Oil leak out of top of filter bolt washer

D

DonMountain

Well-known member
I have a 1958 or 1959 International Cub LoBoy that I use for mowing and small chores around the farm that is leaking oil out from the brass washer on the filter cap bolt head. I have tried tightening the bolt down some, but it is an uncomfortably high torque. I bought a new brass washer from the local Case/IH dealer last year when I changed the oil because it was leaking then also. But it didn't stop the leak. So, looking at the possibilities to cause this leak, I come up with a few: 1) The top filter cover is bent. 2) Something is stuck in the bolt threads for that center bolt, keeping it from getting tight. 3) The new brass washers are faulty or crooked. 4) My original filter bolt is much too long. 5) My filter cover plate is cracked. 6) All my 5 weight hydraulic oil has leaked into the engine and thinned the engine oil down to W 0-3 weight oil allowing it to leak through the original IH machining of the bolt and or brass washer and or cap. 7) My great-great grandfather dropped that cap back in 1959 when he did that first oil change and bent it. 8) There is something caught in that gap around the brass washer. Any ideas how I might detect and repair this oil leaking problem? And who I might be able to blame for this problem? My wife told me that I couldn't blame her this time. I can only blame her for the damaged mower blades every time she hits a rock?
Don
 
As cheap as used Cub parts are I'd just replace the cap and bolt and put a new washer on it. My guess is that should take care of it.
 
And where might I find these parts? I haven't taken it apart yet to take some close measurements to see if I can detect what the problem may be. I have a couple of oil filters in stock and need to run out and get a jug of oil so I can change that. From the Case/IH dealer I think that copper washer was $32, which I view as a rip-off.
 
DonMountain said:
I have a 1958 or 1959 International Cub LoBoy that I use for mowing and small chores around the farm that is leaking oil out from the brass washer on the filter cap bolt head. I have tried tightening the bolt down some, but it is an uncomfortably high torque. I bought a new brass washer from the local Case/IH dealer last year when I changed the oil because it was leaking then also. But it didn't stop the leak. So, looking at the possibilities to cause this leak, I come up with a few: 1) The top filter cover is bent. 2) Something is stuck in the bolt threads for that center bolt, keeping it from getting tight. 3) The new brass washers are faulty or crooked. 4) My original filter bolt is much too long. 5) My filter cover plate is cracked. 6) All my 5 weight hydraulic oil has leaked into the engine and thinned the engine oil down to W 0-3 weight oil allowing it to leak through the original IH machining of the bolt and or brass washer and or cap. 7) My great-great grandfather dropped that cap back in 1959 when he did that first oil change and bent it. 8) There is something caught in that gap around the brass washer. Any ideas how I might detect and repair this oil leaking problem? And who I might be able to blame for this problem? My wife told me that I couldn't blame her this time. I can only blame her for the damaged mower blades every time she hits a rock?
Don
Click to expand...
Don,
DM me your address, I'll send you one. If it doesn't fix your problem you just owe me for shipping. If it does fix your problem you owe me for shipping and whatever you consider a fair price for parts.

Danny
 
Ky Cub said:
Don,
DM me your address, I'll send you one. If it doesn't fix your problem you just owe me for shipping. If it does fix your problem you owe me for shipping and whatever you consider a fair price for parts.

Danny
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for your offer Danny. I appreciate it very much. But let me have a couple of days to pull the cap and filter and see if I can figure out what is wrong with it first. And it may just take one of those plastic washers that have been suggested from my local hardware store. It was leaking pretty bad this morning when I used it to retrieve our trash bins from down by the road. But I am now just finishing up reconstructing the rock path from the house to the shop before a scheduled birthday party tonight for a family member!
 
Try assembling it without the washer and see how close to the lid the surface of the bolt can go. That will either confirm or eliminate possibility 2.

Inspect the top surface of the cover. A deep nick there could cause a leak. If there is one, you may be able to fix it with a file (keep it even).

Try rotating the cover as you turn the bolt down to it (by hand). Turn the cover to where it feels like the loosest fit then tighten the bolt.
 
I have removed the cover, turned it upside down & rubbed it on some wet n dry memory paper to remove any irregularities or dirt or rust. Then I do the same thing to the underside of the filter bolt head...to make sure it has no rust, dirt or burs that could keep the copper washer from sealing. This has almost always worked for me. Worth a try, and good luck!
 
DonMountain said:
And where might I find these parts?
Click to expand...
Hi,
Below are listings at TM Tractor Parts for the oil filter cover, gasket, and bolt washer. You can look at the pictures.
The cover should look like the pictures.
Filing the top surface of the cover flat with a file is a good idea, if it has any roughness.
If your washer is that new, it is probably still good, but may need filing flat, if it was used where the surface on the cover was rough.
https://www.tmtractor.com/new/en/563fp.htm


https://www.tmtractor.com/new/en/287fp.htm

I have used a little sealer on both sides of the washer to seal it, when there was a small oil leak.

Below is a page from the 1957 LoBoy operator's manual, you can see the shape of the oil filter cover. :)
 
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If it's the pot metal rather than steel lid, it may be deformed from overtightening. I've put them upside down on a press and gently flattened them back to the original shape. You mention hydraulic fluid leaking into the oil pan. The cause of that is a leaking o-ring on the pump shaft. If that's not fixed you'll always have thin oil. Check to see if the oil level on the dipstick is overfull.
 
As for your hydraulic fluid ,its going in at the pump.....Seals are shot....Easy fix...Rebuild the pump....I have done 3 now...Both of mine now have hand lifts because of floating factors I like...Some guys keep the hydraulics with a rear hand lift....Makes it so you can get into the garden with the cultivators,with out tearing up the yard when you first start...
 
If your hydraulic oil is getting into the engine, it will show up on the dipstick as over full. But, that wouldn't be the cause of the leak.
 
Bring the bolt down to ACE Hardware and get a copper crush washer which should cost about a dollar or less. These washers are a one time use and not to be retorqued time and time again.

NJ Farmer
 
I had a leak at the top of the filter housing. It turns out the cause was none of what was discussed above (bolt, washer, and cap). I tried new copper washer, new gasket, and new cap. Nothing worked. I still had a leak between the cap and the filter housing, I really torqued it down but no luck.

My final solution was using Permatex "Ultra Black", that is made specifically for sealing out oil. I know many of you on this forum don't like it. But believe me, it works great. I don't use any gasket between the lid and filter housing. I put a 1/16"-1/4" bead on the lid where the gasket would go. I then put the bolt and new copper washer through the lid and tighten it down only finger tight -- enough to just see the "Ultra Black" start to ooze out. I then let it sit for 1 hour. By then the "Ultra Black" starts to stiffen up. I then tighten the lid down the normal amount. I let it sit 24 hours for the "Ultra Black" to cure and make an oil tight gasket seal.

Removing the "Ultra Black" the next time a filter change is needed is not a problem. I use a wire wheel "chucked up" in a drill. Getting it off the lid is not a problem. Getting it off the top of the "cast-in-block" filter housing is not a problem either. The only precaution I take is to get a paper towel and stuff it in the filter housing to keep any of the fine particles the wire brush takes off.

This solved my oil leak problem. My guess is that the surface at the top of the filter housing was not machined perfectly flat at the time of manufacture.
 
I finally got back to the Cub oil leak problem out of the top of the oil filter housing. I brought the Cub up to the shop and removed the oil filter cap and bolt. And it appears that the copper washer itself was all deformed. And I bought it for a lot of money a couple of years ago from the CASE/IH dealer? So, today I went to ACE Hardware as suggested and purchased a couple of copper 7/16" washers and a couple of plastic washers for just a couple of dollars. My first question is, I miked the filter bolt and it measured just 3 thousandths less than 1/2". But when I took the bolt to ACE Hardware the 1/2" washers were a real loose fit? So, I tried the 7/16" washers and they fit with just a few thousandths clearance, like they should? So, should I try the copper washers first, or the plastic washers? And what torque should I apply to the oil filter housing bolt? And since these copper washers are probably just punched from a sheet of copper, do I need to lightly sand the burrs flat with a fine emery paper first?
 
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