Ford 3600 diesel Case pressure

[Zleviticus]

Ok This is a new to me tractor and it has done well other than some quirks that i have fixed, am fixing or will fix. However i have a large issue and want to know what (if anything) i can do to remediate for now until we have the tie to rebuild the engine.

Running normally and with normal implements (bush hog, small disc harrow, 2 bottom plow, etc) it is fine. May have a little blow by and some oil/slight smoke out of the case vent at the valve cover. However yesterday under slightly more load and going up hill, the tractor lost power even in 1/2 gear and more oil that i like was coming out of the crank case vent. So much pressure at one point the dip stick came out. I suspect bad rings or something and it probably needs a refresh/rebuild.

However, it is start of season and it is my only tractor for now so do not have a whole lot of time to take it out of production just yet. Is there anything that can be done to help minimize the blow by? Maybe go to a straight weight oil like 30W or 40W? Any additives? Plan to change the oil tonight in the tractor as it needs it.

If i had a pole barn and garage on the property i would attempt the rebuild myself (i've done car engines in the past with much success since i am very detail oriented when it comes to that stuff).

Thanks

 

[Shaneard]

You can try a thicker oil but when it gets hot it won't make any difference. There is no "miracle in a bottle" that can fix worn rings/pistons/cylinders.

 

[Zleviticus]

You can try a thicker oil but when it gets hot it won't make any difference. There is no "miracle in a bottle" that can fix worn rings/pistons/cylinders.

That is what i figured. I just need to make it to winter then i can do an inframe rebuild. i think i can just replace the pistons and rings and it will be ok. It doesn't smoke on normal running just issues when under load. No smoking then either just crankcase pressure issue.

 

[boomer1025]

That is what i figured. I just need to make it to winter then i can do an inframe rebuild. i think i can just replace the pistons and rings and it will be ok. It doesn't smoke on normal running just issues when under load. No smoking then either just crankcase pressure issue.

You might want to check and see if the crankcase breather element can be cleaned. Sounds like the breather might be part way blocked.
On the old tractors cars and trucks we would remove the breather and flush them out with gas or kerosene.

 

[Zleviticus]

You might want to check and see if the crankcase breather element can be cleaned. Sounds like the breather might be part way blocked.
On the old tractors cars and trucks we would remove the breather and flush them out with gas or kerosene.

Hmm not sure that the 3600 has a breather element. It has the oil fill cover and the breather tube that goes down to the bottom of the front of the tractor. Seeing how the oil and some smoke comes out of that tube, i would venture to guess it is not blocked. I plan to clean the oil off of the engine tonight and see if i can see where it may be spraying from other than the breather tube.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I think its "supposed to have" a mesh filter in the breather too..
Check the condition & LEVEL of the oil before changing it.. U might just have a bad front seal in the inj. pump.??
Good luck

 

[Zleviticus]

I think its "supposed to have" a mesh filter in the breather too..
Check the condition & LEVEL of the oil before changing it.. U might just have a bad front seal in the inj. pump.??
Good luck

Changed oil last night. It was Black. With how it acted under stress, i suspect bad rings. It does not smoke or have any issues when not under load. Working it hard is when there seems to be issues. I guess this winter (assuming i have my pole barn built by then) i will attempt a piston/ring change. Just hope it is nothing like scoring or something cause that would suck.

 

[Texasmark]

How many hours on the engine? When you first start it for the day, how fast does it start in what ambient temp? Is the battery and all cables in good, serviceable condition? Answer these questions and I will give you some ideas on areas to look besides the one listed below.

You said the oil was black and you changed it. You have a couple of options, one being that the rings are worn badly and the other is that your rings, oil ring in particular is/are stuck due to carbon buildup from POs operating/maintenance habits. As the engine heats up, the cylinders expand but the oil ring can't follow the (spring loaded) expansion because of the carbon.

Before you get off on the wrong track, I'd clean up the crankcase. Method I used was to take a 16 oz can of Sea Foam (available at most auto parts stores including WW) and dump in in the crankcase. Run the engine for half an hour at 1200 give or take rpms with no load, parked. When finished, drain the oil and run your finger into the drain hole and see if you feel sludge on the bottom of the pan. If so, do another oil-filter change with another can of SF and do the above run again. Drain and check again. Drain and new oil, C rated 30 wt. this time and filter again and see how it runs. If things have improved, go out and work it like you have been doing. Report back.

Now this effort has cost you 60-80 bucks roughly, a little time and may have saved you an engine overhaul. My 2000 is a 1963 4 cyl, about 3800 hours, no wrenches on the engine proper in it's life and was smoking pretty good, although it started fast...meaning I had good compression (the compression rings were good). I did the cleanup mentioned here and it all but stopped blowing blue smoke, using WW 15w-40 C rated dino oil, even on acceleration. Wink!

 

[Texasmark]

Changed oil last night. It was Black. With how it acted under stress, i suspect bad rings. It does not smoke or have any issues when not under load. Working it hard is when there seems to be issues. I guess this winter (assuming i have my pole barn built by then) i will attempt a piston/ring change. Just hope it is nothing like scoring or something cause that would suck.

I bought the 3000 needing an overhaul as it wouldn't start in April in Texas without Ether. PO had removed the hose from the air cleaner to the intake manifold and had used the tractor in a dusty-dirty environment......top end shot. Did an inframe and had to have all new pistons and associated parts as the top compression ring grooves in the aluminum pistons were wallowed out, head was redone as you do with an overhaul....bottom end miked ok but replaced the rod inserts/babbit bearings anyway. Parts and head labor were $1k and that was 20 years ago.

 

[Zleviticus]

How many hours on the engine? When you first start it for the day, how fast does it start in what ambient temp? Is the battery and all cables in good, serviceable condition? Answer these questions and I will give you some ideas on areas to look besides the one listed below.

2100 about.
Yes cables are all good.

There isn't any smoke. It starts right up the first time and runs fine. IN the winter when it is cold it takes a bit or a spray of ether to get it started but someone unplugged the manifold heating unit from the ignition because the key is wonky and i am not sure they knew that it had a heating element and it was draining the battery.

Again there is no smoke other than the normal little bit on start up when it has been sitting for a long time. The oil was black but it is unknown when the PO changed the oil last. I runs fine. It just struggles under load and there is some smoke out the crankcast vent and oil misting. No sludge when i changed the oil in the bottom of the pan that i could feel as i checked for that just to be curious on my oil change.