Update TE 20 overheating

[DON TX]

For the last 5 days I've had the head filled with 10% vinegar trying to boil out whatever is stopping circulation thru the head. I add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar a day to keep the level to the top of the head. I start it up a couple of times a day and warm it up to help the vinegar do it's thing. Once it got a little cloudy from rust but other than that it has stayed clear. I did get a wire to travel to the back of the head thru the front opening to the goose neck. I feel the openings from the block to the head are stopped up and can't get there to open them up without removing the head. If I remove the head to access, will I have to do valve train work to reinstall the head or will it set back on if I don't turn the engine over? In other words, how much trouble is it to R&R the head gasket with out adjusting the valves? I'm running out of patience with the vinegar.
TIA
DON TX
 

[2tractors]

Theres going to be some variance with the settings and it's not advisable to not re adjust them but it will be close enough to run and I'm speaking from experience with a to20 but every spit and sputter from that point on you will wonder if it's out of adjustment.
 

[Duner Wi]

You have to adjust the valves after head removal. I would be using 100% vinegar if it were mine and then it will take a couple of days at least.
 

[John(UK)]

If you simply remove the Head, do whatever you are going to do, you can replace it without any problems. You will of course need to tighten it down a couple of times and re-set the Valve clearances at the same time. You should be careful when lifting the Head that you remove the Push-rods or they can drop down and are a pain to get out. Don't be shy about adding the vinegar, its cheap enough and you can't really overdo it. If as you think the holes between the Block and the Head are blocked or restricted, then is the water in your area very hard as that will cause it. You should use these engines with a rust inhibitor all the year round to prevent this, anti-freeze will also prevent it.
I will send you some info about the repair if you need it..John(UK)...fergusontractors@hotmail.com
 

[DON TX]

Finally..this afternoon I had buttoned up installing the water pump and radiator to fill the system with vinegar and started the engine to see if the pressure from the pump would push thru the head. I cranked it up and let it set at idle for a few minutes. I was just about to kill it and go to dinner with the family when I watched it start circulating. I monitored it for a few mins and w/o tstat it was getting full flow. The vinegar got pretty cloudy with rust but it was continuous. Thank the Lord! My next step was to pull the head. Now, I wonder what the vinegar has done to the water pump? Should I drain it and refill with water and antifreeze or run it a little longer to let the vinegar work on any chunks that may be still in there?
DON TX
 

[Bendee]

If you want a reaction with the vinegar [white] add some baking soda [bi-carb soda] it should fizz and attack the buildup.
 

[Jason S.]

I doubt that the vinegar has hurt the water pump. Vinegar is what we use to clean the newer style aluminum radiators with the plastic tanks on them. It doesn"t hurt them so I doubt it hurt the water pump. The bearings are sealed bearings, I would come closer to thinking that the little pieces of rust and corrosion would hurt it more than the vinegar.
 

[Jason S.]

I forgot to add that I would run the vinegar in it another day or two. I would leave the vinegar in it and drive it...get it warm and put it thru a couple of heating and cooling cycles and after that I'd flush it real good and add antifreeze. After the antifreeze I would watch the oil real close to see if antifreeze appears in it. With a cooling system that bad neglected I would think that the orings that seal the sleeves to the block may be in bad shape also and may very well leak. I'm not trying to rain on your parade but just telling you to watch for that cause after all this I would hate to see you ruin a motor because of a bad oring.
 

[PackardV8]

The wet cylinder Z120 sleeves:

I've seen the seals of the sleeves refered to as a "packing" and refered to as an O-Ring. I don't know. Never had a Z120 apart that far. So are the seals a packing that resembles a hand packed type of a loose graphite rope as found in common household water plumbing valves or is it a one piece actual o-ring such as found in automatic transmissions???

I'm assuming an O-ring. Kind of a rubbery solid toroidal ring. If so then where does this "packing" description come from???
 

[Jason S.]

They are an oring. I"m not sure why they have been called
packing. Packing to me is like the rope seal that goes on each
side of the rear main cap.
 

[DON TX]