L185 oil pressure

[T and S]

Well, got back from vacation. Started disassembly. I removed the front axle from the motor, the cavity under the timing gear cover was full of dirt. When I got the front end removed and the contamination cleaned up, I found that electrolysis had ate away most of my lower timing gear cover. How this happened I have no idea. The 2 lower bolts for the cover had the heads completly ate away, I had to use a dremel tool to remove the head off of the bolts:

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=5531&stc=1&d=1339808773

This is what happened when I tried to remove the timing gear cover. The metal was so thin it cracked around the 2 lower bolts. Notice how the electrolysis ate the area around the bolts away!

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=5535&stc=1&d=1339808773

Here you can see the lower part of the timing cover still attached. Also you can see the plug missing from the cam shaft. Found the low oil pressure problem! I talked to an old timer who is a tractor mechanic. He suggested drilling and tapping the end of the cam shaft for a pipe plug. This would be easier than removing the cam shaft and welding in a plug. I am going to try it.
Now all I have to do is find a timing gear cover. I have a line on one from a tractor salvage yard near by, I will deal with that next week.

 

[T and S]

The saga continues.....
Recieved my new timing cover in the mail, looks like new!
I tried boring the cam for a pipe plug, but I guess the cam is made out of billet or some super hard material, because all my bit does is squeak and smoke, so I am going to order a plug tomorrow.
My question is, I do not really want to remove the head and cam just to weld the plug in. These days we have all types of locktites and JB welds that were not around when the bulletin came out about welding in the plug. Does anybody have any suggestions or advice about how I should proceed ? I was thinking about the high strength locktite. I know the plug is not threaded, but I also know the high strength locktite has to be heated to release.

 

[E/S]

We drove the old plug after cleaning and sanding it w/ Permatex 25+ years ago and its still there.

E/S

 

[ipz2222]

I cleaned the hole out with a Q tip and brake kleen, then installed plug with red loctite. After it set overnight, I barely touched the lip of the plug with a mig welder. Been in there for 2 years and still good oil pressure.

 

[T and S]

All done! Finally finished up today. I installed the plug in the cam with JB weld, covered the end of the cam shaft with it, probably 3/8 thick over plug. Took it to the mailbox and back (.5 miles) today after I finished up. Holds 35lbs. when hot at idle, 60lbs. when hot at 2000rpm.
Also added a bit of american muscle to it, painted the engine pontiac engine blue! will paint the rest of the chassis later this fall.

 

[Kytim]

Congrats on a successful R/R.