Ferguson TO30 Oil Pump

54FergieTO30 · Nov 14, 2016

I have installed a rebuild kit for the oil pump on a Continental Z129 engine in a Ferguson TO30. My problem is the new gears are rubbing on the cover plate to the extent the drive gear cannot be turned by hand. If I use a bit thicker gasket it turns freely.
Will my pump create proper oil pressure if I used a thicker gasket?

Jeremy in DE · Nov 15, 2016

Which gear rubs? Both?

My manual says "use a new lead gasket to maintain the proper side clearance for the pump gears" but it doesn't say much beyond that. I don't think they should rub, at least not noticeably. So maybe you need the thicker gasket. And yet... why do the gears rub now? Have you compared them to the old gears? Are they thicker? I'm wondering if maybe there is too much clearance on the other side of the drive gear which makes it rub on the cover? It's been a couple years since I did this and I see I didn't take as many pictures as I should have.

miner09 · Nov 15, 2016

Did you compare the old gear to new gear? Could it be wrong gear? Or check and see if
it's down on shaft.

cdmn · Nov 16, 2016

Maybe you should assemble lightly without a gasket, and use feeler gauges to see
how much gap you have. I would guess the "lead" [probably "tin"] gasket is meant
to squeeze when you tighten it down. Maybe, knowing the thread pitch, you can
figure how many turns, or part of a turn, would be needed to get to "metal-to-metal" fit.
Any leakage will cause pressure loss and heat build up. Heat and pressure also cause distortion,
so you really don't know offhand where you will end up. Experience counts. In this
case, it's a pretty low performance pump and you can tell whether its doing okay
with a pressure gage after you run it. [There must be a suitable assembly grease or
oil which will help avoid galling and scoring. [Maybe lots of Teflon or graphite.]
Normally, hydraulic pumps are broken-in by a bench-testing procedure before going to
final assembly. The rpm/flow/pressure are gradually increased and temperature is watched
very carefully. Some rubbing will happen. If it starts to heat, back off for a minute
and then bump it up again. Eventually it reaches a steady state at operating conditions.

54FergieTO30 · Feb 17, 2017

Well the thicker gasket which allowed the pump to turn freely seems to be working. Initial start up after the engine rebuild showed great oil pressure.
Thanks to those who helped.

Ferguson TO30 Oil Pump

54FergieTO30

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Jeremy in DE

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miner09

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cdmn

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54FergieTO30

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