Tractor Repair: IH 444 passing hydraulic fluid to engine oil pan, engine oil pan, brush hog

Question
Hi,  My old IH 444 diesel tractor is passing hydraulic fluid to the engine.  I noticed that the dip stick on the engine oil had oil level well above where it should have been.  I drained the oil, replaced the oil filter and refilled.  After about 20 minutes of using Brush Hog, I noticed that the oil pressure was low.  I stopped and checked the oil level and again it was well above the full mark.  After going back to the barn, the hydraulic lift is not lifting and the power steering is not working.  I have an old operators manual, but no service manual.  I am not sure even where the hydraulic pump is located.  Does this indicate that there is a seal or diaphram that is blown?  What do I do next?  If it is the hydraulic pump causing the problem, can I repair it or does it require buying another pump.  Also, does replacing the pump require a real mechanic?  There is an awfully lot that I do not know about this.  I would very much appreciate you help. Also, the I could not find the year that the tractor was made, but I believe that it is from the '60s.  I can follow instructions and am not afraid to work on the tractor, but I am surely not a mechanic.  Thanks, Ken in Texas

Answer
Hello,

  The only way hydraulic oil can get into the engine is from an engine driven hydraulic pump mounted on the side of the engine.  I do not have access to a shop manual for this model, and it has been many years since I worked on one so I don't even remember for sure which side the pump would be on, but you should see hydraulic hoses or pipes going to it.  I think it's on the right side.  When the shaft seal on an engine driven pump starts leaking, it pushes hydraulic oil into the engine.  It's not that uncommon, but until the pump is removed and inspected, there's no way to know if you can just replace the seal or if it is actually caused by the pump being worn out.  On my Co-op E3, I was lucky and only had to replace the seal when it started pushing hydraulic oil into the engine about 4 years ago.  The pump showed hardly any wear but the lip of the seal was worn.  But if a pump is worn out, too much oil bypasses through the gears, shafts, and bushings and gets to the seal and it's more than the seal can hold.  Replacing the pump shouldn't be that hard, but it's up to you if you want to take it apart and repair it.  Don't forget to fill the hydraulic oil before running it again or the pump will be ruined for sure.