IH 444 oil pump problem

David Wayne · Mar 20, 2016

I have a 444 that loses oil pressure when engine warms up. I removed the oil pump to find the gasket blown out and the pump cover
bent about .020 between 2 of the bolts. Anyone else have this issue, or know a good fix?

DJ54 · Mar 20, 2016

It sounds like too thick of oil, in too cold of weather, and unless the oil pressure valve stuck at one time for some reason, the cover gasket was the weakest link, and blew out.

Not to send you off somewhere without an answer, but here's where I go for my tough IH questions:Red Power Magazine Community Use the General IH board, and bet you find the proper answer.

David Wayne · Mar 21, 2016

I did some research and it seems to be a common problem with this pump. I flattened mine and filed it but my gasket is too thick to get the correct end plate to gear clearance. But it did help raise the pressure, just cant leave it idling.
So I called my dealer to find it is no longer available through IH but he can get one after market for ONLY $1600.
I have a used one coming $125 from a company that can get after market for $1300. I will install the used one and then rework the end
plate on mine to get the required clearance and put it up for a spare.

IH3444 · Mar 21, 2016

New Oil Pump for Case International 2424 424 with BD154 Eng | eBay

David Wayne · Mar 21, 2016

I seen that, I should have stated that I have a gasser with the C-153 engine.

IH3444 · Mar 23, 2016

You should also pull the pan, and replace the connecting rod bearings, as well as the main bearing. This is do able. I did this on my 3444 BD154 engine. Replaced oil pump gears, dealer parts, $150, rod bearings, $40, main bearings, $50. Polished the crankshaft also. Lied on my back for about 8.5 hours. 45psi when hot at idle now, 15w-40 Shell Rotella.

David Wayne · Mar 24, 2016

I will do rods & mains if a good pump doesn't solve the problem. The one I ordered came yesterday & I never even put it on. I took it out of the box & could see the end plate was warped and the gasket was blown out. Called the company & they are sending me another one. If it is bad I will
make a reinforcement for the end plate on mine to keep it from warping, and set the clearance to spec of .0025-.0006
Thanks
David

IH3444 · Mar 25, 2016

Check the backlash between the gears installed in the case with bottom cover removed. it should not be more than 0.020". With the warped cover problem I would make myself a thicker hardened cover. That seems to be the problem with those pumps.

David Wayne · Mar 25, 2016

There is a known problem with this pump bending the end plate. I thought I would share what I have learned and how I have fixed mine.
First I got rid of the oil light and installed gauges so i would know what the pressure is. The first 2 pics are idling, cold and hot.

The next shows my pump

So I put emery cloth on a flat surface and ran the end plate across it to show where the bent area was. next was to get it straight as I could without breaking it.

After straightening it was just a matter of using the emery cloth until it was as flat as I could get it. I went more after the pic was taken to get rid of the last low spot. then made a support out of 1/4" steel. I had to grind a small groove for the web that runs on an angle from the middle bolt, that doesnt show in the picture.

David Wayne · Mar 25, 2016

The next was to cut a gasket, I used 1/64" and bolted it back together. I checked the end play and got lucky it was .002 (hope I wrote that right) with the dial indicator. reinstalled and was happy with the results-- idling/ cold and hot.

I hope this can be of help to someone sometime, this was after getting two pumps from a salvage company that were as bad as mine.

Crashcup · Sep 12, 2016

Hi David, I know this thread is dated, but impressive work with the oil pump! I'll have to keep that in mind in case I run into that with my 444.

What kind of loader do you have? I have a IH 2050 on mine, and have not found much info on how to remove it.

Keith

David Wayne · Sep 13, 2016

Sold the tractor for a little profit and upgraded to a Kubota 3400 4x4 with loader.
I showed the new owner the two spare oil pumps (one of them disassembled) in case he has future problems with it.
If you have the diesel it's a different oil pump mine was a C153 gas. I still have the 2 salvage pumps if you should need one.
I think my loader was a 2000a, frame bolted on rear axle and a bracket on each side on front pretty much straight forward.
not sure about the 2050.

SteveUSNY · Feb 12, 2019

I want to thank you so much for your post. I had the exact problem.

David Wayne · Feb 12, 2019

You are welcome, I posted hoping someone someday would get some good from it.
I still have a spare pump "not rebuilt" If you should ever need it let me know. The way I save stuff if I am
still alive I will still have it.

SteveUSNY · Feb 13, 2019

I am the same way. Everything is raw materials and you never know what you will use something for. I've even threw something away and before the day is out
i needed it and retrieved it from the trash. Prime example is the crank for the snowblower I put on the 444 was hard to use and I had an old steering wheel I've had for 20 years and knew exactly where it was came into use.

Thanks again for your efforts on your post.

SteveUSNY · Feb 14, 2019

David, Getting back to the 444, I just bought the 444 this past summer and didn't use it much until the winter for plowing. I installed the oil pressure gauge and after using the tractor for 15 minutes the pressure was at 0 psi. The dummy light for oil pressure was not working for the previous owner. That engine had to have been running with no oil pressure for years. I can't believe that the engine didn't set up. He said he used the tractor for brush hogging. Good pressure now.

I changed the oil in the transmission and it only took 3 gal. of oil before it came out the level plug. The manual states that it should take 5 gal. This makes me a little uncomfortable.

Is there anything else I should be aware of?

David Wayne · Feb 14, 2019

I only had mine for maybe 6 months, bought it right to use as a stepping stone for what I have now.
But I remember when I had the pan off the engine looked as clean as new, no scarring and not even any
carbon deposits. I was still nervous about what might be going bad from no oil pressure and showed the pic to the buyer and hid nothing. So to answer your question I wouldn't know what else to look for.

SteveUSNY · Feb 15, 2019

I've read that they are bullet proof. I plan on keeping mine for a while. I put a Fisher plow on the front and 6 foot snowblower on the back. Works well.
Thank you for your response.