Close call!

Donald Lehman · Apr 29, 2014

Jeff started the OC-4 a couple of days ago and ran it out of the shop and then shut it right off. "Hey Dad?" "Yeah?" "The oil pressure gage on this thing works, right?" "Yes, why?" "No oil pressure." HUH???!!!!!

Checked the dip stick and no oil showing. This is on a motor that was rebuilt last year and hasn't used a drop of oil since. Filled it up and started it and the oil pressure came to normal. Looked under the crawler and oil was dripping steadily. Funny thing is everything was fine when we used it the day before. Long story short, there's a pin hole in the oil pan. That pin hole almost threw a $4,700 motor job out the window. Going to clean the oil pan thoroughly and repair anything that even looks like it might be pitted. Apparently the oil pan is only good for 56 years. I'm gonna check into it, but I believe the warranty has probably run out. lol!

VaTom · Apr 29, 2014

Jeff deserves a raise.

the tractor vet · Apr 29, 2014

Gee what a piece of junk to have pin hole in the pan . Time to call the lawyers and fill a class action law suit . Must have been made out of the same steel they make Fords from .Oh BTW ya want another one ?? there is one on Carig's list not far from me for 2000 . Saw it the other night .

Donald Lehman · Apr 29, 2014

Got another one right next door. Offered to buy it for parts. Hasn't been run in nearly 20 years and sitting outside. The guy wants $5,500 for it. Told him I didn't want it that bad.

Donald Lehman · Apr 29, 2014

Yes, he does. Only problem is the durn kid makes more money than me! lol.

If you don't mind my asking, where you at in VA? My daughter lives in the Remington/Bealton area.

David G · Apr 29, 2014

That reminds me of a story.

My folks had a 64 falcon with the 170 straight 6, it never used a drop of oil. My mom called my dad to tell him the light was on. My dad told her to drive it, the sensor must have failed because it never used oil.

Turns out it just ran out of oil. He filled it up and ran it another 50,000 miles.

He was a mechanic.

shinnery · Apr 30, 2014

That reminds me of a story.
As a kid in high school I was helping in a mechanic shop for the summer, I think 1957. One of the first jobs I helped on was a new factory short block in a '54 Ford 6 cyl. car. We got it all together and owner drove it home across town and checked the oil when he got there. Called, very upset, because oil was not showing on the dipstick. Ford had a combination vacuum pump / fuel pump and we did not put a new pump on the rebuild. It was probably what killed the first engine. Saved the engine anyways.
Bryce

VaTom · Apr 30, 2014

Your daughter is an hour and a half north on 29 from here in Albemarle county. Is it still mostly rural up there? Lots of growth here, with the nearby UVa but we still have no close neighbors, just high tax assessments.

Brian Ski · Apr 30, 2014

Or at least a steak dinner!!!

Donald Lehman · May 2, 2014

Where she lives is wall-to-wall housing complexes with a "working" farm or two mixed in. Lots of richy-rich horsey type farms.

VaTom · May 2, 2014

Far better zoning here, most of Albemarle is rural with no possibility of high density development. In fact, the county board keeps looking at all the land taxed under the land use program (designed to prevent farmers from being taxed off their land) with an eye toward getting some of that $90 million they don't collect every year. I found a state law that will protect me, after jumping through a few hoops.

Not that this isn't a big horse area also. Convenient for me, when I need manure for composting. I can be picky about who I allow to load 6 tons on my truck, for free. They're always eager to have me back. Supply exceeds demand.

Second property over, the 2300 ac farm was sold to a developer. Only 100 house sites, selling briskly around $500,000. By the time you put in your driveway, get the plan approved for an approved builder, and get it built, you don't get in for under $2 million. Pretty expensive for here.

shinnery · May 3, 2014

Well I guess 23 acres ought to be enough to put in a decent septic system.
Bryce

Donald Lehman · May 3, 2014

Daughter and SIL bought a place behind the tracks in Remington during the height of the housing bubble. Paid through the wahzoo for a medium sized shoddily constructed house. After the crash they bought a larger place about 2 miles away (forclosure) for $100,000 less (also shoddy construction). They are renting the smaller place until they can pay enough off the thing to sell it. All the neighbors spend an awful lot of time telling you how wonderful the area is. Yet every man-jack among them scours the state looking for the biggest rotte, pit bull, dobbie cross dogs they can find. Every door and every vehicle is locked tight 24/7. This ole country boy might be dumb, but I ain't stupid. NY sux, but at least where I live for the most part, I can still trust my neighbors.

Visited Monticello last year. Spent the day there. Fascinating place.

VaTom · May 4, 2014

(quoted from post at 23:39:48 05/02/14) Well I guess 23 acres ought to be enough to put in a decent septic system.
Bryce

I guess. Minimum parcel size here is 2 ac. I mentioned that zoning is tight, major effort to avoid what happened in northern Va. Expensive, but quality of life.

VaTom · May 4, 2014

Wow, not surprising that quality of life is better here. Property taxes were our primary concern, something you understand. My hunters now pay mine. Va does a good job of protecting landowners allowing hunting.

I had a problem a few years ago, two attempts to get into my shop (down the mountain) on consecutive nights. I followed he oil drips to the trailer down the road. Don't know which brothers, but I've hired most of them on occasion. I added a driveway sensor, an alarm on the shop, and put out the word about what I'd done. They already knew I was a good shot. End of problem.

Good luck to your daughter. Monticello's the primary visit, but Monroe's Ashlawn-Highland is also interesting. Give a yell if you're down this way. You could take Bertha out for a spin.

Donald Lehman · May 4, 2014

Next time I'm down that way if I have any time I'll give you a heads up. Been to Shenendoah Park once, too. Those big bucks are scary tame. I had a few reservations about having a 12 point buck walk by me close enough to pet when it was that close to the rut.

Neat pic, by the way.

VaTom · May 5, 2014

Keeps the log clean, one of the reasons I wanted that bucket. Caught just a little track in that photo of the last crawler that lived here. Emigrated to Peru (not Indiana) a couple of years ago after I learned there were a pair of bearings in the transmission that Timken no longer makes. Custom bearings are available, if you don't mind the second mortgage. I did.

My guys are having a great time with spring gobbler season now. And keeping an eye on the big bucks for next fall. Never seen a 12 point here. Bear interest me more. Game cameras picked up 7 different ones last fall.

Close call!

Donald Lehman

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the tractor vet

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