Gas IH544 not oiling rockers

The tractor was missing and backfiring. I pulled the lifter cover and found the rockers dry. #1 pushrod barely moves and several others don"t show the minimum lift specified in the IH manual so I"m pretty sure the cam is shot (it was used when I put it in 10 year ago) but I can"t account for the lack of oil up top. Oil should come up through the #1 and #3 pedestals around the bolts. I"ve take the rocker assembly apart: looks ok. I put two pedestals and bolts back in (to hold the head down), filled the #1 and #3 holes with oil (it does not drain back) and cranked the engine. With no plugs it cranks pretty fast and the oil light goes out but no oil comes out those holes. There seems to be plenty of oil on the cam. I realize that the bad cam may result in low pressure but I would think that it would still suffice to make oil rise in those holes with the rocker assembly out. I don't want to put a new cam in until I know what is going on. Any advice?

One option,very likely that sealant on head gasket blocked holes that oil comes up through.Take bolts back out and try running stiff wire down in to clean out.That is if oil pump is good.

> One option,very likely that sealant on head
> gasket blocked holes that oil comes up
> through.Take bolts back out and try running
> stiff wire down in to clean out.

If I understand correctly how the rocker oiling works on this engine (IH C200) the holes the oil comes up are the bolt holes: that is, the holes that the bolts that go through the #1 and #3 pedestals are oversize and oil comes up through them around the bolts. Of course somewhere down those bolt holes must be an opening to an oil gallery but I can't reach that. The test I did was with no bolts in these holes.

Also, I know for sure that the rockers were being oiled last year when I had the cover off to adjust them.

> That is if oil pump is good.

There's enough pressure to turn out the oil light.

Hello John,
I just rebuilt a 544 engine last week. I had my machine shop bore the block and install new cam bushings.So I can't say for sure but i think the rockers get there oil thru the cam bushings. it is possible the bushings spun and the holes are blocked. if you are going to replace the cam then you could check it out.
Good Luck Ed
abcrepairparts

I think the correct bolts have holes that let oil go from yhe gallery to the rocker stand. Your owners manual will have a lubrication diagram. I thought it was the middle stand.
JimN

Thank you for your reply.

> I think the correct bolts have holes that let
> oil go from yhe gallery to the rocker stand.

None of the bolts are drilled (and it was oiling ok last year when I adjusted the rockers). I have the rocker assembly apart and can see the oil holes in the 1st and 3rd rocker stands and the shaft: it's clear that the oil is to come up in the clearance around the bolts (or if it isn't I don't see how it could work).

> Your owners manual will have a lubrication
> diagram.

The engine shop manual has a diagram showing that the cam bearings distribute oil to the rockers and the governor but does not detail the route to the rockers.

> I thought it was the middle stand.

The first and the middle stand are drilled with oil ports opening to the shaft. The shaft has a matching hole for the port in the first stand but not for the middle one. Possibly the middle stand does not actually carry any oil despite being drilled.

Perhaps the camshaft bearing is so worn that the oil all leaks out without developing enough pressure at that point to reach the rockers. But if that is true why didn't the oil I poured into the holes drain away quickly?

Perhaps the camshaft oil gallery is clogged. But if so, why do I see lots of oil on the cam followers?

I'm reluctant to spend $275 and a lot of labor on a reman cam until I know what is going on. I'd hate to put that cam in and then need an engine anyway.

> I just rebuilt a 544 engine last week. I had my
> machine shop bore the block and install new cam
> bushings.So I can't say for sure but i think the
> rockers get there oil thru the cam bushings. it
> is possible the bushings spun and the holes are
> blocked.

Good idea. I hadn't thought of the bearing being spun. I'll see if the governor is getting oiled as according to the shop manual it gets oil from there as well.

On further thought, it seems like that should stop the cam followers from getting oil, though.

My first guess is the head gasket is on upside down.

> My first guess is the head gasket is on upside
> down.

How would you explain the fact that the engine ran fine and oiled the rockers correctly for more than ten years with the head gasket in just the way it is?

I miss read the post on the rebuild.

I loosened the governor casing and cranked the engine. No oil. Since the governor leaked oil pretty badly when its gasket was bad a few years ago I think that the spun-bearing theory can be considered confirmed.

Got the camshaft out without (quite) splitting the tractor. The front camshaft bearing was spun (and it is what distributes oil to the rockers and the governor). The cam followers and the other camshaft bearings are oiled via other routes. The #1 cam was rounded off. The other cams and camshaft bearings look fine as do the cam followers. Cylinders and valves seem ok so I am going to put a remanufactured cam and a new bearing in (unless the reman cam requires all new bearings).