Laundry List Ford 3550

CrosbyFamilyFarm · Sep 15, 2013

After tightening the bolts along the first smaller leak, it seems to have stopped. I'll change that gasket once I've got everything else under control. I'm going to use the power of positive thinking and will the bigger joint (I still don't know what to call it!) to close up when I tighten these bolts down. I can't wait for all of these puddles to dry up! My final two (that I can see) somewhere in the area of the right rear axle and a cylinder I need to repack. Very exciting, thanks for your help!

LD1 · Sep 15, 2013

That bigger joint is just the mating flange between the rear axle and transmission.

The right rear axle leak could be a number of things. Each axle tube is bolted to the rear end with several bolts and a gasket, that could be leaking. Or it could be where the axle shaft comes out outboard by the tire, should be a seal there.

Also, sometimes the pivot shaft for the rear brakes runs through the rear axle, and has seals there too. Clean everything off real good and see where oil starts showing up. Depending on how bad it leaks, doing it while the oil is warm speeds up the process. Trying to track down a small oil drip can be like watching water boil:laughing:

Jerry/MT · Sep 17, 2013

Remove the oil pressure sending unit and put a gauge intis place.and compare the measured pressure to the spec in the owners manual or the shop manual. That will tell you if you have a problem with oil pressure. If the oil pressure is good, then chnge the oil. ANother thing to look for with high oil level is coolant in the crankcase. That will also raise the oil level. You'll see that when you change the lube oilThose are your critical thing to deal with. Once you have those answers, it sounds like all the rest of your stuff is "when I feel I can get around to it."

Soundguy · Sep 17, 2013

did you get the oil pressure / lamp issue straightened out?

CrosbyFamilyFarm · Sep 17, 2013

Thanks everybody! I wish I had thought to check the pressure via gauge, but I went right into changing the oil. The oil light went off and all is well on that end thus far. Is there any telltale sign of coolant in the oil (discolored, slick on top, etc) or should I just monitor the oil level?

Soundguy · Sep 17, 2013

water in oil will make an emulsion..

CrosbyFamilyFarm · Sep 19, 2013

Yeah, it looked like straight oil when I changed it. However, the oil pressure light came back on, so I went out and picked up a pressure gauge and mounted it to the dash. It's reading 50 psi at idle and 60 psi when I increase the rpm's. I couldn't find normals in my manual (not sure why!) but I had the understanding that the pressure light was for low pressure only (bad pump, low oil, etc) and would go off around 20 psi. Am I right to assume I had a malfunctioning pressure sensor and 50-60 is normal for my machine?

LD1 · Sep 19, 2013

50-60 is indeed good. wouldnt worry until you see under 20

Soundguy · Sep 19, 2013

i'd bet that switch is something anemic like 6 psi..

CrosbyFamilyFarm · Oct 11, 2013

Here's something that I just need someone looking at to tell me that I'm asking stupid questions. Below are three pictures. The first is of a plate I pulled off the bottom of my tractor just forward of the transmission drain plug (note second picture for location as viewed from the right side of the tractor). Note the hole in the center of the plate. The final picture is of the gasket under the plate.

I was getting a leak of white fluid from this spot (transmission fluid I assumed) so I changed the transmission fluid and went to take a look under this plate while I had the fluid out. It looks to me like this cork gasket has a hole punched in it. I should replace this gasket, with a sheet of gasket paper right? I'm not screwing up some "breather" hole or something that probably only exists in my imagination, right? This plate does not appear in any manual I have.

As a fun bonus, there was a dime sized bolt head that looked like it had been sheared off inside, under the gasket. Nothing is acting up. Yet.