and the light won't come on but as soon as you come off idle it comes on and stays on. I'm thinking oil bypass valve, so i take it off and press down on the ball in the end and it presses easy (not 60 or 70 psi like i thought it should) so i order a new 1 and it has the same ball on the end and presses just as easy. The dealer that the tractor was bought new from is who I've been dealing with he said couldn't be the bypass because he hasn't ever sold 1 until now.
Maybe more info here the tractor is a 83 was bought new by my dad and has 1300 hours on it.
I also asked the dealer about the cam plug problem and he said couldn't be that because (you guessed it ) he hasn't sold any, Bring the tractor in and they will rebuild the motor for me it has to be the bearings that are bad. The motor has never made a sound and still doesn't.
So here is what has been done so far.

1. Changed oil and filter
2. Cut top off old filter and looked inside, no metal
3. Removed front cover to have a look and see if plug was in front of cam, it is.
4. Removed oil pan and had a look in there no metal and is clean. Had a look at the oil pick up screen and nothing blocking it. Gave the rods and mains a shake and nothing seamed loose.
5. Put front cover back on and hooked up a old fuel oil pump to the stub that the oil filter goes on and primed it with oil and turned it on. Oil dripped from the mains and rods. Oil was running back trough the hole in the block from the front cover area. Looked inside the cover from the throttle hole and could see oil squirting from the gear in the center. Was showing about 3 psi on the gauge i have hooked where the sending unit for the oil light goes.
6. Pulled front cover again and had a look inside and looked at the gear that was shooting oil and the hole is a factory made hole. Also noted that there was a lot of oil on the front of the cam so looked closer at the cam and the plug has 2 holes in it.
So here is where i stand, I don't think the holes are supposed to be there.
Also if the front plug is bad should i change the rear also. If so what is the best way to do it remove the motor and go trough the back or pull the head and and valve train and remove the cam that way?
Here is a picture of the cam so you can see what I'm dealing with.
If you need higher res. pictures i have 1.

 

[ipz2222]

looks like you and I are fighting the same problem. Your'e just farther along. Look up the post, low oil pressure, L235 and see the info there. I haven't been inside my eng yet so no insight there.
What I find strange about your post is that the light is off at idle and comes on as eng speed increases. Mine is just the opposite.

 

[steve01]

It has me puzzled to I went out this morning and was looking at the motor and decided to try pushing some air through the oil passages the bottom seems to go to the mains and rods top to the cam and rockers. I was using 20 psi and the air goes trough the top a lot easier than the bottom. I'm thinking that the problem is in the top part of the motor.

 

[eserv]

Did you check the oil pressure with a quage? Never trust an idiot light. If your engine has oil pressure at idle I see no reason it wouldn't have rev'ed up.
Ed

 

[steve01]

Yes i have a guage in where the sending unit goes. I guess today i'm going to order new plugs for the cam and see what they look like (i would bet no holes).
What ever the problem is i will get it 1 way or another. Just trying to get some input (saves alot of banging head on the wall). And maybe not fix the problem the long way around. Thanks

 

[ipz2222]

Question?? Are the holes you are talking about in the center of the cam. In the picture, it looks like 2 very small holes, .090???

 

[ipz2222]

""Also if the front plug is bad should i change the rear also. If so what is the best way to do it remove the motor and go trough the back or pull the head and and valve train and remove the cam that way?""

On all engs I've worked on , the rear cam plug is the size of the cam and if it is leaking, it goes right on the clutch. Not sure about your eng if it is the same.

 

[steve01]

I was referring to the plugs in the cam its self.
The plug in the front of the cam has 2 holes in it near the bottom of the plug. I just went out and checked you can stick a .030 wire from a MIG welder into the 1 on the left and the 1 on the right is a little smaller. The plug is bent and looks like it wasn't in the hole flush and to fix it it looks like someone ran a grinder over the top of it.
Here is a thought what if i soldered the holes shut. Solder that i use melts at 425 degrees.
Thank for the help

 

[ipz2222]

I doubt you can sodder it. It has been soaked with oil and ther is oil behind the plug. Will start to boil and splatter when you get it hot. Those are probably splash lube holes for the front gears. Just a guess.

 

[steve01]

Well was getting ready to pull engine and do a complete tear down and decided to try 1 more thing. I used IPZ2222 idea to check the oil pump so I taped the small hole at the bottom where the oil filter goes on with a 1/8 pt, rigged it up tied the compression release on and turned the motor over got 60psi opened the valve and let the oil flow into the motor and still showed 60 psi on my setup.
I was using a Kubota oil filter.
Could the new filter be causing this?

 

[steve01]

GOOD NEWS changed filter hooked up radiator and front frame (not in that order) fired up the motor oil psi went to 60 and dropped to 35 after 15 min. idling, come off idle to 1500 or so and sat dead on 60. Going to let it cool off and set the rockers, put on new oil pan and front cover and front crank seal. Then go mow the 10 acres and for the 4th dig up the drain field!! This thing has had to much time off. LOL
Thanks for the help everyone and I'll be looking in from time to time.

 

[ipz2222]

glad you got it fixed but,,,, was it the filter??? Where did that small blue line go in your picture? The pressure guage? Why was it only showing 3 psi with the filter off??

 

[steve01]

1.The small line went to the guage.
2. When i was showing 3psi it was with the filter off and i was using a old fuel oil pump to pump oil into the motor, trying to see where the oil was coming out of the most.
After I did all of my checks with my oil filter by pass set up and had oil psi the only thing that was left to look at was the filter. I'm not sure what the problem is with the filter it was the right # and was new. I did cut it open and didn't see anything wrong with it. Maybe it had grown mold inside it or something, not sure why the by pass in the filter didn't let the oil go to the motor.
Here is what is going to happen today new gaskets on everything i took apart, a nice new T fitting 1 side to the idiot light and the other side to the new oil psi guage. I'm thinking maybe a amp and temp guage also. Not sure where to put the bulb for the temp guage, maybe you guys have some ideas on that.
At any rate the Kubota is back up and running lets see if it can go another 28 years with out any problems!! My dad got out the papers from when he bought the tractor and it is a 81. This thing has carried my kids and now my grandkids round and round the yard. My grandson (2.5 years ) will be in his glory this afternoon when i get this thing going. For the last 3 weeks he has seen the tractor in my shop and he says Bota broke!!!

 

[ipz2222]

Thanks for the info. I plan to install a temp and oil guage permanantly also. But, I've still got the low oil pressure problem to fix first.

 

[steve01]

I hope for your sake that it is something simple and you don't have to do a complete tare down.
One more thing when I got my new oil filter it is different than the one that was bad. The new one is smaller and looks more like the one that goes on my Briggs. I asked my dealer and he said that they are all the same now. I bought the other one a mo. ago, maybe I got a old one that has been sitting for years or something. At any rate I'm back up and running .......still scratching my head over this one. I guess some times shirt just happens.

 

[steve01]

Thanks Vic.