1957 850 Rattling and White Smoke

[ROADMAN]

I've had this tractor for 3 years and haven't had a bit of trouble. I change the oil before I start the season and it has never used a drop. Yesterday while grading the driveway, the engine started rattling and white smoke came from the exhaust. I shut it down, checked the radiator and no steam. Checked the oil and it was at the full mark. Where do I start to figure out the problem or do I just plan on a rebuild.

Thanks
Clay
 

[Sean in PA]

Rattling and white smoke could be something as simple as water in your gas. I would drain the tank and carb bowl and put some good new gas in it to see if that helps first.
 

[Texasmark1]

Cracked head would be my guess. Early in the days of my Ford rebuilding, I bought a non-running 4000 (800 later series) and noticed a crack in the head.

I went to a Ford restoration shop/dealer and had a conversation with a machinist while I was buying a rebuilt head. The guy said that that engine had cracked head problems and it was good business for him.

He would drill holes in the crack and drive in lead sticks, about the size of regular spaghetti adjacent to one another and fix it.

I bought one of his heads and had no further problems.

So, white is water/condensation/running cool and I'd just assume you had a cracked head.

If you pull the radiator cap and rev it up you would normally see bubbles in the tank if it were.

HTH,
Mark
 

[Texasmark1]

If you have a gasser and a clear bowl on your fuel filter you would
see water in it if the gas had water.

Mark
 

[ROADMAN]

I broke my bowl about 3 months ago and haven't replaced it. Got it piped with a fuel filter. Hope thats the problem. If I had to pull the engine it won't be near as bad as removing the loader. I think you can pull the head without pulling the engine. The tractor was running great and this happened all of a sudden. It will still crank and run but will rattle and blow white smoke.

Clay
 

[Dean]

White smoke does not indicate a fuel problem but, rather, coolant in the combustion chamber(s). Take a look at the spark plugs.

By "rattling" do you mean spark knock? If so, I suspect a head gasket problem.

Dean
 

[souNdguy]

compression check her and post back.

Do read the plugs.. look for a steam cleaned one.. etc.


and yes.. you can pull the hood and then pullthe head with engine still in tractor..e tc..
 

[old]

#1 fix that sediment bowl and throw that in line filter as far as you can it is one thing causing you a problem. Next look at all the plugs. They should look a little brown on the ends but if any are real clean then you have or may have a coolant leak. You can also pull all the plugs and with them out spin it over and watch for water to spray out of the plug holes. As for the knock that could also be caused by water in one of the cylinders. Many years ago my 841 did about the same thing and I have blown a head gasket and I to have a loader on and did the repair with the loader still on.
 

[ROADMAN]

I'll pick up a compression checker on my way home from work and check the compression. I don't know what spark knock sounds like. It seem like if it was a broke ring or piston, it wouldn't start and run like it does. I'm going to start with the simple stuff and proceed from there. Changing the gas and doing a compression test are the simple things. Any other advice on things to check will be appreciated.

Clay
 

[Dean]

Read the plugs first.

Spark knock sounds a bit like breaking glass.

Dean
 

[ROADMAN]

Thanks old. Going to pick up a new bowl on my way home. I sure hope its a head gasket. I sure don't want to have to pull the loader to get to the engine. The engine has been strong and did not burn any oil. Can't beleive it just went bad all of a sudden.

Clay
 

[GlenIdaho]

When you do your compression check, be sure to do the first dry and then a second wet. It will add a little more info as to the condition of your engine, i.e. rings and valves
 

[old]

When I blew the head gasket on my 841 I was working it hard then all at once white smoke and low power and I knew right away what had gone wrong. Drove it to the shop and parked it and let it cool off. Pulled the hood, gas tank, then the head and had it back up and running in 24 hours.
 

[ROADMAN]

This is my first shot at a compression test. The numbers are as follows:
cyl Dry Wet
#1 90 120
#2 70 40
#3 90 100
#4 93 100

When I spin the engine with plugs removed, water squits out of cly. no 2 Cyl. No. 2 plug is wet with water. All other plugs are as blackish brown. What do ya"ll think is the problem.

Thanks:

Clay
 

[souNdguy]

welp.. sounding like head gasket is first to look at with that info!