I recently purchased a non-running 1951 TO20 from a widow lady. Was always fascinated by these as my neighbor had one with half tracks when I was a kid in the 60's. Got it running and it runs well but smokes really bad at idle. Under load it doesn't smoke and it doesn't seem to have any blowby gas coming out of the valve cover vent or even the oil filler tube when I take the cap off. So I'm thinking it's the intake valve seals or maybe the guides are just worn out.
Also, for the life of me, I can't understand how the oil filter even works. It's in the canister in the bottom of the oil pan. Removed the cover, pulled the old filter, even took out the screen cage which was clean as a whistle. There are two tubes in there. I assume the center one which goes through the oil filter is an oil return tube and the other one is the intake to the oil pump. But the center tube seems to have no function at all except to bolt the cover to.
My question is, since the center tube had no holes in it and seemed to fit against the top of the canister and the bottom of the retaining plate, how does oil go through the filter? To me, it seems non functional - I can' see how oil get's inside it. I checked that tube for holes carefully and there were none.
I first put 10/30 in this beast but thought it would smoke less with 15/40 Delo 400. It does smoke less, but not much less. And I was surprised by the oil pressure - it starts out with the needle pegged and only comes down to 45PSI when warm.
The oil seems to circulate in the engine heartily and the engine doesn't get hot. **** Should I worry about that oil pressure and filter? ****
I'm thinking that my first step will be to pull the valve cover and see if I can replace the intake seals without removing the head? Is that possible by sticking some bungee cord in the spark plug hole and turning it up to TDC against the valve?
I don't really want to do too much to this tractor although it has great potential for a restoration. Everything is there and everything works and paint is bad but there is not much corrosion. I've already spent more than I intended replacing the funky 14 inch car wheels and tires that were on it with 16 inch Ferguson wheels and tires.
I realize this was a long post, but would appreciate any guidance and enlightenment on how this oil filter system is supposed to work, if I am in danger or ruining the engine, and if intake oil seal replacement will solve my engine idle mosquito fogging problem - Thank you.
Also, for the life of me, I can't understand how the oil filter even works. It's in the canister in the bottom of the oil pan. Removed the cover, pulled the old filter, even took out the screen cage which was clean as a whistle. There are two tubes in there. I assume the center one which goes through the oil filter is an oil return tube and the other one is the intake to the oil pump. But the center tube seems to have no function at all except to bolt the cover to.
My question is, since the center tube had no holes in it and seemed to fit against the top of the canister and the bottom of the retaining plate, how does oil go through the filter? To me, it seems non functional - I can' see how oil get's inside it. I checked that tube for holes carefully and there were none.
I first put 10/30 in this beast but thought it would smoke less with 15/40 Delo 400. It does smoke less, but not much less. And I was surprised by the oil pressure - it starts out with the needle pegged and only comes down to 45PSI when warm.
The oil seems to circulate in the engine heartily and the engine doesn't get hot. **** Should I worry about that oil pressure and filter? ****
I'm thinking that my first step will be to pull the valve cover and see if I can replace the intake seals without removing the head? Is that possible by sticking some bungee cord in the spark plug hole and turning it up to TDC against the valve?
I don't really want to do too much to this tractor although it has great potential for a restoration. Everything is there and everything works and paint is bad but there is not much corrosion. I've already spent more than I intended replacing the funky 14 inch car wheels and tires that were on it with 16 inch Ferguson wheels and tires.
I realize this was a long post, but would appreciate any guidance and enlightenment on how this oil filter system is supposed to work, if I am in danger or ruining the engine, and if intake oil seal replacement will solve my engine idle mosquito fogging problem - Thank you.
