IH 686 question

Got a 686 IH with steering issues. Customer said he was adding an extra 5 gallons to make it steer.

First thing I found was oil not even on the stick due to sever leaks around the lower torsion/rockshaft.

I drained all three chambers and got maybe 6 gallons out of the entire thing. The manual says capacity should be 16 gallons.

Got the leaks fixed and put in 15 gallons. The level on the dipstick is now about an inch above the full mark. The dipstick doesn't have a part number on it, but I suspect it's from a larger machine, with a deeper housing.

This one is about 15 inches from the cap to the tip. Does anyone have the right one that can tell me the length it should be?

Moving on, with enough oil now in the sump, I'm now only getting 500psi to the steering. The manual shows a divider valve and a relief valve that sends oil to the steering. Both are supposed to be in the same housing, but I see no housing that looks anything like what's pictured.

Does anyone know where the divider valve is located?

Hopefully they will attach, but here are pics of the side of the housing on this tractor, and the divider valve from the manual.

Best I can tell the line going straight up goes behind the dash to the steering, but I can't see anything that looks like that housing around there.

Does anyone know where it's located?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've tried several dealerships already, and they either don't have anybody that knows anything about these older tractors, or anybody that seems to give a dang if they do.

That said, any help y'all can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Is the pick up tube connected in the back end ? Pull the third arm mounting bracket off and you can see if it is . It will sound like its sucking air

Yes, everything in the rear appears to bee tight.

I had the top link cover, and the PTO both oot to change the bushings and seals in the lower torsion/rockshaft, and checked everything I could get my hands on while it was opened up.

The flow divider block is usually mounted at the end of the large tube that goes up from the plate you have your hoses on. Likely it is in the area under the steering in what towards the seat is the battery box. An air leak was mentioned but what does the fluid look like. If it is sucking air it should be foaming. Does the three point work? If it is likely flow diverter problems.

The fluid was low, and milky with water, but didn't appear to have foamed.

He didn't really say anything about problems with the hitch, mainly the steering.

That said,I was figuring the low fluid level was the main problem, but with the water it's not got me thinking that the metering sleeve in the divider is sticking.

I guess have to start pulling sheet metal tomorrow and see what I find.

3-4 gallons over wont hurt a ting. It may even improve things. 06/56/66 tractors often run 5 gallon overfull. Improves funtions on an older worn system.Remark the stick and run with it.

There's nothing wrong with the dipstick. Most likely you didn't get all the old oil out and the new oil hasn't all flowed to where it needs to go yet. Run it a bit and check the level again. My bet is that it will be right on or slightly low.

I drained all three housings, so the
machine was empty, and I've run the
machine for about 15 minutes since I
filled it, and the level hasn't changed.

The dipstick is nearly as long as the
housing is deep. That puts the marks so
close to the bottom that a pickup tube
could easily suck air, especially with no
more than he actually had left in it.