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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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How to check oil on a Farmall H?.

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jfd

03-04-2006 08:00:09




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Hello, I now have a Farmall H, and there is no dipstick for checking the engine oil on this tractor. I would like to know how to properly check the oil so I don't damage the engine. I see there are 2 little valves on the oil pan. I am only guessing, but if you open the top one and oil runs out, then there is too much oil in it, and if I open the bottom one and no oil comes out, then it's too low. Am I correct?. I want to make sure I know what I'm doing before I use it too much.
Thanks in advance,

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riverbend

03-04-2006 16:30:26




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to jfd, 03-04-2006 08:00:09  
Hi, It's my job to tell everyone with a new H Farmall to get a operators manual for their tractor.

It covers all the operating, maintenance and tune up information. You can get them from this site, your local IH, CNH, dealer, or an outfit called binder books (you can find them on the web).

I use multi-weight oil in my H, and I check it every time before I use it. No sense burning up a perfectly good motor. The oil should be changed every 100 hours.

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RustyFarmall

03-04-2006 08:07:08




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to jfd, 03-04-2006 08:00:09  
You've basically got it right. Some folks do claim that if oil runs out the top petcock there is too much oil in the pan. I disagree to a point, because anytime I change the oil in any of my Hs, and refill with 6 quarts, when I open that top petcock oil drips out. You are correct about the bottom petcock, if no oil runs there, you are at least one quart low.



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CNKS

03-04-2006 17:36:35




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to RustyFarmall, 03-04-2006 08:07:08  
The oil pan itself holds exactly FIVE quarts to the top petcock. Found that out when I added 6 without changing the filter and discovered that it was way overfull. Thought the hyd pump (Super H live hyd) was leaking into the crankcase, although I had changed the seal. I have not actually measured how much the filter holds. Best to replace filter, add 5 quarts, run the engine, let the oil drain down and add until it runs out of the top petcock. That may or may not total 6 quarts.

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RustyFarmall

03-05-2006 04:52:59




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to CNKS, 03-04-2006 17:36:35  
Any oil that is in the filter drains back into the pan when you stop the engine.



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CNKS

03-05-2006 11:59:14




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to RustyFarmall, 03-05-2006 04:52:59  
Nope, not all of it. There is oil trapped by the filter, and by the engine itself that does not make it back to the pan. That is why, if you want it full to the upper petcock, and no further, you check the oil after it has run through the engine and the filter, and then drained down for a few minutes, and then add enough so that it runs out the top petcock again. Or if you overfilled it, drain it until it stops coming out the upper petcock. But, I'm sort of nitpicking, my point was, or should have been that if you happen to change the oil, dump six quarts in without touching the filter, you are overfull. IH did not specify, 5 quarts, add one for the filter, as car manufacturers do, they simply said the capacity was 6 quarts, which is pretty close to correct.

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jfd

03-04-2006 08:22:55




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to RustyFarmall, 03-04-2006 08:07:08  
How often do you change the oil on an H?. Is it every 100hrs like most tractors?. Thanks for your help!.



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Dellbertt

03-04-2006 11:08:19




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to jfd, 03-04-2006 08:22:55  
If we had an all day job we checked the top level. If just starting for around the barm we checked the bottom level. Not rocket science.

Oil change depends on use. For my application I change all tractors and lawnmowers on April 1 and August 1. My 39 H has been running great for 30 years.



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jfd

03-04-2006 12:35:32




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to Dellbertt, 03-04-2006 11:08:19  
What grade of oil should I use?. I'd like to keep this one running real nice, it runs super nice and has lots of power. I'd like it to last me a real long time.



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williamf

03-04-2006 15:05:51




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to jfd, 03-04-2006 12:35:32  
You can get a strenuous discussion going on what kind of oil. The manual says 30wt non-detergent. The only semi-not crazy reasoning I have heard for still using non-detergent is that if that's all that had ever been used in it there might be so much crud built up that if you put in detergent oil pieces could break loose and clog up the oil passages. I'm going to go out on a limb and say use detergent. It's unlikely the P.O. went to the trouble to find 30wt non-detergent other than the stuff at Wally World that warns you on the label not to use it in a gasoline engine, and you're better off chancing the change than contiueing with that stuff.
As to the straight 30wt, you can find very sensible people that will tell you that the only reason IH didn't recommend multi-weight is that fifty years ago what multi-weight there was wasn't good enough. And other very sensible people that will tell you that the engine was designed to run 30wt so you should.
Some will say they've been running 30wt year-round for sixty years with no ill-effect, others that they've been running Rotella since it came on the market and haven't had to rebuild the motor yet.
Me, I recently changed from 30wt to 15-40 Rotella just so I only have to keep one kind on hand and that's what my diesel likes. If anybody seriously thinks that's going to damage a recently overhauled, semi-retired H: flame on.
I'm past it.
Good luck,
Wm

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Nebraska Cowman

03-04-2006 11:19:24




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to Dellbertt, 03-04-2006 11:08:19  
Delbert, that tickled me (easy to ammuse I guess) So.... if that H built in 1939 ran great for 30 years, what was it doing the rest of the time?



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Dellbertt

03-04-2006 21:25:38




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 03-04-2006 11:19:24  
I"ve only owned it for 30 years. It ran good when I got it and its still running good. Never torn down. I use straight 30 wt. year round. But don"t drive it much in winter anymore.

Still tickled? :)



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KRUSS

03-04-2006 13:21:35




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 03-04-2006 11:19:24  
Is that something like a tractor or combine that was "always shedded." Does make you wonder how much work it did in a shed.



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Dellbertt

03-04-2006 21:29:36




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 Re: How to check oil on a Farmall H?. in reply to KRUSS, 03-04-2006 13:21:35  
Ok, it isnt a "sitter" I use if for brush chopping and discing sweet corn stalks.



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