Need to replace my headgasket, looking for instructions

[Bishop64]

My 5900 (second owner) has 2,353 hours on it, well maintained and not abused or overworked.

I was hauling roll bales the other day and it started running warm. After it cooled down I checked the anitfreeze and it was low (at the top of the fins). I refilled and drove it back to the shop about a mile. It began puking fluid out of the overflow but otherwise ran fine. Hoping for the quick easy fix, I installed another radiator cap I had on hand thinking the spring might just be weak.

Started it up and now have pin hole leaks where the tank meets the fins (replaced in 2002). Disconnected the lower hose and noticed some foam from the block outlet but not the rad. The drained anitfreeze looks brand new, no oil or milk. I didn't drain the oil (only a few hours on it...) but the stick is not milky, just oil.

Started it back up to warm it up and figure out what's going on and when I shut it down a bit of oil ran out the exhaust where the muffler attaches to the manifold. All I can figure is a blown headgasket unless somebody has more insight? Pressuring the cooling system and leaking oil into the combustion.

When I began hauling hay (6 rolls at a time x 8) I noticed blowby and thought to myself that I never remembered seeing any from this tractor but dismissed it.

I don't have the shop manual but am willing to purchase one unless there is a good how-to write up out there? it's the 42.L diesel engine, I think the 5610s and probably many others share the same block.

Is a shop manual my best source? If so, would it be a Ford Manual or like an I&T one? The closest I can find on this website is for a 5610?

Thanks for any advice,

 

[Dopp Creek]

Others with more experience will comment as well, but my 5000's will push any fluid above the fins out through the overflow. Been that way for years. Top it off to the cap with coolant and out it comes on the next run.
If the tractor isn't working hard it may be "wet stacking", where oil pools at the base of the muffler and piddles out. Common theme is to work it hard and it will clear up. Hauling bales isn't hard work so that may be your problem.
Listen to the wise ones to follow....

 

[Sean in PA]

Those cooling systems aren't designed to fill them to the top of the upper radiator tank. If you do that they will always puke coolant out until they find their own proper level. There needs to be an air space at the top of the radiator to allow for expansion when it gets hot. Try filling it to 1 or 1.5 inches above the top of the core tubes and see if it maintains that level.

Also, you said "it started running warm". How warm is warm? Was it puking coolant out before you filled it to the top?

The title of the thread says "I need to replace my head gasket", but I don't think that you have enough evidence to say that for sure. As Dopp Creek said, it is most likely wet stacking, which happens when unburned fuel in the exhaust mixes with the water vapor in the exhaust and builds up in the exhaust system. You need to get it good and hot and work it hard for a couple of hours to get that gunk in the exhaust to burn off.

 

[Eman85]

Hoping for the quick easy fix
Don't fill it over the fins and use the tractor and see how it does. Easy fix is don't overfill the radiator. The top part of the radiator is the expansion tank unlike cars and trucks that have a tank for the excess to expand to and then be drawn back in.

 

[Bishop64]

I've owned this tractor almost 25 years and am just now learning (or maybe remembering) some things...

Didn't realize the upper radiator tank acted as an expansion tank but that makes sense. I even have the operator's manual and don't recall reading about a fill level but probably did and just forgot it. I'll dig it up and check and then have a "Doh" moment.

Heard of wet stacking and even experienced it ocassionally in other tractors but not this much, maybe a couple tablespoons, hard to say. I do have a long steep hill out of the hay field so it was travelling several hundred yards the beginning of each trip trying to compression brake (as much as a diesel can).

I've not started tear down yet, partially because I'm still ruminating in my head to rule out all the possibilities before I commit. The fact that the antifreeze and oil don't "look" contaminated has me thinking twice. I should have sent off an oil sample but figured I couldn't wait for it.

I only noticed it was hot by the gauge which was at the upper maximum green, next to red. It was running normal otherwise with no visible leaks or boiling. I idled it down but didn't observe any change in temps so I trickled some water down the outside of the radiator until it cooled down enough to open the cap. My first post said to the "top of the fins" but should have said "below". It took a gallon jug but that was to within an inch or so of the top.

I plan to take the radiator over for a clean and reseal tomorrow, then I guess I can run it some and observe. I've still got a couple dozen bales to stack in the barn, hopefully before they get rained on...

Something did make it run hot but it could have been as simple as low coolant. When I serviced the tractor last month (oil change, filters change, oil bath change, grease chassis, etc) I was thinking that I forgot to check the antifreeze but never got back around to it...

I appreciate youall helping me think through this situation.

 

[Jim.ME]

I've owned this tractor almost 25 years and am just now learning (or maybe remembering) some things...

Didn't realize the upper radiator tank acted as an expansion tank but that makes sense. I even have the operator's manual and don't recall reading about a fill level but probably did and just forgot it. I'll dig it up and check and then have a "Doh" moment.

Heard of wet stacking and even experienced it ocassionally in other tractors but not this much, maybe a couple tablespoons, hard to say. I do have a long steep hill out of the hay field so it was travelling several hundred yards the beginning of each trip trying to compression brake (as much as a diesel can).

I've not started tear down yet, partially because I'm still ruminating in my head to rule out all the possibilities before I commit. The fact that the antifreeze and oil don't "look" contaminated has me thinking twice. I should have sent off an oil sample but figured I couldn't wait for it.

I only noticed it was hot by the gauge which was at the upper maximum green, next to red. It was running normal otherwise with no visible leaks or boiling. I idled it down but didn't observe any change in temps so I trickled some water down the outside of the radiator until it cooled down enough to open the cap. My first post said to the "top of the fins" but should have said "below". It took a gallon jug but that was to within an inch or so of the top.

I plan to take the radiator over for a clean and reseal tomorrow, then I guess I can run it some and observe. I've still got a couple dozen bales to stack in the barn, hopefully before they get rained on...

Something did make it run hot but it could have been as simple as low coolant. When I serviced the tractor last month (oil change, filters change, oil bath change, grease chassis, etc) I was thinking that I forgot to check the antifreeze but never got back around to it...

I appreciate youall helping me think through this situation.

If your gauge only has the colored ranges, I suggest doing so temperature checking with a handheld temp gun, to get actual temperatures.

 

[Sean in PA]

Check the radiator fins to make sure they're not clogged up.

 

[Eman85]

If the tractor sits for a day or more if there was any water/antifreeze in the oil it would settle to the bottom. Pull the drain plug and drain a little and look at it.

 

[SkipperII]

I agree with Jim..ME Check with a handheld temperature gun, to verify the actual temp. At the top of the green, would normally indicate that it is still in the safe range.

 

[Texasmark]

Those cooling systems aren't designed to fill them to the top of the upper radiator tank. If you do that they will always puke coolant out until they find their own proper level. There needs to be an air space at the top of the radiator to allow for expansion when it gets hot. Try filling it to 1 or 1.5 inches above the top of the core tubes and see if it maintains that level.

Also, you said "it started running warm". How warm is warm? Was it puking coolant out before you filled it to the top?

The title of the thread says "I need to replace my head gasket", but I don't think that you have enough evidence to say that for sure. As Dopp Creek said, it is most likely wet stacking, which happens when unburned fuel in the exhaust mixes with the water vapor in the exhaust and builds up in the exhaust system. You need to get it good and hot and work it hard for a couple of hours to get that gunk in the exhaust to burn off.

I was a "senior citizen" before I learned what you said here......I wasted a lot of time, water and antifreeze over the years not knowing that before the sealed systems with the OEM overflow tank.

 

[Texasmark]

On replacing the head gasket, I usually checked the flatness of the head and if not flat, off to the machine shop......and if I had the head off, off to the machine shop anyway to have the valves tuned up.

I use Copper Coat spray on both sides of the gasket. Torque in 3 sweeps, last one being torque spec.. Pattern is an X starting in the center and moving simultaneously to the ends. Set the valve gap to the "cold" spec. Never had to go back, cars, trucks, or tractors.

 

[Ray,IN]

If the tractor sits for a day or more if there was any water/antifreeze in the oil it would settle to the bottom. Pull the drain plug and drain a little and look at it.

I agree; plus, if the engine is hot when turned off and the radiator cap is not loosened, it will force anti-freeze back into the cylinders where compression gas is entering the cooling system. been there done that, required new sleeves N pistons, so I just went ahead with a overhaul.

 

[dextadriver]

As already been suggested clean the radiator core a coating of dust is enough to act as insulation stopping the heat getting out
Is the fanblade clean
I believe the very hot weather here in uk is reciprocated across the pond
Is fan belt correct tension

 

[Bishop64]

I keep up on maintenance pretty religiously. Every year is a fluid & filter change + regrease no matter the hours. At the same time I degrease and power wash.

The radiator is at the shop now, supposed to be ready Monday. I'll reinstall, run and see what happens and report back

The Service Manual only states "If the coolant cannot be seen in the filler neck, add antifreeze soultion as necessary". I'll keep it just above the fins and see what happens...

 

[dextadriver]

While the radiator is out make sure the fan blade is clean
Also .., have you checked thermostat?

 

[Bishop64]

I have not checked the thermostat. That's next on my list...

 

[Tony Jacobs]

I have not checked the thermostat. That's next on my list...

The one thing you haven’t mentioned or nobody has said to check is , Do you have dead cylinder ? If you have a blown head gasket the cylinder with blow out will lose compression and not make any power so it will skip or miss like a bad spark plug in a gas engine . Head gaskets generally blown between cylinders 2 and 3 on 4 cylinder engines giving you two dead cylinders . Head gaskets also will blow into a water passage from corrosion caused by lack or cooling system maintenance . If that was happening you would know it because the compression will blow all of the antifreeze out of the radiator . So I don’t believe you have a head gasket problem they just don’t blow out a little bit . Now if you had a Cavatation Pitting on one of the cylinders or a small crack just starting in the head you would get a little bit of compression bubbles in the antifreeze until that problem gets worse .