How to pressurize the oil system?

levsmith

Member
I am in the process of putting together my 3400 puzzle. I've never heard this tractor run, I bought it halfway through the rebuilding process. The head was supposedly the problem and the previous had the head rebuilt, just needed put back together. Anyways, I got the new head gasket and the head installed yesterday. I also installed the push rods and rocker arm assembly and got it all torqued down properly.

Now here is my situation. I want to check compression before I put alot of time and money into this tractor. With the head reinstalled, can I check compression now or do I need to be farther along? If I can, do I just hook jumper cables to the starter? There is no battery and I don't even see any cables, so I am assuming they are in the parts box somewhere.

Also, I've heard that I need to pressurize the oil system, how do I do that? And please forgive my ignorance, but I know very little terminology when it comes to this type of stuff, so treat me like a kindergartner! Pictures are my friend! My dad was never into this type of stuff so I am trying to teach myself. Any and all help is greatly appreciated!
 
You did not say that you adjusted the tappet clearances. If you didn't, a compression test
is useless. Was the engine totally disassembled or just the head removed? How long has it
been sitting. New pistons and rings or old parts? If the engine was totally dissembled and
properly prelubed, I wouldn't be too concerned about pressurizing it. There is just too
many ifs on this one. I'd put he head on it and run it or I'd tear it down and start over.
 

You can pressure lube the engine but you will need a pressure lube device to do so.

It's been decades since I've seen one.

I would complete assembly and perform the compression test (if needed) after first filling the oil filter and cranking the engine with full sump but without injectors until the oil pressure comes up and oil reaches the rocker arms.

Remember, starter motors are intermittent duty motors and are not intended to be operated more than 15 or 20 seconds before a lengthy cool-down period.

Dean
 
I wouldn't worry too much about pre-oiling. Maybe crank the engine with the injectors out until oil pressure comes up. If you insist on pre-
oiling, you'll need to come up with some sort of an external pump or else a pressurized tank to make that happen, as you can't drive the pump
remotely like you can with many gas engines.
 
What did your bores look like?
How much ring ridge was there and how much
could you move the pistons side to side in
the holes? A good visual/manual inspection
would tell you a lot about your upper end
without the need for a compression test.
 
If you want to pre-lube the oiling system, it's is as simple as buying a $15 pump-up garden sprayer, cut off the nozzle end, and adapt it to the oil gauge port with a piece of oil cooler hose and fittings and clamps, put some engine oil in it, and pump it up. Prelubes the whole oiling system.

Pretend this is your engine, and not an sbc!

<img src = "http://oi65.tinypic.com/sndi5f.jpg">
 
Sorry guys, it appears I forgot to mention a few important details. First off, this tractor is a gasoline version, not a diesel. Does that change my ability to drive the pump?

I do still need to adjust the tappet clearances, I will get that done before doing a compression check. The engine was not totally disassembled, only the head was removed. I don't know exactly, but I would guess that it has been sitting for 5 years. It does not have new pistons or rings, everything under the head is old parts.

Thanks for the advice Dean.

Ultradog, I wish I could answer a few of your questions better, but the head is on now. The bores looked good to me, but again I don't have alot of experience with this, I am in the process of learning. I didn't see any scratches, marring or anything that looked bad. Ring ridge was barely noticeable. I could just barely feel it with the old scientific fingernail test. I didn't try moving the pistons side to side? How much play should there be?

Thanks Bob, I had read about this method, but didn't quite understand the idea. The picture helps a bunch!
 
Gas/diesel, makes no difference.

Leave the spark plugs out and crank the engine or use Bob's garden sprayer method.

Dean
 
I agree with welding man. The tractor has probably set long enough so the rings are not doing
their job correctly. I think you will be disappointed with a compression check now. I would set
the valve gaps, put some oil in it, pre-lube it if you want, and fire it up. Run it for a week or
so, until it stops smoking, then take a compression check.
 
(quoted from post at 23:53:41 01/10/18) Why would you prelube a SBC that way when all you need to do is hookup a drill motor to the tool already in place?
The way I heard it,Bob set that up as a training tool for young aspiring mechanics. In another picture,the sprayer is missing and there's a 1/2"DeWalt variable speed drill chucked on the primer shaft. Since you brought it up,why are you asking?
 
(quoted from post at 23:53:41 01/10/18) Why would you prelube a SBC that way when all you need to do is hookup a drill motor to the tool already in place?

BERN,

Working with an SBC, without the fake distributor or a real distributor in place, oil pressure won't build and lube the complete oiling system because the RH lifter oil gallery is open to dump to the sump without the distributor, real or otherwise, in place.

When I did that, the fake distributor was quicker to grab than a real one!
K?
 
I understand why a SBC won't build up oil pressure without something to simulate a distributor in that hole. My question was, why is there
not a drill motor attached to the end of that shaft? If you can spin the oil pump with a drill motor, that's a lot easier (and better) than
pumping lube oil in with a bug sprayer.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top