So I'm having the oil pressure light issue and I'm going through the steps to track down what's causing it. I have done lots of research and found lots of very helpful info. I'm going to pick up a adapter and pressure gauge tomorrow to check oil pressure. But I found something weird yesterday and it has me stumped. Going to back up and start from the beginning of how this started first. I have owned thi tractor for close to 20 years. I picked up oil and filter last week to do my normal yearly service. I changed the oil (Rotella T1 SAE 30) and hooked up to my bush hog. I made one pass and noticed the oil light on. I immediately pulled in the shop (I was right beside it when this happened) and killed the engine. Checked oil level and it's perfect. This engine has 858 original hrs and has very little blow by. I got on this website and online and researched for a few days. Very strange that this happened right after I changed the oil. I used a Fram oil filter and after some research online I saw that LOTS of people have issues with Fram filters causing low oil pressure and that the their quality is horrible. So I picked up a good filter came home and was going to change it. My plan was to take the Fram filter off and replace it with the new one as fast as i possiblity could and of course add however much oil was lost. I took the Fram filter off and it did NOT leak a drop of oil from filter housing? Very strange! I replaced the filter, cranked the engine for maybe 15 seconds. Killed it and loosened the filter and oil started leaking out like it should. What would have caused this? I plan on putting a gauge on to check oil pressure to rule out bad sending unit Then if still no pressure move on to breaking it down to check and see if it is the notorious camshaft plug falling out issue I have read so much about. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything minor that could be the issue before I tear into the engine.
L185 oil pressure
- Thread starter Mikew22
- Start date
Russell King
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
It is not that unusual for the filter to be dry on my L185 and I don’t have any problems with low oil pressure (light).
I asked about it one time and North Idaho Wolfman said there is some pressure relief valve (ball bearing and spring) in the block that can allow the draining oil filter. I believe that he also mentioned that it could cause low oil pressures.
I can’t find the thread since the website search engine ignores small words like oil so returns results for filter and that is fairly large list.
You may be able to use google search engine and search this forum specifically for several words and get better results, I just don’t recall exactly how to do that
I asked about it one time and North Idaho Wolfman said there is some pressure relief valve (ball bearing and spring) in the block that can allow the draining oil filter. I believe that he also mentioned that it could cause low oil pressures.
I can’t find the thread since the website search engine ignores small words like oil so returns results for filter and that is fairly large list.
You may be able to use google search engine and search this forum specifically for several words and get better results, I just don’t recall exactly how to do that
I believe Russel is referring to the oil pressure relief valve. It's purpose is to prevent over pressure in case of a blockage in the oil system. It would normally be closed, beginning to open when oil pressure reaches a certain point where it opens and begins dumping excess pressure. I quit using Fram filters some time ago due to reputation and switched to Bosch on my cars and Kubota filters on my tractor. You are taking the right approach, wanting to connect a pressure gauge to see where you're at. Pressure switches really can fail sometimes.
Russell King
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Found a good thread on this subject that links to the other thread I mentioned in post 16
www.orangetractortalks.com
No oil to oil filter!?
This is engine oil... Just went and did my annual service. Drain oil (probably only 30 ish hours since last year ) and the oil looks about the right color for those hours. Pull the filter...not one drop has gone into or through that filter...uh oh... Drained about the correct amount too. No...
www.orangetractortalks.com
Daren Todd
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Massey Ferguson 1825E, Kubota Z121S, Box blade, Rotary Cutter
On the majority of my equipment at work, (Deere, deutz, Cummins, Wacker) if I let the engine sit over night before doing a filter change, it will get very little spillage, and quite often no oil drips at all. The exception is oil filters that screw directly into the side of the block so they are horizontal instead of vertical.
After a while, the excess oil will eventually drain back down to the oil pan.
Now if I run an engine. Then change the oil, I get lots of oil draining when removing the oil filter.
After a while, the excess oil will eventually drain back down to the oil pan.
Now if I run an engine. Then change the oil, I get lots of oil draining when removing the oil filter.
Thank you all for the replies. I stopped today and picked up a oil pressure test kit. It has a gauge and all the adapters for different threads. Gonna hook up to it tomorrow and see what happens. I'm hoping I can get lucky and it be a bad oil pressure sensor but we will see
Update! I took out oil pressure sensor and installed a pressure gauge. Cold idled at 65 psi. I ran it flat on the floor pulling a Bush hog for 30 min. After heating up it operated wide open pulling bush hog at 50 psi and idled got at 24 psi. So I'm saying I got lucky and have a bad pressure sensor. 
Ordering another one today. I plan on getting adapter fittings so I can have dummy light. Thank you all again for your help
Ordering another one today. I plan on getting adapter fittings so I can have dummy light. Thank you all again for your help