B8200 oil pump

[Theekillerbee]

Looks like the oil pump is going out on my B8200 HST 4WD. I have had the oil pressure light flickering for a couple months, so I thought I'd try replacing the sending unit...same problem (Oil level is fine). So it is likely a clogged pick-up screen, or a wavering oil pump. How hard is the pump/screen to get to? Does the tractor need split? I'd love any suggestions or pearls as to accessing and changing one. Can I drop the front axle, then remove the pan and do all the work from underneath?

Thanks in advance.

 

[bruceatlam]

The oil pump is behind the front cover. So, you'll need to remove that to get to the oil pump. The screen is inside the oil pan --- yes, you can slide the front axle out and then drop the oil pan to access the screen.

 

[Theekillerbee]

Thanks bruce. Do you advise checking the screen first? Or is the oil pump prone to failure on this model?

 

[Theekillerbee]

Was looking at my WSM last night. Silly thing has everything but the motor in it!!! Are all the tractor WSM manuals like that? Does anyone have a manual with the oil pump replacement procedure?

Thanks again.

 

[kubotasam]

I'm not sure about your B8200 but some of the B series are prone to losing a plug out of the end of the camshaft resulting in low oil pressure. I have read about it mostly on B7100 tractors. It might be something to look into before you go pulling the tractor apart.

 

[bruceatlam]

It is a D950 correct??? If it is, i think I can find the oil pump docs ----

You can probably get the oil pan off by simply disconnecting the front drive shaft at the front differential and then slide the driveshaft back toward the tranny ---- I think that will give you enough clearance to get the oil pan out and that will give you direct access to the screen. No ---- both screens that I've seen have been clean. You may have to jack the front up a bit to get some clearance under that engine.

The plug at the end of the cam (if there is one) is behind the front cover too --- so oil pump or cam plug --- either requires you to remove the front gear cover.

 

[Theekillerbee]

It is the D950. I'd greatly appreciate the papers. Thanks a bunch.

 

[bruceatlam]

Your WSM should have an engine section --- about 40 pages more or less. PM me an E-Mail and I'll scan the appropriate pages and E-Mail them to you. It's only a page or two.

I checked my parts manual and there is an itty bitty plug in the end of the cam. In fact, the parts manual calls for 2 plugs --- it show one in front but doesn't show the second. I guess we'll find it in the back?? So, the cam plug is a potential issue.

The oil pump replacement process is pretty simple to describe --- not so to actually do it. First, remove everything that you have to to get down to the front gear case cover. Next, remove the gear case cover. You need this big 43mm (I think) socket to do that. The oil pump is the lowest thing inside the gear case and is driven by the crank. Remove a nut that locks the oil pump drive gear on ---- pull the drive gear ----- remove four bolts and then pull off teh oil pump.

 

[bruceatlam]

That description of removing the oil pump is a little bit better than the description in the manual. If you have oil pressure issues, maybe you ought to think about installing and oil pressure gauge in place of the light to gather a little more data. Here's what the manual says about oil pressure:

1. Low oil pressure light comes on at 7 psi
2. At 2600 rpm the acceptable oil pressure range is 24 (low limit) - 49 psi
3. At idle factory spec is 10 psi

Could bearing wear be a possible cause of your low oil pressure?? Or a broken relief spring??

 

[Theekillerbee]

I had thought about trying a gauge, but with the new sending unit doing the same thing, I figured that there is a low pressure issue. I wouldn't know how to check the relief spring, or for bearing wear. I've never torn apart a diesel motor, so that is out of my league. The light is not a solid on, it is dimly light and flickers, so I would guess the motor is right at the low limit. Do you know the thread pattern of the sending unit in case I can throw a gauge on it? Would a gauge help diagnose where the problem is coming from?

 

[ipz2222]

An oil pressure guage (mchanical) won't pinpoint the problem but will confirm oil pressure in lbs per sq inch. Search for L235 low oil pressure ,you'll find a thread of mine that has pictures of that cam plug missing and all the stuff I went thru before I got to it. My oil pressure went from 2 lbs at idle to 20lbs at idle. It's a long way in but a lot cheaper than running the eng at low pr and burnning the crack out of it.

 

[Theekillerbee]

Thanks for the heads up. Did you happen to find that plug in the oil pan when you pulled it? As was mentioned by bruce, and in your thread, are both plugs on the same end of the shaft? Or did you have to try to find the other plug?

 

[bruceatlam]

So, if the problem is the cam plug it would stand to reason that the oil light wouldn't be flickering --- at 2 psi it would be on steady. That takes us back to the oil pump or bearing wear.

How many hours on the engine?

And, my public apology for my failure to scan and E-mail you that oil pump page. I can still get you the page but will take several days. Maybe someone else has a D950 engine and can send you the page --- if not, advise and I'll get it for you.

 

[Theekillerbee]

Sounds like I need to throw a gauge on it to see what the pressure is.

Not sure on the total hours. The problem was that this hour meter rolls over at 1000 hrs (kinda silly of Kubota to think that was sufficient), so it could be as few as 1300, or as many as any number as long as it ends in 300. Purely an educated guess is that it is probably 1300, and no more than 2300, as the tractor runs/starts great. I've not tested compression in the cylinders, but she fires up even in cold weather, so it's gotta be decent compression.

Would loosing that cam plug make the pressure drop to near zero?

I'm gonna start easy and check the relief spring, then I'll drop the pan to check the screen and see if any plugs are laying in the bottom, then I'll move to the front end.

Can you check for bearing wear by dropping the pan? What would I look for?

 

[Theekillerbee]

The plot thickens. So the thread pattern to the sending unit is M10 X 1.0 for anyone interested. I found my pressure gauge from my old Ford backhoe. It was standard, but the connector was nearly the same size, and made of brass so nice and soft. So I threaded a couple turns into the block, and checked my pressure. It measured around 50. I was surprised, so I borrowed another gauge from a neighbor and got 48....so that is obviously plenty of pressure, so why is the oil light flickering? My guess would be a bad ground. I figured I'm gonna try to find a mechanical gauge and just say to heck with the idiot light. Glad I checked that near the beginning of my quest. Was about 2 mins from dropping the oil pan to check the screen.

I'll update when I get a new gauge installed. Thanks to all for the tips.

 

[Theekillerbee]

Found a metric adapter and picked up and installed a mechanical oil pressure gauge. Cost of materials was about $20, time to install was about an hour, peace of mind, priceless!

There isn't much space on the dash, so I placed it a little low, and on an angle right next to my "cruise control". The gauge confirms what I found with the other gauges. Oil pressure is right around 50 psi. Stupid idiot light.

 

[murky]

I had thought about trying a gauge, but with the new sending unit doing the same thing, I figured that there is a low pressure issue. I wouldn't know how to check the relief spring, or for bearing wear. I've never torn apart a diesel motor, so that is out of my league. The light is not a solid on, it is dimly light and flickers, so I would guess the motor is right at the low limit. Do you know the thread pattern of the sending unit in case I can throw a gauge on it? Would a gauge help diagnose where the problem is coming from?

I apologize if my questions are dumb, but what is between the mechanical gauge and the engine? That space that used to be covered by the wire between the sender and the light.

When the engine is off can you remove the sensor/gauge without losing fluid?

On mine the electrical contact is torn out from the sender. If I buy a new one with the electrical spade still attached, I'm wondering if it is just unbolt the old and bolt on the new.

But even better would be to have a real mechanical gauge. Then I don't have to guess if the light is working correctly.

 

[bruceatlam]

A clear palstic tube connects the gauge to the engine block. Yes, you can remove the sender from the block with the engine off without losing any oil. If you install a mechanical gauge, make sure that you protect that tube. You don't want it rubbing on anything or getting snagged by anything ----

 

[murky]

A clear palstic tube connects the gauge to the engine block. Yes, you can remove the sender from the block with the engine off without losing any oil. If you install a mechanical gauge, make sure that you protect that tube. You don't want it rubbing on anything or getting snagged by anything ----

Thanks Bruce, did the tube come with gauge? The Gauge includes the sender that bolts to the engine, the tube, and then the dial indicator you mount under/near the dash to read the pressure?

 

[bruceatlam]

Most do --- any seller should list what's included with their respective gauges -----