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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant problem

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Greg Ziegler

12-17-2003 08:31:30




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I recently acquired a farmall C and it blew a head gasket. It started puffing exhaust out the side between the block and the head. Before this however, when I changed the oil for the first time I noticed coolant in the engine oil.I started to drain the coolant but no coolant would come out. I only can get a little oily sludge on the end of a wire I stuck up the drain tube in attemping to unplug it. I took off the head anyway and after I cleaned up my mess I noticed a break in the gasket around one of the head bolts. I see no way that coolant could get into the oil with where this break was. I have two main questions. What is the best way to deal with a sludge plugged coolant system,and what is the most important things to do to prep the head, and all components to put it all back together.I never did this before and also do not know what other problems could exhist that could allow coolant into the oil. The tractor still ran great when I decided it should not be ran any longer. Someone's help would sure be great!
Thanks, Greg Ziegler

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Ken in Iowa

12-17-2003 17:33:45




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 Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant probl in reply to Greg Ziegler, 12-17-2003 08:31:30  
Greg: I have had a "C" for 35 years and worked it hard. Great little tractor, but in the early years the engine was overhauled just before I bought it. For about the next 15 years a head gasket would blow as you described about every second year. Just by chance a machine shop owner discovered that there are 2 head gaskets used in a "C". If they have a water pump a different gasket is used. Not many "C"s had water pumps. Mine does have a pump and they had been selling me the wrong gasket for years. I also had coolant in the oil until I installed the correct gasket. Check out the part numbers carefully. Good Luck, Ken

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Greg Ziegler

12-18-2003 13:07:44




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 Re: Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant p in reply to Ken in Iowa, 12-17-2003 17:33:45  
Ken, you mentioned 2 head gaskets. The one that blew was a metal clad gasket about .075 thick. The numbers on the gasket are 366301R1 with an additional number 3148. I'll check this out. Thanks for your help. Could the water pump cause this problem also?



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Bill Ramsey

12-17-2003 16:46:42




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 Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant probl in reply to Greg Ziegler, 12-17-2003 08:31:30  
Greg . Sounds like ( to me) that you have a leak by the O rings on the bottom of the sleves. To repair you must pull sleeves and clea the bottom real good and the groves in the block coat the O rings with assembly lube and reinstall.I have an A that I bought from an old gentleman. He said it was getting water in oil so he drained water out and filled radiator with engine oil when crankcase got over full he would drain it down and pour it back in rad. Thats my next project tearing down the A engine.

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Roger WI

12-18-2003 20:25:20




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 Re: Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant p in reply to Bill Ramsey, 12-17-2003 16:46:42  
Greg, If the sleeve o-ring is leaking and you need to pull the sleeves, this is a good way to really clean the inside of the engine block. With wet sleeves, when you pull the sleeves you can really clean the inside of the block as it is all exposed. I had a Super C that had been overhauled and they must have machined off the top of the block because the sleeves stuck up above the block too much and the head gasket wouldn't seal. I pulled the sleeves and discovered that part of my leak was the sleeve seal on the bottom and that there was a lot of debris in the block. I was able to solve all the problems at once. Roger

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Greg Ziegler

12-18-2003 13:12:17




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 Re: Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant p in reply to Bill Ramsey, 12-17-2003 16:46:42  
Bill, Thank you very much for your help. This gives me another avenue to go. I'm going to start with the simplest tasks and work my way in.



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Farmalldan

12-17-2003 11:12:39




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 Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant probl in reply to Greg Ziegler, 12-17-2003 08:31:30  
Greg,
Anytime you develop a leak that permits coolant to enter the combustion chamber, it will most likely find its way into the oil pan. Had an H when I was a kid that developed a crack in the combustion chamber during cotton cultivating season. Every morning, we cracked the oil pan drain plug and allowed the water to drain out. Then we topped the radiator off and went to the field. We were using straight water, so we had no antifreeze damage issues. Made the season and replaced the head. As for the plugged coolant drain, this drain is installed in the lower coolant manifold. This manifold is retained by two bolts. Loosen hose connection, remove manifold and clean out drain port. While this is off, rig up a tube on the end of your water hose and run it into the block where the manifold was connected. Wash thoroughly. This will remove a lot of the crud that has accumulated in the block. Also back flush through the water ports in the deck surface to clean the rest of the block as best you can. If it needs it, remove the radiator and flush it from the bottom to the top. Since you don't report overheating, the radiator is probably clean enough. It is an advantage of thermosyphon systems that flow is so low that not much crud is carried into the radiator. Before reassembling, have the head checked for cracks and flatness. Good time to touch up the valves if needed also. Check block for flatness. Clean both surfaces as though you are feeding the minister off them. If your gasket break involved a stud, you might want to remove the studs and run a file over the deck at the stud holes. This will eliminate any puckers pulled in the block around the studs. Reassemble carefully. Use gasket sealant if recommended by gasket manufacturer. Torque in proper sequence. Thoroughly warm engine. Allow it to cool and retorque head in proper sequence. Set valves (again). Oh, if you got antifreeze in crankcase, thoroughly flush with proper procedures. Ethylene glycol used to be the kiss of death for engine bearings. I don't hear much about this anymore, so maybe that problem has been eliminated. Good luck

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Greg Ziegler

12-18-2003 13:24:45




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 Re: Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant p in reply to Farmalldan, 12-17-2003 11:12:39  
Farmalldan, Thanks so much for your help. It's winter out and the block is full of coolant still. If I can get the block to drain by taking off the manifold should I put the head on before trying to flush? I don't know how I could keep water out of the pistons if I try to backflush the deck. Are the sleeves supposed to stick up .005 to .02 above the surface of the deck? Do I need a sealant on the stud threads going into the deck? Thanks again, Greg

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aaron

12-17-2003 10:12:20




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 Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant probl in reply to Greg Ziegler, 12-17-2003 08:31:30  
Well,
Coolant in the oil pan is a serious problem.
Might be more than a blown head gasket. Could be a cracked block. That is bad news. Need to obviously pull the head and do a thorough inspection for cracks. I am not proficient in this area, others on this board will have much better advice. But, I think the problem may be more than a gasket. Hopefully not though.
-Aaron



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Greg Ziegler

12-18-2003 13:30:24




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 Re: Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant p in reply to aaron, 12-17-2003 10:12:20  
Aaron, Thank you for answering my message. Any insight is sure appreciated to help keep this little tractor going.



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Peabody

12-17-2003 08:41:10




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 Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant probl in reply to Greg Ziegler, 12-17-2003 08:31:30  
As for the radiator, I think I would take it to a radiator shop and have it flushed out. Flushing, painting and repairing the overflow tube cost me $90 this past spring.



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Greg Ziegler

12-18-2003 13:34:25




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 Re: Re: Farmall C, Blown head gasket and coolant p in reply to Peabody, 12-17-2003 08:41:10  
Peabody, Thanks for the help. I may try a few things first because of my wallet but, I will sure have a peace of mind knowing that the radiator works as it should.



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