Coolant draining out of radiator overflow tube

My MF 30B, Perkins AD 3.152, has coolant draining out the radiator overflow tube. It seems the prior owner solved the problem by installing a 150 degree thermostat, and a 13 lb cap, because I just installed the MF correct 180 degree thermostat and 7 lb cap, and the fluid is just pouring out the overflow tube. It stopped after draining like over 1 gallon out. The engine temperature was OK, but the cooling system is 2.5 gals, and it's only running on 1.5 gallons.

The engine does seem to me to take a long time to get up to operating temperature. Was the same with the old thermostat and now the new one. I thought the temperature gauge might not be working, so I used a laser pyrometer on it and it verified that the gauge was fine. I assume the engine cooling system is super overbuilt.

There was not one trace of water present in the crankcase when I changed the oil, and it looked like it had not bee changed in some time. I re-checked the oil and no water in it.

Might it not be a headgasket leak behind the sleeves or someplace where it does not get into the crankcase?

Check for bubbles in the coolant indicating a leaking head gasket.

It is normal for your Perkins diesel to take quite a while to reach operating temperature due to the amount of coolant bypass.

You do need the correct thermostat.

Dean

I agree with Dean. Check for air bubbles. Might be compression leaking in, causing exrta pressure.

With 2 of the Farmall gasoline tractors I have used over the years and the John Deere 40 we had in the springtime we would check and if needed top off to the full mark the radiators. About this time of year all 3 tractors would blow out about a half gallon of coolant. If you added it back - it would just blow it back out the next day. The temp gauge and water temp were in the 100s, so none were overheating.
We left the coolant at the lower level until October, and then would top off with antifreeze. These tractors were run hard all summer for years and we would just refill to the new lower fill line for those months.
If it blows out steam however the water temp is 212 to 240 and the engine is running too hot.

Install an expantion tank like on an automobile. You are probably overfilling the radiator and it's just blowing off the excess.
When 'filling' cooling systems and batteries more is NOT better.

It is NOT normal for the Perkins AD3 152 to push significant coolant from the radiator reagardless of weather, especially a full gallon.

I've owned several such MF tractors and could keep the radiators within an 1 - 1 1/2 of the overflow tube.

Check for bubbles in the coolant and verify that all hoses are properly installed and not collapsed. Also verify that the fan and belt are functioning properly and not damaged.

If all else fails, check the water pump impeller for wear.

Dean

Don"t know if all the smaller MF"s have this but my MF 135 has a longer than normal pressure cap, it extends farther down than most do. The wrong cap might be your problem, at least worth a check.

- Check for bubbles in the coolant - [b:654c4848f0]will do[/b:654c4848f0].
- Verify that all hoses are properly installed and not collapsed - [b:654c4848f0]has new OEM MF hoses all just correctly installed by me, per manual and parts list and fit[/b:654c4848f0].
-Also verify that the fan and belt are functioning properly and not damaged.- [b:654c4848f0]all OK[/b:654c4848f0]
- If all else fails, check the water pump impeller for wear- [b:654c4848f0]Without having to disassemble much, I figure that if I put a clear temporary radiator hoses in place of the bottom and the top radiator hoses that I could better see the flows.[/b:654c4848f0]

- It is normal for your Perkins diesel to take quite a while to reach operating temperature due to the amount of coolant bypass.- [b:654c4848f0]Thanks, that explains it![/b:654c4848f0]

[u:654c4848f0]To explain myself clearer:[/u:654c4848f0]

The prior owner solved the problem by installing a 150 degree thermostat, and a 13 lb cap, and the engine didn't leak except for a pinhole in the radiator top that would leak a tiny amount. Now, when I installed the MF correct 180 degree thermostat and correct MF OEM 7 lb cap, the fluid is just pouring out the overflow tube.The only change between before and now is the change to the correct MF OEM cap and thermostat

I guess the 150 thermostat didn't let it get hot enough, but if you double the pressure on a system, ie. 13lb. cap as opposed to 7lb. cap, you're gonna be lucky the radiator don't come unglued.
I had an import automobile some years ago with wet sleeves, darned thing started blowing water like that. Tore it down twice and replaced seals and gaskets, never did stop so I did the next best thing and traded it.

I refilled the lost fluid and measured it precise, and it lost only 1/2 gallon, that's 2 1/4 qts of the total cooling capacity of 10.5 qts. So, I stand corrected on what I wrote earlier.

I now re-filled it to the top, and started the engine with the cap off. Immediately the fluid began to rise out of the radiator, just like a rising tide, no bubbles. I kept sticking my finger in to drain it so I could see better if it bubbled, but it would just rise again.I kept doing that, and never did I see bubbles. Eventually I just put the cap back on, and none flowed out anymore. The temperature didn't get past like 150 while I was doing all that at about 1400 rpm (estimated as I don't have a tach yet).

I then revd it up to like 2000, and the temperature began to rise and kept going to 215 before I decided to rev it down. No steam came out. I let it idle for a while and turned it off at 200 degrees as it wouldn't cool less than that.

If my old memory serves me correct, I think I remember now, seeing this once before in my life sometime, the water just rising out with no bubbles, and if I remember correctly, it was the water pump, not working. Is that correct?

I'm assuming the cap was 13lbs, as the coolant didn't exit out with that cap the way that it does with the new MF original 7 lb cap. I can only assume because all the writing on the cap has worn away.

I'm also assuming the old thermostat was 150 degree, since the temperature never went past that, as all I can see on the thermostat is AC Delco 54.

I refilled the lost fluid and measured it precise, and it lost only 1/2 gallon, that's 2 1/4 qts of the total cooling capacity of 10.5 qts. So, I stand corrected on what I wrote earlier.
I now re-filled it to the top, and started the engine with the cap off. Immediately the fluid began to rise out of the radiator, just like a rising tide, no bubbles. I kept sticking my finger in to drain it so I could see better if it bubbled, but it would just rise again.I kept doing that, and never did I see bubbles. Eventually I just put the cap back on, and none flowed out anymore. The temperature didn't get past like 150 while I was doing all that at about 1400 rpm (estimated as I don't have a tach yet).

I then revd it up to like 2000, and the temperature began to rise and kept going to 215 before I decided to rev it down. No steam came out. I let it idle for a while and turned it off at 200 degrees as it wouldn't cool less than that.

If my old memory serves me correct, I think I remember now, seeing this once before in my life sometime, the water just rising out with no bubbles, and if I remember correctly, it was the water pump, not working. Is that correct?

Turned out to be a clogged radiator. The pump would pump the water up to the top of the radiator, but the clogged tubes in the radiator would not allow all the coolant to flow down, thus any excess would overflow.

Took out radiator and flushed it backwards (it's too old to unsolder, take apart, and rod out.), and cleaned the tubes withna citric acid mix.

Everything is fine now.

[u:0a193e01bc][b:0a193e01bc]Problem came back again[/b:0a193e01bc][/u:0a193e01bc], frustration! I thought I had the cooling system fixed. here's how I solved the problem:

[b:0a193e01bc]Day 1:[/b:0a193e01bc] Neighbor had a STANT COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURE TESTER ST-255. Bottom line of tests: TEST #1 tested the 7 lbs cap, it passed. Test #2 tested system with engine off, with tester pumped to 7lbs, at no loss of pressure . TEST #3 with running engine, pressure creeps up slowly to past system rating, let it go to 14 lbs and turned off engine.
[b:0a193e01bc]RESULTS:[/b:0a193e01bc] No leaks when tested engine off, pressure slowly creeps up when engine on.
[b:0a193e01bc]CONCLUSION:[/b:0a193e01bc] I think it's a tiny head gasket leak from the compression stroke, which would exert much more pressure than the tester can, and because the whole is small, the tester will not show anything, but piston compression can. Thus, the slow increase in cooling system pressure. I will go in and check and tighten cylinder head nuts/bolts. Hope that solves problem. If not, will have to remove head gasket. Leak is tiny, so hope tightening will do it.

[b:0a193e01bc]Day 2:[/b:0a193e01bc] I super flushed the whole system, removing each hose one at a time and flushing through each system section. I even removed the engine drain cock, so more water would flow out of it. I ran a constant hose from the radiator and out the open engine drain (matching the inflow and out flow), while cleaning inside with a copper wire, till nothing came out but clear water. It had an oil residue in there. Might be a good idea to flush again with automatic dishwasher detergent solution once air leak is fixed.

[b:0a193e01bc]Day 3:[/b:0a193e01bc] – tightened cylinder head to 66 lbs cold in three steps:
1) +- 45 lb with ½ pointer type torque wrench,
2) to 50 lbs with 3/8 click torque wrench
3) to 67 lbs with 3/8 click torque wrench
Manual said 70-75 lbs HOT (in 15 lb increments. Judging by tightness, it was very loose before 1st tighten. Checked online and found that Felpro’s guide for torques never has more of a spread the 8 lbs between cold and hot. The low is 3 lbs difference the high 8 lbs. Therefore worst case scenario I tightened it equivalent to hot temperature 67+ 8= 75lbs, best case 70lbs, therefore it is perfect.

[b:0a193e01bc]Day 4: [/b:0a193e01bc] – pressure tested engine and it didn’t go up from amount I pumped in to 6lbs. Installed thermostat and ran, it went to 180 degree and never went up even at 1850 RPM. JOB COMPLETED