Proper oil pressure for TO-35

That reading is pretty well normal for the Z134

Thanks, JJ. I can stop worrying about it now.

weekend_warrior said:

I just installed an oil pressure gauge on my 1955 Ferguson to-35. The old one had never worked, so I've never had an oil pressure reading.

I read in the manual that the oil pump has a release valve so the pressure doesn't go much above 30psi. After a cold start, the pressure is at 30psi, but once it's been running for a while it settles in around 21psi. At idle speed, it drops to around 10psi. Is this the proper oil pressure? Thanks.

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my 1957, to-35 still has the orginal oil gauge, it does not have numbers only high, normal, low.

The tractor runs great and uses no oil but the gauge was starting to get close to the low side of the gauge when the engine was hot and idling.

So i switched from valvoline 10w40 to shell rotella 15w40 oil with 1 qt of lucas oil stabilizer and wix fitler. Now the gauge stays up in the normal range all the time.

The gauge on my 1955 TO-35 stays slighly left of the middle of the green when the tractor is warmed up. Its a bit on the low side of the green when its first started. I use store brand 15W-40 and change it frequently.

I used to have an older TE20 that I installed a mechanical oil pressure gauge on and the 1st thing I noticed was it hardly registered at idle, cold or warmed up! I kinda wished I hadn't added it then
I found an old shop that carried parts for these old tractors and got an oil pump rebuild kit from him. It was basically new gears, a spring and gasket. Installed it and immediately got increased oil pressure. About the same as what the OP posted he's getting.
After putting on beau-coup hrs (perhaps 400 - 500) I noticed it dropping again. I then switched from 30w to 40w and it got back up again and stayed there until I sold it yrs later.
Hate I sold it now that I look back as it was a good hard worker for it's size.
Anyways thought I'd add some free input thats worth about what it cost
Dave

A couple of you stated you use 15W-40. What's the advantage of that over sae30? I think the owner's manual calls for the sae30.

weekend_warrior said:

A couple of you stated you use 15W-40. What's the advantage of that over sae30? I think the owner's manual calls for the sae30.

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i think the 15w helps it turn over eaiser when its cold, also the 40w helps keep the oil pressure up as the bearings wear.

the shell rotella 15w40 is heavy duty oil and works good.

I just use lucas because it seems to make older engines run quieter

seafoam in the fuel system and lucas in the oil has kept my older equipment running good for years.

The manual for these tractors was written when multigrade oils were in their infancy and not available everywhere. While you likely won't do any harm by using single grade 30W I don't see what benefit you will receive. Multigrade flows quicker than single grade when the engine is cold, meaning the moving parts receive lubrication faster. This is really important right now as the weather gets colder. 15W-40 is good stuff and just about ideal for these machines. As an added bonus you can use it in the the transmission and hydraulic system of these tractors as they use mineral oil rather than tractor fluid.