Super MD blowing coolant?

tractorsam · Sep 24, 2008

Hello all, I recently bought a 1953 Super MD that hasn't run for quite a while. I have had it split to replace the clutch pressure plate and ring gear. Yesterday and today were spent reassembling the tractor and changing fluids in preparation to try and start it. This evening I got the tractor to fire up on gas and after 7-8mins I managed to get it to take off on diesel. Shortly (30 seconds) after it started on diesel it started pushing a lot of coolant past the rad cap. I tried to take the cap off to look for bubbles etc but the coolant started gushing out so I reinstalled it and shut the tractor down. I'm guessing that either the head gasket is gone or the head is cracked. Might these be the cause of my problem? It does have rad shutters and they were half closed at the time but I can't imagine it picked up heat that quickly. Anything else I should check before I start tearing into it? Thanks, Sam

Anonymous-0 · Sep 24, 2008

thats probably why it hasnt been run in a while. most probable is a cracked head, possibly gskt. check to see if it has a stuck thermostat first .but if you r loosing fluid as soon as it starts then its most likly the head.

tractorsam · Sep 24, 2008

It started throwing coolant very shortly after I switched it to diesel. I rather figured the head would probably be cracked before I bought it. It would just have been a bonus if it isn't. Sam

glennster · Sep 25, 2008

yup, i agree with rustred, cylinder head is cracked. very common with the i-h start on gas diesels. if the tractor was worked hard and shut down hot they were prone to cracking. tractor needs to idle and cool off before being shut down. also let er warm up too before working it hard. the md is a good tractor and very good on fuel, you just need to be a little cautious with it.

Rootsy · Sep 25, 2008

Start it with the radiator cap off and the coolant at the proper level. If the head or headgasket are toast you'll see bubbles even while running on gasoline.

If the level is rising and overflowing and not blowing out like a garden hose... and you see no visible gases coming out of the coolant then you have a restriction in the coolant flow... most likely the thermostat or bypass...

tractorsam · Sep 25, 2008

I was back out to the tractor again today and I started it on gas with the rad cap off.... and I got instant exhaust from the rad. So I figured that I might as well have at it and I took the head off. Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. The valve lash was about 1/8" and at least one of the rocker arms has in excess of 1/16" play on the rocker shaft. Further down the head is cracked between the valves on the #1 cylinder. Also it looks like it dropped a valve or sucked in some large crap as the valves, head, and pistons in #2+3 are somewhat beaten up. I think I'm going to do the whole tractor up as an every nut and bolt job. Does anybody know the latest cost for a rebuild on one of these engines? I'm guessing ~$7500 CDN. Many thanks, tractorsam

Super MD blowing coolant?

tractorsam

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Anonymous-0

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tractorsam

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glennster

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Rootsy

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tractorsam

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