Oil & Fuel Ford 2000 (3 Cyl. Gas) Stalling, Oil Pressure Light, Oil Pump Priming?

[Skenny]

I think I may have gotten past the stalling, but I'm having trouble determining what happened. Symptoms/Chronology:

1. I had decided to go to a heavier oil 15w-40, verus 10w-30, in part due to a knocking sound that I was having a mechanically inclined acquantance evaluate.

2. Drained the old oil night before, intending to look for metal, or other clues in oil. Small amounts of moisture had been observed, mainly after tractor sat for months.

3. Next day, filled crankcase with 15w-40, started engine, oil light stayed on and engine stalled after maybe 30 to 45 seconds. Unusual vapor/smoke expelled from crankcase, not heavy, but observable.

4. Pulled oil filter, turned engine over, and after hesitation, observed strong pumping action.

5. Replaced filter, started engine, oil pressure light goes off, engine runs normally.

In summary, it may no longer have a significant problem, but I am puzzled:

1- Can an oil pump lose prime? I understand the "floating shaft" can be displaced, but if that was the case, would I not still have a problem? Thicker oil, leaving it empty overnight????

2- Could the lack of oil pressure (oil light on), cause the engine to stall, as if fuel starved? Almost like a "safe mode" shut down, but a 1971 model 2000 didn't have such a feature, did it?

Thanks for ideas, I'm just trying to learn and be smart(er).

 

[pmsmechanic]

I would say something is not the way it should be here. When you let the oil drain all night it sounds like the oil pump lost it's prime. When you started it and let it run something started to seize up inside. Vapor/smoke indicates most likely a rod bearing. That's what stalled the motor, but in the meantime the oil pump had primed. The hesitation would most likely be from the starter overcoming the resistance of the engine being seized. Now with thicker oil to dampen the sound of a poor bearing everything will sound normal until the oil gets warm. Then you should be able to hear the knocking again.

If it's easy to pull the oil pan I would be tempted to do it just to have a look. The rod that seized will be the one that's colored blue or has a bunch of black hard oil deposits on it.

Hopefully I'm wrong on all of this but from what you described I don't think so

 

[mjw357]

Is the oil filter on the oil pump housing? Did you leave the filter off all night as well?

 

[Skenny]

Oil filter is above pump. I did not leave the filter off all night.

pms, I was suspicious of some kind of siezing, but it would re-start after minimal cooling (never got warm to start with) and run 'til it did it again, without unusual sounds from the engine, just some extra smoke/vapor from the crankcase.

Does anyone know if this model has the "oil bath" intake filter for the crankcase. I have an extra intake abaove the hood, but it just goes to the primary air filter housing, I think. Thanks.

 

[Skenny]

pms, I suppose if I was real lucky, and it is only a rod bearing, I have a chance at being able to replace only that bearing, from the bottom side, maybe flushing the internals, and live happily ever after, right? I am looking for best case, I know what worst is.......

 

[pmsmechanic]

pms, I was suspicious of some kind of siezing, but it would re-start after minimal cooling (never got warm to start with) and run 'til it did it again, without unusual sounds from the engine, just some extra smoke/vapor from the crankcase.

Thanks.

Are you saying that the engine has stopped more that once? If that's the case than I'm suspicious that there is a bearing not getting any oil at at all. If the bearing has seized to the crank and is turning in the rod....not good.

 

[pmsmechanic]

pms, I suppose if I was real lucky, and it is only a rod bearing, I have a chance at being able to replace only that bearing, from the bottom side, maybe flushing the internals, and live happily ever after, right? I am looking for best case, I know what worst is.......

Well let's assume the scenario that the rod has spun on the crank. If the crank isn't scored very bad then you can lie on your back or get your kids to do it and just polish the rod journal with emery cloth. rotate the crank to about six different positions and polish roughly equally in each position. Use a 2000 grit emery cloth to finish it off and you should be good. Check your clearances with some plastigage and if they are good your set. Rule of thumb is that if you can hook a scratch on a journal with your fingernail then you need to regrind the crank.

Next what are you using it for? If it's just for parades than you can get away with a lot more than if you are working the motor hard. You need to figure out where the smoke is coming from and go from there.

 

[Skenny]

Thanks PMS. It stalled more than once during the same episode. Once we got oil pump primed, it runs well again with no smoke.
Primary use is working, bush hog, Disk, rock rake, box blade, tiller .