Foamy Motor oil Ford 5000

Anonymous-0 · Feb 24, 2013

Hey guys, I have a late 60s ford 5000 diesel and the other day was pulling a disc through my pastures. Outside temp was low 40"s and blowing here in TX which is not anything considering this tractor does square baling work in the middle of the TX summer. So nonetheless I got off the tractor and went to fill it up with diesel and do the usual maintenance i do (grease and check the oil) and I pulled my dip stick and was shocked to see my oil bubbly and non existent on the dip stick. I let the tractor rest for 15-30 minutes pulled my dip stick again and the oil level was right but there was still some foam in it. I know its not water as I have sunk trucks mud bogging and know how it turns into a milk shake. Nor was any white sludge from oil and water emulsification anywhere on the dip stick or the base of the filler cap from water evap. the oil was uniform in color and did not have any jelly fish in it, nor did my coolant have any black little blobs in it. I went ahead and changed my oil just now and went to Rotella 30 vs the Dello 15w-40 I"ve been running. Let the tractor drip out over night and then filled it up after the filter change, fired it up to circulate it. Shut it down, pulled the dip stick, and its aerated again with fine bubbles in it. Any ideas and will I blow this thing up running it? It"s that time of the year where I really need the damned thing and am in a bind without it. Thanks

David G · Feb 24, 2013

I am thinking it is sucking air somewhere. Did you change filter or something?

Janicholson · Feb 24, 2013

If no one chimes in with a solution, I would suspect (as David did) that the pump is sucking air between the pickup, and the pump. I would pull the pan and look at it for leaks. Jim

John B. · Feb 24, 2013

Air is much easier to suck than any liquid. Most leaks on a suction side of any pump will keep it from priming. What kind of oil are you running?

shaun wallace · Feb 24, 2013

The pump cant be starving for its submerged in oil. Wonder if drain back holes in block are partly stopped up? Havent seen suction screen stopped up, its fairly large. Bad problem is have to roll front support forward to get pan off.

da.bees · Feb 24, 2013

(reply to post at 23:15:38 02/24/13)
My best guess is maybe the crank case is over filled and crank is whipping it up. Have you checked the manual for refill quarts? It's possiable that somone put the wrong stick in it before you bought it. I don't know how much if any damage airrated oil might cause but I would be very uncomfortable with it.
I would contact the manufacture of the test liquid used to detect blown head gaskets by turning color in the presence of combustion bi-products mixed with coolant. Ask them if the test works in oil same as coolant. If it does you could drain a sample of oil to test.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 25, 2013

It did it with the same filter and oil I used while baling which was the proper NH filter with dello 15w40...........I was discing established pasture so it was not rough and did not jar me or the tractor at all... I just changed today with another proper Case New Holland filter and went to Rotella 30w and immediately after start up checked it and it was foamed up...... it dont blow any smoke other than the usual "throttle wrap"..... I really cant afford (not money but time) to put it in a shop.... thinking about listing it on Craigslist tonight and buying another tractor.... I'd hate to do it, she's been good to me but I dont have time to be tearing things apart right now (keeping in mind Feb in TX and things are starting to come out of dormancy)

Anonymous-0 · Feb 25, 2013

also its the proper dip stick, the original when i bought it 4 years back was separating from the base and stick and i ordered a new one which was identical... no issues till date

Anonymous-0 · Feb 25, 2013

Maybe a cracked oil pick up tube?

dej(Jed) · Feb 25, 2013

(quoted from post at 17:44:53 02/24/13) Hey guys, I have a late 60s ford 5000 diesel and the other day was pulling a disc through my pastures. Outside temp was low 40"s and blowing here in TX which is not anything considering this tractor does square baling work in the middle of the TX summer. So nonetheless I got off the tractor and went to fill it up with diesel and do the usual maintenance i do (grease and check the oil) and I pulled my dip stick and was shocked to see my oil bubbly and non existent on the dip stick. I let the tractor rest for 15-30 minutes pulled my dip stick again and the oil level was right but there was still some foam in it. I know its not water as I have sunk trucks mud bogging and know how it turns into a milk shake. Nor was any white sludge from oil and water emulsification anywhere on the dip stick or the base of the filler cap from water evap. the oil was uniform in color and did not have any jelly fish in it, nor did my coolant have any black little blobs in it. I went ahead and changed my oil just now and went to Rotella 30 vs the Dello 15w-40 I"ve been running. Let the tractor drip out over night and then filled it up after the filter change, fired it up to circulate it. Shut it down, pulled the dip stick, and its aerated again with fine bubbles in it. Any ideas and will I blow this thing up running it? It"s that time of the year where I really need the damned thing and am in a bind without it. Thanks

When you first drained the oil was there any sign of water whatsoever? If not then it has to be sucking air somewhere along the oil pump line.

Indiana Ken · Feb 25, 2013

You seem to have described two problems, the oil is aerated and the oil reads low on the dipstick. If the oil is pumped full of bubbles the volume should increase and read high on the dipstick. Perhaps the oil is not draining back since it is so aerated - don't know - but it seems you would see oil coming out of the breather.

You have not mentioned how the oil pressure is maintained. Might want to mount a good oil pressure gauge on the tractor you can monitor while it is running. If the oil presure is maintained it suggests the pump is not sucking air and has sufficient oil in the sump.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 25, 2013

no water whatsoever when the oil was drained... it came out blacker than the ace of spades with no streaking or milk in it..... no oil being blown past anything (the 5000 has a screaned filler cap where the bottom is perforated and packed with steel wool that runs into a top that looks identical to a radiator cap). I looked at the filler cap, and there was no sign of emulsified oil from it being steamed on the base of the cap or dip stick like I said earlier, so I really have no clue..... just a big head scratcher. I could definitely see it being a cracked line if I was jarring the hell out of the tractor but as far as vibes and bouncing around is concerned It was smooth sailing for it out there compared to other times I've ran it

ErnieD · Feb 25, 2013

Have a sample of the old oil sent to a lab for analysis.

Cut apart oil filter and look for bearing metal.

Install oil pressure gauge.

Look for suction side leaks as others have said.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 25, 2013

where abouts and how would you go about installing a oil pressure gauge? (never did it before) the tractor only has a dummy light on it for low oil pressure (that i only can assume works because it comes on when you turn the key on like it would in an old car) but i have no idea where that wire is ran..... I know on the side of the block is the temperature sensor, but have no clue where that dummy light goes as the wire goes from the dash to all the other dash wires wrapped together in a healthy home made wire loom (electric tape)

ErnieD · Feb 25, 2013

On our '65 5000 the oil pressure sender was right near the oil filter. There was enough room on the rt side of the dash for a SW gauge. Should be 55-60# of pressure.

Jon Hagen · Feb 25, 2013

Thats a real puzzle ?? does the tractor use an oil light instead of an oil pressure gauge ? If only a light is used, anything over 5 psi will keep the oil light dark.

Both oil types should not foam normally, but yours does. The low oil level sounds like the oil is being pumped somewhere(valve cover ?) that does not drain back quickly, so the oil level runs low enough to suck up air and mix it with the oil.

I would remove the valve cover to inspect the drain back holes and run the engine at idle to see if their is some wear or leak allowing excess oil to the rocker shaft.
Also make sure your crankcase breather is open.

Please post what the fix is, this is an unusual and interesting problem.
Sorry I have no Ford 5000 experience to better help.

Fordfarmer · Feb 25, 2013

Temp sensor is at the front of the head. The oil presser sensor is on teh left side of block, just ahead of the oil filter.
My best guess is like some of the others have said - oil is being pumped but not returned, allowing the pump to suck air. I'd pull the valve cover before I ran it any more...air just doesn't lube bearings too well...

Anonymous-0 · Feb 25, 2013

After I changed the oil I have not experienced any dissappearing oil on the dip stick. It stays at current level but gets aired up. And yes it only has a pressure light and not a sensor. Quite honestly the shocking thing to me is I have no clue how long this has been going on as I pull the stick before I run it but never right after I shut her down..... this could have been going on for awhile and I'm just now catching it..... no smoking other than at throttle wrap, and no unusual noises, i guess im going to go digging and see what I find. Cause I know I dont like my dip stick looking like the inside of a champagne glass

RodinNS · Feb 25, 2013

Install a manual pressure gauge in place of the oil pressure sender and monitor the pressure... Watch for pressure fluctuations or a bouncing needle. Sounds like it's getting air in the pickup.

Rod

Foamy Motor oil Ford 5000

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