oil overfull - looking for advice

[netspyder]

i bought this l3010 last year, and when i bought it, it had a new engine oil filter and the current hours were written on it. i'm 99% sure i checked the oil level before i paid for it, and it looked fine... my plan was to do a full service on it this spring, but when i double checked it, i only had like 50 more hours on the machine so i said "maybe not". i do not have any history on the maintenance on this tractor. got to my brother's today after dragging it down the highway may an hour or so and when i got there the oil was halfway up the dipstick (the dipstick is probably 36" long and the oil was 6 or 8 inches past the full mark) even after a wipe and plunge. i'm not freaking out just yet - i'll let it sit at my sister's overnight and check it after work tomorrow.

my question... is there a way to tell if there is hydraulic oil in the engine oil? does it separate if you let it rest? if the pump seal was leaking, it'd have to be significant to make a difference in a 10 gallon hydraulic tank, and i've had a hose burst and replaced some hard lines, so i can't say if i'm losing any fluid for sure. short of pulling the pump and replacing the seal (let's face it - if you pull the pump and don't replace the seal at that point it's likely you need a helmet to keep you from licking the windows anyway) is there a way to identify that 'yes, this is the trouble'?

 

[TheOldHokie]

i bought this l3010 last year, and when i bought it, it had a new engine oil filter and the current hours were written on it. i'm 99% sure i checked the oil level before i paid for it, and it looked fine... my plan was to do a full service on it this spring, but when i double checked it, i only had like 50 more hours on the machine so i said "maybe not". i do not have any history on the maintenance on this tractor. got to my brother's today after dragging it down the highway may an hour or so and when i got there the oil was halfway up the dipstick (the dipstick is probably 36" long and the oil was 6 or 8 inches past the full mark) even after a wipe and plunge. i'm not freaking out just yet - i'll let it sit at my sister's overnight and check it after work tomorrow.

my question... is there a way to tell if there is hydraulic oil in the engine oil? does it separate if you let it rest? if the pump seal was leaking, it'd have to be significant to make a difference in a 10 gallon hydraulic tank, and i've had a hose burst and replaced some hard lines, so i can't say if i'm losing any fluid for sure. short of pulling the pump and replacing the seal (let's face it - if you pull the pump and don't replace the seal at that point it's likely you need a helmet to keep you from licking the windows anyway) is there a way to identify that 'yes, this is the trouble'?

Could be hydraulic or fuel contamination. Possibly both
I would start by draining it back to proper level and monitoring it and the hydraulic oil level.

Dan

 

[JasonW]

You sure it’s the correct dip stick? Messicks shows the dip stick for that model a total of 14”.

 

[JasonW]

This is going to turn into another dip stick measuring thread.

 

[netspyder]

You sure it’s the correct dip stick? Messicks shows the dip stick for that model a total of 14”.

uh... no? i'll take a tape to it when i check it tomorrow.

 

[JasonW]

uh... no? i'll take a tape to it when i check it tomorrow.

On that tractor a 36” dipstick would reach the ground.

 

[netspyder]

On that tractor a 36” dipstick would reach the ground.

it did seem longer than it strictly needed to be. stay tuned for updates

 

[PoTreeBoy]

i bought this l3010 last year, and when i bought it, it had a new engine oil filter and the current hours were written on it. i'm 99% sure i checked the oil level before i paid for it, and it looked fine... my plan was to do a full service on it this spring, but when i double checked it, i only had like 50 more hours on the machine so i said "maybe not". i do not have any history on the maintenance on this tractor. got to my brother's today after dragging it down the highway may an hour or so and when i got there the oil was halfway up the dipstick (the dipstick is probably 36" long and the oil was 6 or 8 inches past the full mark) even after a wipe and plunge. i'm not freaking out just yet - i'll let it sit at my sister's overnight and check it after work tomorrow.

my question... is there a way to tell if there is hydraulic oil in the engine oil? does it separate if you let it rest? if the pump seal was leaking, it'd have to be significant to make a difference in a 10 gallon hydraulic tank, and i've had a hose burst and replaced some hard lines, so i can't say if i'm losing any fluid for sure. short of pulling the pump and replacing the seal (let's face it - if you pull the pump and don't replace the seal at that point it's likely you need a helmet to keep you from licking the windows anyway) is there a way to identify that 'yes, this is the trouble'?

When that happened with my L35 the problem was a leaking fuel lift pump diaphragm. That seems to be fairly common.

 

[Russell King]

I think you can smell the diesel fuel in the oil if that is the culprit. Drain it to proper level (No idea how that is done without making a huge mess). Then move drain pan out away from the tractor and smell it.

I don’t think there will be much separation with either diesel or hydraulic fluid. The viscosity will be less than normal if it is diesel but that is difficult to measure and you don’t really know what normal viscosity was.

Did the increase in oil level happen on the drive or just over time? Did you verify the level before you started the tractor that day?

 

[TimAT]

Pull the dipstick out and touch it to a white paper towel. If there is fuel in the oil it will leave a lighter ring around the dark spot on the towel.

 

[netspyder]

I think you can smell the diesel fuel in the oil if that is the culprit. Drain it to proper level (No idea how that is done without making a huge mess). Then move drain pan out away from the tractor and smell it.

I don’t think there will be much separation with either diesel or hydraulic fluid. The viscosity will be less than normal if it is diesel but that is difficult to measure and you don’t really know what normal viscosity was.

Did the increase in oil level happen on the drive or just over time? Did you verify the level before you started the tractor that day?

its possible that it was just sloshed around and made its way up the stick. i had not been regularly checking it prior to this... likely i'll start now though. now that it has sat for a few days i'll try and remember to stop by my sister's (where i have it parked) and check it after work.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

its possible that it was just sloshed around and made its way up the stick. i had not been regularly checking it prior to this... likely i'll start now though. now that it has sat for a few days i'll try and remember to stop by my sister's (where i have it parked) and check it after work.

You should wipe the dipstick, reinsert, then pull and read the level.

 

[lynnmor]

You should wipe the dipstick, reinsert, then pull and read the level.

I was going to mention that, I have a number of Onan engines that read very high on the first pull, and a second reading is always necessary. For some reason the oil climbs up the dipstick tube.

 

[McMXi]

I'm still waiting to hear about the 36" long dipstick.

 

[JasonW]

I'm still waiting to hear about the 36" long dipstick.

Me and you both. It seemed like everyone else skimmed over that little bit of information.

 

[netspyder]

I'm still waiting to hear about the 36" long dipstick.

yea, no, i was super wrong about that. turns out it's at the very top of the full mark after sitting for a few days. so, here i am freakin out for no reason it seems.

just seems something oughtta go wrong. usually does