steep slope, oil pressure

[brenstar]

I frequently operate my tractor in steep terrain and was wondering how steep you can be without losing oil pressure?

Has anybody installed an aftermarket oil pressure gauge? There must be a place on the motor where the sending unit can be installed.

Thanks,
Russ

 

[RNeumann]

While doing extreme 4x4 stuff (rock crawling etc) we would often have to winch up or strap down stuff that was too steep. While we talked about the possibility of losing oil pressure it was never an actual issue. Your tractor doesn’t see the extremes of 4x4 world.
So to answer your question. No I haven’t installed one on a tractor. But I have on several 4x4s with gauges and never saw an issue.

 

[LouNY]

Every tractor engine can be different, it will all depend on the depth of the sump and the position of the oil pickup.
The older Oliver with the Walkasha diesel had a long shallow oil pan and they would suck air on sleep hills. We see it
some in the hydraulics where it helps to keep them a few gallons overfull or the ptos will slip at times.

 

[Gary Fowler]

With the oil pan design of most modern CUT's, I would not expect an oil sump problem until you turned the tractor over on it's side.

 

[Peter 315]

With the oil pan design of most modern CUT's, I would not expect an oil sump problem until you turned the tractor over on it's side.

...

 

[Gaowlpoop]

I have been thinking of adding the three gage set (oil pressure, voltmeter, water temperature). The only problem is I can not find a location to mount the gages. I have been considering using existing bolts and making a sheet metal bracket of some sort to hold the gages.

The oil pressure sender appears to be located near the oil filter on my 4540 have not found the water temperature sender yet. The oil pressure sender looks like it has 1/8 pipe threads but I can not be sure with metric threads.

 

[ovrszd]

I frequently operate my tractor in steep terrain and was wondering how steep you can be without losing oil pressure?

Has anybody installed an aftermarket oil pressure gauge? There must be a place on the motor where the sending unit can be installed.

Thanks,
Russ

Welcome to TBN. I don't think your tractor will be stable on an incline steep enough to cause pressure loss.

 

[ovrszd]

While doing extreme 4x4 stuff (rock crawling etc) we would often have to winch up or strap down stuff that was too steep. While we talked about the possibility of losing oil pressure it was never an actual issue. Your tractor doesn’t see the extremes of 4x4 world.
So to answer your question. No I haven’t installed one on a tractor. But I have on several 4x4s with gauges and never saw an issue.

I've lost pressure several times as well as ingesting oil. Solves any mosquito problems.

 

[RNeumann]

I've lost pressure several times as well as ingesting oil. Solves any mosquito problems.

I’m recalling quite the scene from the movie “Stand By Me” haha

 

[MossRoad]

Depends what you call steep, I suppose. My little PT425 has a 25hp Kohler Command gas engine. It's rated for 25 degrees. Power Trac slope mowers are rated for 45 degree continuous operation with their Deutz oil cooled engines. Most people can't walk up a 45 degree slope without great difficulty.

 

[dickfoster]

While doing extreme 4x4 stuff (rock crawling etc) we would often have to winch up or strap down stuff that was too steep. While we talked about the possibility of losing oil pressure it was never an actual issue. Your tractor doesn’t see the extremes of 4x4 world.
So to answer your question. No I haven’t installed one on a tractor. But I have on several 4x4s with gauges and never saw an issue.

Oh hi, another rock crawler or a least used to be here.

I'd be more worried about losing my bladder contents on a tractor at angles like that. My rock rig is a whole lot more stable on slopes than any standard tractor ever could be.

 

[Tiptoo]

I frequently operate my tractor in steep terrain and was wondering how steep you can be without losing oil pressure?

Has anybody installed an aftermarket oil pressure gauge? There must be a place on the motor where the sending unit can be installed.

Thanks,
Russ

Any solution found to your problem? Have you installed an oil pressure gauge yet? I'm in the same predicament. I'm on very steep terrain. I haven't had problems yet....I just want to be proactive.

 

[RNeumann]

I haven’t met a tractor or other vehicle made in the last 50+ years that doesn’t have an idiot light for oil pressure. I’m not discounting the concern- only trying to ease the worry. You will know long before you do engine damage.

 

[Tiptoo]

I haven’t met a tractor or other vehicle made in the last 50+ years that doesn’t have an idiot light for oil pressure. I’m not discounting the concern- only trying to ease the worry. You will know long before you do engine damage.

Thanks. Your reassurance does ease my worry.

 

[MossRoad]

Only if you see the idiot light flashing, or hear the warning buzzer buzzing. You can also get a low oil pressure shutdown switch, which will kill the engine if the oil pump starts sucking air.....

that would be fun on a hill....

 

[LouNY]

A lot will depend on the shape of your oil pan, my Oliver 1550 had a long shallow oil pan and working in the driveway you could see the mechanical gauge bounce some times I ran her a quart and a half over full till I tore it down to work on the head (valves) while I had the head off I cleaned up the crank a bit and put in rod and main bearings and new rod bolts. While I had it apart I added a deeper sump and lengthen the oil pickup tube. I run my IH 574 and the Branson 8050 a quart over full, I have checked the oil several times and have never seen any indication of it being churned or getting frothy as it could if the crank was splashing it to much.

 

[MossRoad]

That 574 is the same as my on IH2500b industrial tractor loader. Mine was HST. Many times on my hills the hydrostatic low pressure warning light and buzzer would go off. Many times.