To35 z134 Liner packing leak

[Ed H.-OH]

Hello Guys, After 30 years of dependable service my old 35 finaly broke down, I checked the fluids as i was going to use it after it sat all summer. The coolant was low and the oil was overfull, I pulled the drain plug from the oil pan and 2 qts. of coolant came out before the oil. I got the backhoe and loader off and it in my shop, No#2 cylinder lower packing is leaking.The bearings were starting to turn dark and pit from the antifreeze, I caught it just in time.I"m going to overhaul it as it"s already tore down and put a clutch in it. It will be good for another 30 i hope as my son wants it. So watch the coolant in your 35"s as liner packing can go at any time, and the coolant will eat all the bearings. -cheers-ed






 

[s19438]

oh my !
 

[2tractors]

Ed, say it ain't so!!ok you gotta small leak from one of the liners so go ahead and do them all and loan me all your implements while your rebuilding.
 

[PackardV8]

Check the block casting web directly between the cylinder sleeves. It maybe cracked at that point and not leaking at the liner seals.
 

[Ed H.-OH]

2tractors, Hello, Sure no problem LOL, Old Harry might be down for a while but i still have a 2000 ford with a loader on it, so i wont be shoveling snow this winter. The 35 will be a winter project for me and my son, I like to keep somthing in my shop to tinker with on the weekends when it"s cold out. cheers-ed

 

[Ed H.-OH]

Hello, Thanks for the input, You may well be right, I will find out today when i pull the head and liners. I was told that they can do that when i bought the tractor, so I have been very carefull not to overheat it. It's never been over 185 in 30 years. I know one thing, that tractor is like an old friend to me, and one way or another it will be fixed and running again, I don't care what it costs. - ed
 

[PackardV8]

Don't have to pull head or liners necassarily. Pull the oil pan. Clean and inspect area beween liners of 1&2 and 3&4. I have a TE20 with Z120 rite now in the shop cracked at bottom between 3&4. PAN only removed. Not removed head yet and don't really plan to.

Disconnect radiator hoses from rad. Fill with water and leak test over nite. watch for where the water comes from. Be aware that if it drips from crack in area between liners it mite run down liner and only appear to be comming from liner seal.
 

[PackardV8]

Quote: .
" It's never been over 185 in 30 years. I know one thing, that tractor is like an old friend to me"

Ok. then what caused it to start leaking and or crack if that is the case????

In my personal opinion, and based on the almost chronic claims of cracked blocks we need to determine what realtively cheap and plentiful, easy to find relatively modern day engine can be easily adapted for an engine conversion. Several have gone to SUV diesels. I mite have to do that myseld. But rite now prefer to find a gasloine engine to replace the Z120 with. There has got to be something.
 

[Ed H.-OH]

Packard, Hello, I was looking for a crack when i pressure checked it , so far i've not found one. But i will check it again before i go further. If it's cracked i will probably drill holes in the sides of the block and pull it back together with a hardened rod threaded on each end. I've seen this done before on the z134 and it works good. Thanks for your consern and help-ed
 

[Ed H.-OH]

Packard, Hi!, As for the cracks,It is known that continentals have weak webbing in there blocks and are known for cracking. AS for the wet liners, they are known for working in the block because the liner protrusion wasn't right on asembly, rotting out from electrolsis and coolant exposure,packing deterioration. I have seen cummins liners with a pin hole leaking coolant in on the piston. I'm surprised they lasted 30 years.- Hope this helps-ed
 

[PackardV8]

Thanks for the slick trick tip on the hardened threaded rod. I mite try that instead of the marine grade epoxy i was getting ready to use in about an hour from now. When the threaded rod is used is there anything else that needs to be done other than the obvious sealer on the nuts at the outside of the block???
 

[Ed H.-OH]

Packard, Hi!, I don't know if it's workable on the to20 engine , I,ve never been close to one. But i have seen at least 3, z134's with 2 bolts through the block holding the webbing together. The last one i seen was a mf 135 and it looked like it had been done years before, The guy clamed it runs great, he didn't even know the block had been repaired.I don't know this for a fact' but i've been told the web between 1-2 has an oil passage through it on the z134. when cracked will leak oil pressure into the radiator. Thanks for the come back-ed
 

[PackardV8]

The catch is to determine where to drill the holes from the outside of the block. Some carefull measuring required. Otherwise if holes are off just a little bit then the rod would bind against one of the sleeves. I think i can do it. Mine is only cracked between #3 and #4.

I prefer to repair this particular engine than to do a conversion or a swap. But i still have a sinking feeling that sooner or later we're all gonna have to discover someother brandX modern day engine that converts easily without alot of fancy custom made adapters. Or someone needs to manufacture one. Plenty of chevy 4 cylinders and V6's out there as well as V8's. AFAIK All chevies since 55 use the same bellhousing pattern so chevy is most likely candidate for a gasoline conversion. Cheap, plentiful and consistent are the Chevy engines. And even a back woods hillbilly like me knows how to work on one and get parts easily.
 

[Ed H.-OH]

Packard , good luck to you, If you clean the crack good with engine degresser, shoot some sealer in it,and pull the crack closed it should work. Becareful and don't drill through an oil rifle in the block. -ed
 

[PackardV8]

I've never had the head removed from any Z120 engine. So i mite be a bit off base. But according to my blue Ferguson Dealer Shop Manual page five, figure 7 there is what appears to be a large block cavity between the left water jacket and the left most outer wall of the engine block. That alarms me in that if i drill thru both sides of the block to install a long rod with nuts an each side then there will be leakage from the valve pushrod cavity into the water jacket. No???