Well I decided to finish changing the engine oil on the recently acquired old tractor today to keep out of the sun.
Trouble is I had a problem on another vehicle when the oil pump wouldn't prime after an oil change, and as the oil pressure light doesn't work on this tractor I decided I'd better fix it before trying to start the tractor (just in case it didn't prime OK).
Turns out that the oil pressure switch is dud and I don't have a spare, but I do have a pressure gauge so I put that in instead.
Started up the tractor...
watching the gauge - no pressure...
- keep waiting (it had to fill the new filter)...
still no pressure - getting worried...
still no pressure - so I turn it off and have a think. It occurs to me that the plastic capillary tube connecting the gauge might have been squashed when I tightened the connection (I'd had to 'improvise' a seal), so I loosened it off a bit.
Restart the tractor - watching the gauge, closely...
still reading zero....
it's raining!!!
- the capillary tube has popped out and oil is jetting up to the roof of the shed (~12 feet) and spraying out in all directions. It's amazing how much oil can fit through a 3.0mm hole!
stopped the engine (el-pronto!!)
Well the shed & tractor did need a good jetwashing - but not with super-universal tractor oil.
anyone got any suggestions as to how to clean oil off the walls, roof, floor, tractor, tools (and me)?
Still - at least I know the oil pump IS primed and working
.
marcus
Topic: Feeling like a bit of a lemon (Read 2569 times)
