Farmall B, water in oil, from around #1 cyl.

David Inman · Jul 10, 2012

We're working on a farmall B for a guy, and it is getting water in the oil, and we dropped the pan and can tell it is from around the #1 sleeve seal. We tried some silver stop leak with no luck. We are now considering sodium silica. Any other ideas or opinions on what we can do? The engine runs good-- good compression, no smoke, starts easy, just is leaking water from the sleeve seal.

Red Dave · Jul 10, 2012

If a little bit of stop leak doesn't work, I would be very wary of adding a lot of it. The thermosyphon cooling system depends on the cooling passages being open and flowing freely.

To fix it right, take the head off, disconnect the rod from the crank, push the sleeve out, inspect and clean all the sealing surfaces and replace the O-ring that is leaking. It is a little more work, but not so very much, and it would be fixed right when you are done.

If it was me, I would do all the sleeves O-rings while I was in there, and flush out the cooling gallery that surounds the sleeves, but that is just my way of doing things.

El Toro · Jul 10, 2012

Do what Red Dave suggested and do them all. Be sure to clean that area thoroughly where the old seals are installed. You may also find rust and dirt that needs to be removed. Hal

JRSutton · Jul 10, 2012

Got to agree with red dave on that one.

With water getting in there, one could argue that it's not a bad idea to pull the head anyways to check out the condition of things inside.

And at that point it's kind of a no brainer to pop the sleeve out check it for cracks and reseat it.

Sealer might eventually work - but then he'll have to constantly check to be sure it hasn't suddenly decided to fail.

old · Jul 10, 2012

If stop leak isn't doing it then bite the bullet and pull the head and do all 4 sleeves and a new head gasket. Being a thermosyphien (sp) system they get hotter then a lot of engines so they expand a bit more so the sleeve seals will be more likely to leak and when they do most of the time you have to do it right or give up

gene bender · Jul 10, 2012

Without a water pump your stop leak stuff probably just went to the bottom of the radiator. You will find when you remove the sleeves a lot of junk built up around the bottom in the block where the o-rings are. I would replace all of them. I also would remove the engine from the trctor so you can put it on a stand and then be able to clean up the inside of the block ive done many in the last 15yrs and the crud sometimes blocking coolant flow is always there. We seem to have a lot of bad water.

David Inman · Jul 11, 2012

We agree, new o rings. Now we just pray that the sleeve puller don't break the sleeve! May be a while, this 110 degree Arizona heat has a way of making work take longer.

Dennis K (WA) · Jul 11, 2012

The sleeves should pull very easily. There is no reason you should break one. Be sure to clean the counter bores and lower area of the block where the o rings fit very well and touch them up with some fine emery paper. The water jacket area will probably be full of rust and debris also.
Have fun
Dennis

Farmall B, water in oil, from around #1 cyl.

David Inman

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Red Dave

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El Toro

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JRSutton

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old

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gene bender

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David Inman

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Dennis K (WA)

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