861 oil pressure

My 861 spits oil out of the breather so I was topping her off with the MobileOne 5w20 I had on hand. Oil pressure was good, on the gauge, very rarely dropping down low temporarily under a load change. Finally changed the filter and filled up with Rotella t4 15w40 as recommended on a post here. Fired her up and the oil pressure is higher than my gauge, which goes to 80. After the engine is hot, at idle the oil pressure will drop back to 60 but otherwise it's above 80 at all times.

I know low pressure is bad, what about high pressure? What can I do to stop it spitting out the breather cap?

Out of concern I picked up Rotella 5w40 so I have that on hand now.
 
One problem with high oil pressure is stress on the hex shaft located under the distributor that drives the pump. Particularly in cold weather. I've seen them well twisted altho I've not seen a totally failed one.

You might use another gauge to make sure it's not a problem with the existing gauge before you go any further.
 
My 860 broke its hex oil pump drive shaft within a year of fresh engine rebuild. Was running 50 psi at the gauge when it happened. It was in the cold winter time when it let loose. I didn't replace the hex shaft at rebuild time with the thought process that if it was original and had lasted that long, it may be better than a new replacement from the land if almost right. I have had no problems since replacement, but also no longer use my 860 for snowblower duty.
 
I don't think a bad oil pressure gauge is going to cause oil to spit out the breather cap. I would check the breather vent on the right side of the valve cover. It may be plugged up. In other words, it sounds like you have two different problems going on.
 
I'll check the hex shaft at next opportunity. Do you guys think I should change to the 5w40?

I'll be running the tractor all winter to move logs and equipment. It will get down to the teens come January.
 
(quoted from post at 17:31:22 12/06/20) I'll check the hex shaft at next opportunity. Do you guys think I should change to the 5w40?

I'll be running the tractor all winter to move logs and equipment. It will get down to the teens come January.


BogDown, I don't think that you should change a thing until you have done as suggested here!!
 
Pretty hard to tell looking down that little hole but the hex shaft looks straight to me. Problem is it does wiggle quite a bit and now I can't get the distributor back on.
Additionally, as it was sitting there is now a little puddle of oil from the bottom cover plate below the clutch, presumably from the rear main. Tastes like Rotella not trans fluid.
 

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Got it back on. How much was that hex shaft supposed to wiggle? Not sure where to go from here. Tractor was running great until I changed the oil.
 
To install the distributor, both the hex on the distributor has to mesh with the oil pump and the gear on the distributor has to mesh with teeth on cam so more often than not it will take a few tries before it drops in. There is also an o'ring on the distributor that has to compress to drop into the engine. Your picture shows the distributor with the cap on. I have the cap off when stabbing the distributor in. Did you mark the distributor housing and engine for orientation, and the rotor and distributor for orientation to put it back together?
 
(quoted from post at 14:22:28 12/15/20) To install the distributor, both the hex on the distributor has to mesh with the oil pump and the gear on the distributor has to mesh with teeth on cam so more often than not it will take a few tries before it drops in. There is also an o'ring on the distributor that has to compress to drop into the engine. Your picture shows the distributor with the cap on. I have the cap off when stabbing the distributor in. Did you mark the distributor housing and engine for orientation, and the rotor and distributor for orientation to put it back together?

Thank you. I did mark it before I took it off. I tried turning the engine over by hand but what did it was running the starter motor for a push and it dropped in.

I suppose I'll get an oil pressure gauge to try next. Just don't understand why it would stop working immediately after an oil change, and why new leaks are popping up.
 


BogDown, I don't think that you should change a thing until you have done as suggested here!!
 
The shaft is not secured at either end, sometimes it comes out with the distributor, more often it remains in the pump. If you have a long pair of pliers you can reach down and grab the shaft and pull it out. It is replaceable in that fashion without any major mechanical trauma. Getting the distributor and hex shaft keyed back together can be a challenge as you found. I don't think you can be definitive about its condition without removing and inspecting.

I agree that checking the oil pressure gauge for accuracy is the thing to do next.

I've run 10w-30 for years, buying it on sale at NAPA. Ford originally called for straight weight oil with a lower viscosity for cold weather. This was before multi weight modern oils were available. Straight weight 30w is pretty viscous for 0* operation. 10w or 15w multi grade is fine for year round use IMO.
 
(quoted from post at 16:17:26 12/15/20) The shaft is not secured at either end, sometimes it comes out with the distributor, more often it remains in the pump. If you have a long pair of pliers you can reach down and grab the shaft and pull it out. It is replaceable in that fashion without any major mechanical trauma. Getting the distributor and hex shaft keyed back together can be a challenge as you found. I don't think you can be definitive about its condition without removing and inspecting.

I agree that checking the oil pressure gauge for accuracy is the thing to do next.

I've run 10w-30 for years, buying it on sale at NAPA. Ford originally called for straight weight oil with a lower viscosity for cold weather. This was before multi weight modern oils were available. Straight weight 30w is pretty viscous for 0* operation. 10w or 15w multi grade is fine for year round use IMO.

Thank you. I will pull it out. Although if the rear main leak doesnt slow down I see mechanical trauma in my future.
 
New gauge confirmed high oil pressure. It's about 70 to 75 at idle and 75 to 85 at working rpms.

I now have a front seal leak in addition to the rear seal leak.

I truly, truly regret changing the oil.
 
(quoted from post at 15:20:54 12/16/20) New gauge confirmed high oil pressure. It's about 70 to 75 at idle and 75 to 85 at working rpms.

I now have a front seal leak in addition to the rear seal leak.

I truly, truly regret changing the oil.

BogDown, I don't think that you should change a thing until you have done as suggested here!!
 
Here is a copy of the original manual for a Ford 172 Engine. This manual is for an All Purpose 2000 & 4000. I would think all of the 172's are pretty much the same. Maybe I'm wrong.

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