no oil pressure 1947 Ford 8N

[Diamondpilot]

Actually not many. I have a friend that has a John Deere. I believe its a un styled A. Anyway it says to do that in the manual every oil change to clean things out. I have done it to a high mile car and it cleaned things up nicely. The trick is to let it idle only. Now we did not have a oil pressure problem to start with and only let it idle for 2 minutes that way then let it drain overnight.

Chris

 

[speedracing944]

Update...

I pulled the top off the filter canister, pulled out the filter and poured oil in the canister all the way to the top. I let the oil flow itself into the lower line until the level in the canister was 1 inch below where I originally filled it. (20 minutes) I put the cover back on the canister without the filter and fired up the tractor. As soon as I started cranking the engine I had 30 PSI of pressure. The tractor settled into idle and I was showing 40 psi pressure.

Should I look at replacing the oil pump gears in the near future?

BTW I do have small oil droplets in the antifreeze so a replacement block may be in my future. Hmmm maybe it is time for a flat head Ford V-8

Speedy

 

[dqdave1]

Head gasket?

 

[speedracing944]

Head gasket?

I thought people here said there were no oil galleries through the head and therefor no oil passages through the head gasket. If it was just a head gasket I would be relieved.

Speedy

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would just leave it alone for now and see what it does. Could have been just a freak thing. I am guessing its the oil pump. I would add some radiator stop leak to see if it seals up the pin hole. You have nothing to loose with that.

I am guessing you would have $$$ wise what you have in the tractor trying to find a new block and then doing a rebuild. You know how those things go, you always spend twice as much in the end as you were planning.

Chris

 

[speedracing944]

I used the tractor for a good hour mowing my lawn one last time for the season. The tractor ran fine and held 20 PSI oil pressure once warmed up. That is where it was before the incident.

Diamond,
I know what you mean about cost. Once you have an engine apart it is easy to suffer from the illness known as "while I am in there".

Thanks for all your help guys.

Speedy

 

[Stimw]

Your oil pump is fine, it's just an old Ford thing. As I an others stated it's a common problem. Now that you know what to do when it happens just make sure you check pressure on start up.
I would also keep 30W oil in it and add a can of STP which will protect it from cold starts and probably stop the pump from loosing it's prime.
As for the coolant, i wouldn't really worry about it unless you see a lot of oil. Also I would not use a pressure cap, it will run fine with a non pressure cap.

 

[Soundguy]

You are going to have to drop the oil pan as a minimum and check the pick up screen and the pump. I am not sure what is all involved in that but its a start. I have not changed the oil on a N series tractor but on my 861 and my neighbors 961 the oil drain plug is about 2 inches and it has a screen in it where the oil pickup sits once the plug is back in place.

Chris

Sorry.. 50% bad info there.

Sure.. to pull the pump you got to drop the pan as the pump is tied to #1.. however.. just pulling the dian plug lets you look a tthe pickup tube.. and the screen comes off with the plug.

The owner needs to do that and stick a finger up in there and wiggle the pickup tube.. if it is loose ne needs to re-silver solder it.. or repalvce the pump and have it align bored.

If it is not loose.. he needs to reprime it by pulling te large plug ont he front of the engine and filling it with a few ounces of the heaviest gear oil he has.. like 85/140.. or 90w... then slap it back in and start cranking the tractor..

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

You can't "drop the pan" on a N without spliting the tractor. The oil pan is very heavy and part of the engine/frame system.
Is the oil level low? Is the water level high? Did you let it freeze?
I haven't worked on a N for about 7 years so I've forgotten most of what I knew. I would disconnect the coil and crank it to check pressure, these engines are tough but they can't take no oil. Not sure how oil could get in the water. There are no oil passages in the head , just water passages.

As farm said.. you don't split the tractor.. at worst you have to monkey fingers a few bolts up there warded by the front axle.. a partial front-ectomy can solve that with no split... as farm said.. it's not a bad job.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

Are there oil passage ways throught the head? I am trying to think where there could be oil/ antifreeze mixing happening. I was looking at some pictures of 8N heads and can't tell if there is oil flow into the head.

Speedy

No oil passages in that flatty... however.. bad head gasket can let combustion by-products produce a pretty good 'oil' looking sheen in radiator fluid. Over years.. it gets real emulsified. also.. if it ever had a problem and the rad and block wasn;'t flushed 100%..then that good still circulates.

The 20$ headgasket is the first ez check.. from there you can do leakdown tests.. compression tests.. and the dreaded 'look-up' from the bottom of the engine, pan removed.. looking for green drips as you presurize the cooling system.

soundguy