Farmall Regular oil pressure

I have finished rebuilding a Regular for a friend. The engine rebuild was farmed out, so have no idea of what was done internally. Started the engine and had good oil pressure (new gauge). Shut it down to adjust the throttle linkage and when I restarted it, the oil pressure was almost nonexistent. At a fast idle, the gauge barely climbs out of the red zone. Plan on installing a gauge that shows pounds of pressure. Question-- What is the recommended pressure? What would be the minimum pressure for safe operating? This tractor will parade only. Using straight 30 weight oil. Thanks

Do not look at the gauge you won't sleep at night!, This motor is dip and splash so it does not carry much pressure after it warms up, what you need to make you feel better is a gauge that was made for that motor, its called a low pressure gauge.

Animal--Thank you. I do get low pressure oil discharge at the gauge, so your advise makes sense. Guess I was misled by the high pressure reading at the initial start up. Will order a low pressure gauge.

Dr 2-3lbs is good oil pressure

jimmy

you don't say what model. If it is an H or M they would blow the gasket out in the lid to the oil pump and then the pressure will drop. They will move the gage about half way or better if things are right. Our MD will carry about 60 PSI for oil pressure running and around 30 idling. The H runs in the middle of the run section for oil pressure.

Dr. Bert clearly stated it was a Farmall REGULAR.

James: Thank you. Your pressure figures are exactly what I needed to know.

caterpiller guy: Thanks for the response. As Mr. Todd stated, in the title and the body of the post it does specify that the tractor is a Regular.

Animal: I dug out the original oil pressure gauge and it still works, so cleaned it up and will paint and install it. Again, thanks for easing my mind.

The pressure will have been high at startup until it pushed all the assembly lube out.

John: I think you have explained perfectly why the pressure was high at first and then dropped off. Thank you. Now I won't worry so much about a faulty oil pump.

Gauge calibrated for 6 lbs? if you say it has a red zone was it a gauge for a regular. Some gauges will be stamped with the LBS on the back or on the nut. 6 lbs and the gauge going all the way over is what you want. Been through this with a cousins very nice Regular. He has a more modern 80 lbs gauge on it and the needle would not show at all or just barely twitch when cold. Regulars have no pressure oiling at bearings so nothing to slow oil flow and build pressure against. They have ball main bearings, a trough inside the block that catch splash to lube those as well as the cam bearings, the rods oil from a trough that is filled with oil from tubes. they have no oiling to the valve train as you have to do that manually through the valve cover cups and the gov and timing gears just get a squirt on them from a tube. If you are really worried, pull of an engine cover plate and make sure the rod troughs are full of oil. You can pull out the spark plugs and have someone crank it over fast and make sure they are filling also. If it isn't then it may be possible the pump lost prime. If the pump housing was packed with grease when rebuilt, that could have happened by grease getting shoved into the inlet by the pump gear or vane if it has that type. I have heard of grease causing priming problems before and some people think they are supposed to put grease in them to prime them, Nope! Just oil is enough. A little shot of very low pressure air in the gauge tube may be engough to get it cleared if that was the problem and some suction on the gauge tube while cranking will get it going. (I use a long vacuum hose going to my truck engine for things like that, I hate the taste of oil!)