Oil & Fuel LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS

   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS #1  

CalTrac

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5-13-08, After operating for a few hours my oil lite stayed on as I throttled down to my usual 1000 rpm idle., went out at 1250. I checked all systems and found no faults. changed oil and filter anyway. (chevron 15w40 and Kioti filter) Hosed off engine and bug screen still lite is on but now at 1400rpm before it goes out. Engine has 175 hrs. and has been not abused. I'm thinking lugging the engine or high rpm and sudden clutch may cause this, also oil maybe an issue. I normally operate at 1650 to 1800 rpm. has anyone experenced this or know if operating the engine at high enough rpm to keep the lite out is doing harm to the engine. Takes about an hour to get the engine hot enough to cause this. I don't like to operate engine at 1400 rpms just to keep the lite off, to cool down before shut down, sounds wrong.
 
   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS #2  
I think light means pressure drop, pressure drop will lead to engine failure unless root cause sorted out. Pressure test the pump, if not putting out enough pressure your motor will fail. I am thinking oil pump but impossible to know without testing the pumps output. I would not run the machine until you sort out, blown motor = no fun. Is it under warranty?

Joel
 
   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS #3  
I would replace the oil pressure sending unit with a mechanical gauge to check oil pressure;should be (14lb/sq.in. at idle) (42-64 lb/sq.in.)at engine rated speed. It is probably a gauge/sender malfunction, but you do not want to operate it until you're sure
 
   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS #4  
The only time my LK3054 oil light went on was when I had oil blow-by and ran it too long brush hogging in the summer. I let it cool down for a couple of hours, added oil and started it up. The light went out but 15 minutes later I cringed as a connecting rod came loose. I went for a new engine instead of rebuilding it.
Long story to advise you what can possibly happen. Don't take a chance and damage the engine. I'd follow Patches advise at a minimum and NOT run the engine until you know for sure.
 
   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS #5  
Patches is right on. The first rule in the power industry it to believe your indicators (until you have proven they are wrong). His suggestion to verify pressure is easy and could save you a bunch of $ as well as a lot of pain.
 
   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS #6  
If you are using chevron 15W40 it should be "Delo" which is diesel rated oil. some multigrade oils formulated for gasoline engines dont do well in diesels. By all means put a pressure gage on and check the pressure.
 
   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS
  • Thread Starter
#7  
5-15-08, Update: Oil: Chev. Delo 400, 15w40, TTL Time: 152 hrs Since New, I checked the ball over spring relief valve, it was OK. I was thinking that the engine was over heating, so radiator and bug screen were cleaned, I should have saved the energy. The tractor is so new that nothing seems amiss. I installed a Harbour Freight $10 oil press test ga., to verify the installed oil light. And scared myself. The gage showed 25psi at 1600 on start, that's good, and within 5 min. the pressure dropped to 15psi/1600rpm, that's bad, if I still had the light installed it would have come on. At idle 7psi/800rpm. If I increased rpm to 1800 the pressure went to 20psi, and that's good. On a cooler day it took over an hour to get these numbers. I know that the book lowest normal oil pressure is 14psi at idle rpm and this keeps the light out. So, doesn't look good and I smell an oil pump replacement. I'm still thinking that 20psi oil press and oil light out at 1800 rpm may be OK. After all the pressure is just there to get the oil where it's needed then oil "splash" lubricates. The "oil clearances" provide the space for the oil to prevent metal to metal contact. Oil pressure doesn't push the close fitting parts apart. There is no roughness or noise so I don't suspect a bearing The only thing is: the oil seems very thin when hot, so I'm going to change to straight 30w "by the book" for our summer time temps.. The oil level is stable and not thinned out by a fuel leak, but with five min running time how could it. Since the OAT was 98* today, I thought maybe the oil I used, which is for trucks at highway speed, that just maybe the 15w40 viscosity is too thin for a slow moving tractor at these higher outside air temps. Its probably a long shot but maybe that's the problem. I'm thinking "new engine not broke in yet", still tight and gets too hot for the Delo oil. I looked in the repair manual and there is not a lot of info on changing the oil pump, so must be a rare problem. Anyway that's my next big idea to find the problem. I suppose that's why the tractor came with an oil light, so we wouldn't scare ourselves if we read low psi numbers. Besides, here I am happily tractoring, digging in the dirt at 1700 rpm, the oil pump is providing just enough pressure to keep the light out. Must be OK psi right? How am I going to know that the pressure is below the book psi numbers (47psi at "rated" rpm, presumed 2600rpm) or some such increment of normal psi/rpm. If the light never comes until I'm ready to shut down and I see the light come on at idle. That is no time to find out that for the past 2-3 hrs you have been running at low and damaging oil pressure. Too late to do "the right thing". Seems to me they are setting them selves up for lots of warranty claims if the oil light can't inform when the oil press is low enough to cause harm. So that's my thoughts for whatever they're worth.
 
   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS #8  
Maybe I'm not getting something but bottom line is, your pressure is low and your motor will fail if you continue to run at low psi. If under warranty bring to Kioti and have them fix. If not under warranty order the new oil pump and install. The weight of the oil, unless you go down to 5-20 or something like water you should be fine. Oil pressure is key, without it your done. Oil pump can only cost so much, not clear to me the reluctance to replace the oil pump. Not trying to be critical, I just could never risk my motor over an oil pump, a lot easier to replace an oil pump than a motor.
Joel
 
   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS
  • Thread Starter
#9  
5-17-08, Yes, I can replace the oil pump and should if needed. I want to hear from others who may have had the same problem: how they dealt with it, what they found to be the cause, tips on how to change an oil pump on an LK-3054, how is a pump tested, adjusted, etc. The repair manual isn't too clear how to replace the oil pump. I have oil pressure, maybe at 20psi just not high enough. But selling dealer says I should try "adjusting" the "pressure relief valve" of the oil pump. Not the filter by-pass valve. What and where is this valve, selling dealer says he hasn't a clue, says he has never had an engine apart, "must be somewhere in the oil pump". When I dig into the engine/oil pump, I'll see what I can do. I really suspect bearings, if they look bad I'll replace them. According to one link "engineparts.com" found on TBL, they say that dirt in the oil is 45% of the cause for bearing failure. Has any one noticed that on the 3054 engine that the oil pan breather hose ends without a filter and below the engine side panels, very low and close to the front tire and exhaust pipe outlet. Maybe a source of dirt getting into the engine, too bad I didn't do anything about this before. I do operate in dusty conditions. Engine flters and oil changed often, it's so easy why not.
 
   / LK3054 OIL LITE STAYS ON TO 1400 RPMS #10  
caltrac, I would call Rick Wallace, he'll know what to do. I would be suspect of adjusting anything, would seem odd that something like that would go out of adjustment. Is the machine under warranty? Good luck getting resolved.

Joel
 
 
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