The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hi all, got her to start now, so moving on to next problem. Drained old water out, small amount of oil present, do not see any sign of water in oil although she does spit some oil out of the exhaust. Tractor sit for many years and was not worked real hard for several years before being parked, anyway this could cause the oil in the water?

Run it and work it a little. See what happens. It could be head gasket, it could also be dirty can used to fill radiator. A little work will tell you. Head gasket is not too big a job.

Thanks Brian, I put fresh water in yesterday, will watch for more signs. I have some white smoke when rev up. My biggest concern is water in oil and causing major engine failure. Could head gasket failure also cause the oil I see coming out around the exhaust elbow? Thanks for all of your advice, it is greatly appreciated.
Gerald

Oil around the exhaust and manifold is, in most cases, caused by a diesel engine not being worked. Diesels need to be under full load nearly all the time to get a long engine life and remain trouble free.

Most of our tractors are semi-retired so they rarely get enough work to keep the carbon seal on the pistons in good condition. That is why I always suggest putting the tractor into work before you strip it down.

The "oil" that you are seeing could actually be black water from a leaking head gasket. This will show up if you work her. It will either get worse and start blowing white smoke and steam, or dry up.

This is a long shot but it has worked occasionally in the past. Try re-torquing the headbolts. Sometimes it is enough to close up very small spaces where the leak is. If it doesn't work, Brian is correct (as usual ) that a head gasket replacement is not a difficult job. Just be sure to drain the cooling system completely first!

Hey Gerald,
You didn't tell us what you did to get it running again. Inquiring minds want to know!

JC wrote:Hey Gerald,
You didn't tell us what you did to get it running again. Inquiring minds want to know!

Hey JC, my post "stuck control rod/rack" last week told the story, now I know the feel of the rod moving if this ever happens again. I was able to get the trans. and rear end oil changed out this weekend, cleaned rear end filter, it needed it. Next is going back to unloading valve in hydraulics, lift works but not with heavy weight. When I was working on unloading valve it would go all the way and bottom out into tapered bore without valve seat. With valve seat and ball bearing in the unloading valve does not go all the way to bottom. Should the valve bottom out into bore with valve seat in? Again thanks for your's and Brian's help on getting her started.
Gerald

Brian wrote:Oil around the exhaust and manifold is, in most cases, caused by a diesel engine not being worked. Diesels need to be under full load nearly all the time to get a long engine life and remain trouble free.

Most of our tractors are semi-retired so they rarely get enough work to keep the carbon seal on the pistons in good condition. That is why I always suggest putting the tractor into work before you strip it down.

The "oil" that you are seeing could actually be black water from a leaking head gasket. This will show up if you work her. It will either get worse and start blowing white smoke and steam, or dry up.

Hello to everyone, hope all are doing great. Cold weather is about here and I'm still looking at possible head gasket problem before I put in antifreeze. I have worked her some but not enough to see any steam. I filled water up to overflow and let her sit. After sitting a couple of days without running, water level drops a small amount and I do not think there are any leaks but not positive on that. Would the drop in the water level without running indicate head gasket problem?
If and when I have some time and can figure it out, hope to get the film of her working and some of the other pics posted
for anyone that would like to see.
Thanks for all advice.
Gerald

Gman wrote:

Brian wrote:Oil around the exhaust and manifold is, in most cases, caused by a diesel engine not being worked. Diesels need to be under full load nearly all the time to get a long engine life and remain trouble free.

Most of our tractors are semi-retired so they rarely get enough work to keep the carbon seal on the pistons in good condition. That is why I always suggest putting the tractor into work before you strip it down.

The "oil" that you are seeing could actually be black water from a leaking head gasket. This will show up if you work her. It will either get worse and start blowing white smoke and steam, or dry up.

Hello to everyone, hope all are doing great. Cold weather is about here and I'm still looking at possible head gasket problem before I put in antifreeze. I have worked her some but not enough to see any steam. I filled water up to overflow and let her sit. After sitting a couple of days without running, water level drops a small amount and I do not think there are any leaks but not positive on that. Would the drop in the water level without running indicate head gasket problem?
If and when I have some time and can figure it out, hope to get the film of her working and some of the other pics posted
for anyone that would like to see.
Thanks for all advice.
Gerald

I did about the same test as you did after I began stripping down my super major(leaking radiator), I turned the lower hose upside down and filled her up through the hole where the thermostat mounts and let her sit for a week and then the level had sunk by a little so I thought that there was something wrong...

Anyways, there is nothing wrong with my engine because when I turned the fan blades it started bubbling and the level sunk even more... If you have drained the system completely there will be air pockets a little here and there in the system which eventually will get out and that makes the level sink...

I think the usual place these engines leak water off into oil is the lower seals on the liners...

Foxen wrote:

Gman wrote:

Brian wrote:Oil around the exhaust and manifold is, in most cases, caused by a diesel engine not being worked. Diesels need to be under full load nearly all the time to get a long engine life and remain trouble free.

Most of our tractors are semi-retired so they rarely get enough work to keep the carbon seal on the pistons in good condition. That is why I always suggest putting the tractor into work before you strip it down.

The "oil" that you are seeing could actually be black water from a leaking head gasket. This will show up if you work her. It will either get worse and start blowing white smoke and steam, or dry up.

Hello to everyone, hope all are doing great. Cold weather is about here and I'm still looking at possible head gasket problem before I put in antifreeze. I have worked her some but not enough to see any steam. I filled water up to overflow and let her sit. After sitting a couple of days without running, water level drops a small amount and I do not think there are any leaks but not positive on that. Would the drop in the water level without running indicate head gasket problem?
If and when I have some time and can figure it out, hope to get the film of her working and some of the other pics posted
for anyone that would like to see.
Thanks for all advice.
Gerald

I did about the same test as you did after I began stripping down my super major(leaking radiator), I turned the lower hose upside down and filled her up through the hole where the thermostat mounts and let her sit for a week and then the level had sunk by a little so I thought that there was something wrong...

Anyways, there is nothing wrong with my engine because when I turned the fan blades it started bubbling and the level sunk even more... If you have drained the system completely there will be air pockets a little here and there in the system which eventually will get out and that makes the level sink...

I think the usual place these engines leak water off into oil is the lower seals on the liners...

Thanks Foxen, before the cold weather I drained and refilled several times with just water and did not see any oil. I also worked her some and then let her sit for a week. I loosened the oil drain plug slowly thinking if any water was in oil it would show but nothing but oil and it did not show until plug was ready to come out. So put antifreeze in and have worked her a little more pulling some trees. We have had freezing weather for two weeks now so she has been sitting but they say 60 degrees today although it was 22 this morning, great thing about the southeast usa.So hope
to start her later today. Hope everyone is well and the new year has been good to you.
Gerald