2 questions; operating temperature and oil leaks

[MikeOConnor]

Ok -- I've found my leak, now I need guidance on what it is, and how to fix it. This post is the first of 3, each with a picture of the offending critter.

Natcherly, the engine in my PT bears only a vague resemblance to the engine in the Deutz manual I got with the tractor, and so I haven't a clue what I'm looking at.

See the little yellow arrow? It's pointing at my oil leak -- basically between those two nuts. The one on the engine (right) side seems fine, it's the join between that one and the brass nut on the left side that's weeping...

So question #1 -- what's that roundy metal thingy with the wire attached to it?

Question #2 -- the nuts are tight, so if there's oil weeping out from between them, how do I approach fixing it?

More pictures coming in the next two posts...

 

[MikeOConnor]

Here's another picture of the offending dingus, from another angle. Shows the weepy joint pretty well.

 

[MikeOConnor]

Final picture -- shows where the roundy gizmo is in relation to stuff like the oil-filler and the dipstick.

Here's another question -- see the little arrow? It's pointing at an "extra" control on the engine -- looks just like a throttle, but there's no throttle-cable attached. I wonder what that is?

 

[Gravy]

That's the sender for the oil pressure gauge. Should be an easy fix.

First, try just tightening it just a little bit. (This isn't the time for the gorilla approach.) If it's pretty loose, this may take care of it.

If it's tight, but still leaking around the threads, it's time for plan B:

Disconnect the wire, unscrew the sender and the little adapter from the block and each other. Clean all the threads with a little solvent - brake cleaner, carb cleaner, etc. (Don't spray the solvent inside the sender.)

Use a thread sealer on the threads. I use Loctite Thread Sealer with Teflon from my local NAPA. Screw them back together no more than medium tight. You don't want it to vibrate out, but it's easier to tighten it a little more later than to deal with stripped threads.

Start it up & check for leaks.

That should do it, but you may want to check it pretty regularly for the first few hours to be sure it isn't loosening up.

Good luck! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gravy

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Gravy:
Just out of curiosity, has plan A ever worked for you?
I suppose it has for me, but I don't remember when. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I agree with your advice. Should fix it right up.

 

[Gravy]

Maybe 10% of the time. OK, maybe 5%? Would you believe 2%?...

I think it actually happened a few times during my 20 year career as an auto mechanic, but I've learned to assume it won't. In fact, I had Plan B ready to post, then added Plan A just on the off chance...

Gravy

 

[MikeOConnor]

<grin>

I kinda gave it a wiggle (Plan A hopes sprang into my heart too) before i sent the post. It's pretty tight, and I was edgy about those stripped threads. I'll give Plan B a try.

Thanks!

 

[tracdoc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You don't want it to vibrate out, but it's easier to tighten it a little more later than to deal with stripped threads )</font>

Sage advice, Gravy. A little too tight... and it's time for a new O/P sender at best, or maybe a Heli-Coil, or....dooohhh!!

 

[Gravy]

And installing a Heli-Coil without getting chips into the oil system gets REALLY interesting! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[MikeOConnor]

The job's done (Plan B).

Question - i don't have the thread-sealing goo here at the farm (it's on the list for the next time into town) so I used teflon thread-sealing tape, which is really more aimed at plumbing jobs. Ought to hold up ok though, right? The machine's nice n'dry right now. I'll go abuse it a little tomorrow and see how things go...

 

[Gravy]

That brings up what I call a "Well, duh!" moment - teflon tape should have been the first sealant I mentioned...

Oh well, you know what they say about CRS...geeze, I can't remember that either...

 

[MikeOConnor]

By the way I had to take the cover off the side of the engine to get at the sender, so I decided to blow out the air-cooling fins.

WOW! There was a LOT more crud in there than I was expecting. It's no wonder I was running a little hot. Took about 10 minutes with the air hose to knock all the stuff loose. Lots and lots of those dreaded Fluffy Seeds. 'Glad I caught that one...

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

<font color="red"> There was a LOT more crud in there than I was expecting. </font>

And I've found that when I take the top cover off and hold a piece of white paper underneath there are still places that air hasn't dislodged the last few blockages.

Fortunately, our Spring has been wet enough that I don't anticipate much chaff when I do the first cutting this week. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Sedgewood]

<font color="red"> And I've found that when I take the top cover off and hold a piece of white paper underneath there are still places that air hasn't dislodged the last few blockages.

Fortunately, our Spring has been wet enough that I don't anticipate much chaff when I do the first cutting this week. </font>

Cleaning that sucker every hour has to be my least favorite PT1845 operators task. My mowing last week of last years weeds was done in a cloud of chaff that easily defeated my best attempts so far to filter it out. I've got no opening bigger than insect screening and the fine stuff still gets through and clogs the fine passages in the cooler. I mowed about 4 hours and had to disassemble the engine and clean that sucker 4 times. Then it started raining and I got to mow in the rain for several hours with no overheating at all. Grin. Gotta remember that little trick since by now it's gotten pretty obvious PT isn't going to offer to filter that oil cooler air for us. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Mowing is my new rainy-day job,
Sedgewood

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

<font color="red">Then it started raining and I got to mow in the rain for several hours with no overheating at all. </font>

John:
Back when you and I were first starting to try to eliminate the right side stripe, before we installed high lift blades, etc., I found also that the machine with the stock 3/8 thick blades did a more even cut in the rain. The only part of the system not improved by precipitation was the operator. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Sedgewood]

<font color="red"> the stock 3/8 thick blades did a more even cut in the rain. </font>

So maybe the water adds mass/momentum to the light wispy stuff making it stand there and take the hit of the blade instead of being such a pushover. We like it.

<font color="red"> The only part of the system not improved by precipitation was the operator. </font>

But Charlie, it's only water. Mowing with a PT is at least as much fun as golf and everyone knows it never rains on a golf course. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

With a nice hot beverage in the water bottle and no need to come out from under the canopy to clear the chaff, how ya going to get wet anyway? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Maybe I'm all wet... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Sedgewood

 

[MossRoad]

Have either of you guys thought about mounting an air compressor in your engine compartment for in-the-field use? Is there even room? Just wondering.

 

[tracdoc]

Not to hijack the thread, but on the subject here of engine chaff, has anyone used one of the Engineaire Filter systems, or have a good way of dealing with the air filter clogging?

Engineaire

Seems like they can adapt their systems to most any engine requirement. On my Robin-powered unit, I find that I am cleaning my sponge filter element with every use. I've mowed 4 times so far this season, and between the chaff, tree pollen, etc. the filter is very heavily clogged at the end of a single mowing session. To clean it well, it takes me at least a pint or more of Kero, and then a final saturation w/ a kero/oil mix.

 

[MossRoad]

Our Kohler has almost 200 hours on it. I have cleaned the air filter only according to the Kohler manual. It really only needed cleaning one time. The other times, it was very clean. It is just a foam element over a paper element. Makes me wonder if my vision of a dirty environment is different from every body else's as I thought I was in some extremely dirty areas at times. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[J_J]

I believe that the thread on the sender is pipe thread. If it's leaking around the threads, reseal and re tighten. If it still leaks, through it away and get a new one, should be less than $10 bucks.