A few questions (Ford 7710) mechanical in nature

[pharmvet]

I recently purchased a 1990 Ford 7710 4wd. Took it straight to my local dealer and had them "go through it", change all fluids and filters, lube etc. Anyway, upon driving it for about 10 minutes from my dealer to my business, I checked the oil (after it had set several hours) and found it to be about 1 inch higher than the full line on the dipstick. I called the shop forman and he said to bring it back and let them look. I did so and was informed that my tractor was "making oil". He then proceeded to tell me that most likely it was the injector pump seal allowing diesel to get into the crankcase. They them proceeded to replace said seal. I once again drove it home and checked the oil level and found it to be about 1/4 inch over the fill mark. I called the shop foreman again and he said, "we may have filled it a tad over, run it a while and check it to see if the oil level rised". While I was giving it a good looking over I noticed that one of the bolts holding the oil pan to the block was loose. After really examining things, I found that the breather tube has a little fork that fits under that particular bolt to anchor it down and it had come loose. Anyway, I say all this to ask the following questions:

1) Does the diagnosis and treatment of the tractor that is "making oil" seem legit?
2) If it is legit, I wonder how long this has been occuring, and if it has been occuring for a long time, was there any damage incurred?
3) I noticed that the oil pan bolts had the paint knocked off as if they had at one time been removed in the past. Why would it be necessary to take the oil pan off? Also, I noticed that there was a tiny bit of oil on some of the bolt heads. How much trouble is it to replace the oil pan gasket in an attempt to elminiate all (well for all practical purposes) leaking of oil from the pan?
4) I also noticed that none of the bolts that hold the oil pan on were long enough to completely come all the way through the block. In other words, there were still lots of thread (female) showing in the block bolt holes. I looked at a 5610 NH and noted that the bolts all came the full thickness of the block. Is it possible these bolts are not original and too short?
THanks for indulging me. Im just paranoid and like for things to be as they should.

 

[art]

That is a lot of questions! The fuel injection pump seal is a normal failure not to say that everyone of of them will have the problem tommorrow but it does happen. I would doubt that you would have the problem again.

On the oil pan bolts, I would wonder why it might have been off but you didn't tell us how many hours are on it so we really can't make a judgement call there either. I would like the bolts on the top to be recessed on the block side.

With most equipment the fluids should be checked at the same time to compare. We all are aware of things expanding when hot and contracting when cold and fluids levels will change.

 

[pharmvet]

Tractor has 1400 hours (I spoke with original owner )and judging from the overall condition of the tractor and what he told me I feel the hours are real. I looked at some other tractors and they also seem to have short bolts coming up through the pan and into the block leaving shread showing in the block so I guess this is normal. It just seems to me that the bolts should take full advantage of all the thread they can and it would also keep trash and water from settling in the holes where the bolts do not come to the top?? Anyway, maybe Im just over analyzing things.

 

[jimmysisson]

ay'up