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Sneaky oil leak

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coflyboy

08-22-2006 13:03:43

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My Ford 641 developed an oil leak on the front left side of the engine. From the valve cover down to below the governor linkage it's heavy fresh oil. The oil runs off the generator adjustment arm. The oil filler cap on the other side of the engine is dry. Lost a half a quart in an hour of hard work.

Here's the catch. It only leaks when the tractor is working hard. I see it leaking; smoke burning off the exhaust pipe, jump off the tractor and the leak stops. It never leaks a little bit; it just dumps.

Took it to the garage, gunked it off good, sprayed it with water, and blew it dry with compressed air. Started it, ran it at a fast idle for 30 minutes, no leak. Absolutely dry.

I think it's the valve cover gasket, but before I tear off the gas tank to replace it I thought I would tap the vast wisdom of this forum first.

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T.C. in Tx

08-22-2006 19:18:16

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Re: Sneaky oil leak in reply to coflyboy, 08-22-2006 13:03:43

I have a 1957 model 850 that was doing something similar. The problem turned out to be the valve cover gasket.

By the way, on mine you can remove the valve cover without pulling the gas tank. It is pretty tight, but just turn it on its side and work it out. Not too bad of a job. Good luck.

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old

08-22-2006 13:35:53

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Re: Sneaky oil leak in reply to coflyboy, 08-22-2006 13:03:43

One other place it might be and you don't want to here this, but it could be the head gasket. Reason I say that is because you say work hard. A valve cover would leak no matter what you where doing but a head gasket can leak the way your talking about when you work it real hard. BTDT and its not a nice thing to happen but I have seen it before

Hobby farm

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coflyboy

08-22-2006 15:03:12

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Re: Sneaky oil leak-Old in reply to old, 08-22-2006 13:35:53

The valve cover gasket is leaking. On and off the tractor like I was a brick short-but I found it. Only thing I can figure is that there must be an oil return line in the area of the leak which kept the oil from the hole in the gasket. When I was pushing the tractor hard there was too much oil and it ran out the leak. I dunno.

Thanks for your help sir.

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noncompos

08-22-2006 21:12:31

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Re: Sneaky oil leak-Old in reply to coflyboy, 08-22-2006 15:03:12

Here's another suggestion: if "pushing hard" means running at maximum RPM's, it might mean (assuming the oil pump pumps more at higher RPM's) that your oil return holes (where the oil drains back down into the crankcase) are partly plugged...that at lower RPM's the oil drains back down OK, but at maximum RPM's it piles up in the valve cover, coming out thru your leak.Cure: running wire down return holes with a little gas or cleaner, jiggling wire to loosen gunk. If you try this, change oil and filter, run for an hour or so and change again, in case more gunk comes down into pan. One more thing: if the oil gets high enough, it'll go down around the valves into the comustion chambers, it'll smoke, and most mechanics'l bet a months pay your rings are shot. (BTDT)

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RodInNS

08-22-2006 15:41:48

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Re: Sneaky oil leak-Old in reply to coflyboy, 08-22-2006 15:03:12

I'll probably say something worse than what old suggested. The engine has probably developed a lot of blow-by, which is often worse when the engine is worked hard. When the blow-by gets bad enough, it can't vent quickly enough, and the crankcase pressurises. This pressure can hold oil in the galleries in the head.... and it leaks out around a weak valve cover gasket, or anywhere else where a weak gasket exists. That's just one negative thought.... Could be it's just a bad gasket, and nothing else is wrong too. If it persists, you might want to do a compression test, and see where things stand. HTH.

Rod

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