# 9600 Puking out all engine oil randomly



## hedgeapple (May 15, 2017)

I have a 9600 with about 4k hrs. on it and twice last year while using it to bushhog with it just pukes all the engine oil out. I have looked around on the internet and asked mechanics about this but no one seems to have ever heard of or know why this is happening. Is there some kind of internal check valve on this engine? The oil comes out somewhere around the oil filter but basically blows like 2 gals out. I shut it down immediately both times when this happened.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

Perform a compression test. The Ford 401 diesel is known for blowing through the cylinder walls over time if the coolant is not kept properly neutralized.


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## hedgeapple (May 15, 2017)

I can do that but wouldn't it be doing that all the time if there was a hole? What do you use to keep the antifreeze neutralized? I imagine the antifreeze has not been messed with in yrs. I am aware of the anti-cavitation additive...is this what you are talking about? Thanks for any info


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

I would suggest mounting a mechanical oil pressure gauge in place of the current "idiot light" pressure switch. Maybe not permanently, but tied somewhere so it can be monitored while tractor is being operated. I suspect your leak may well be around the filter/base, which is only designed for a certain amount of oil pressure. This pressure SHOULD be controlled by a regulator/relief valve within the oil pump. I have seen other engines where said regulators stick on occasion causing extreme pressures to be developed and actually blow spin on filters off the mounting base. I don't think it's a common problem on this series Ford engine, but who knows?


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

The cylinder walls crack from cavitation eroding them to the point they become thin. All the diesel tractor dealers and truck shops sell the kits to check and maintain the PH on the coolant. Also why the coolant is changed every two years, true for all diesel tractors.

If the cylinder walls start thinning and develop cracks they start the failure process by blowing compression into the coolant, or past the compression rings when under load. A test of coolant for oil and combustion byproducts will identify this condition quickly.

The engine is also equipped with a draft tube, and if that becomes plugged the crankcase will build pressure and oil will blow out the weakest gasket. But that would have been the first thing a competent mechanic would have checked. Sometimes farmers attached a drool cup to that tube to keep drips off their shop floors, that fills, clogs the vent and oil leaks out elsewhere.

The governor being set too high is another cause of excessive crankcase pressure. Another item that would have been checked immediately.

The element/canister type filter can get two gaskets under the canister. Old one bonds to block, new one sets on top and leaks when engine is hot. Another item that would have been checked right away. There is an adapter kit that converts this engine to spin on filters, if that was installed and is loose it would blow oil out the seals there.

Oil pump relief sticking can result in leaks, but the oil pressure gauge would be reading excessive pressure when the oil was leaking out.

Piston collapsing under heat and load. Piston slap would be quite loud if this were the case. Compression test would tell, as would loosening injector lines one at a time and a knock goes away when the bad piston is located.


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## hedgeapple (May 15, 2017)

Who do you get to test the antifreeze...I would like to see what this reveals. Also, does anyone have any diagrams on the possibilities listed above?


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

Your nearest tractor dealer, truck shop, and even NAPA have the antifreeze test strips in a kit that tells you how to use them. New Holland will dispatch a tech to do the test for a fee.

A repair manual will walk you through the details of what and where, that along with some of your own understanding of the mechanical aspects of working on a diesel engine and you will be good to go.


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