1946 CASE VAI Head Gasket

[Betta7776]

I have a 1946 CASE VAI that has started spewing blue smoke ever since I did an oil change on it (was not getting any oil pressure before oil change). The oil itself looked awful when I pulled the plug, and is what I assume would be considered "Milky". With this in mind I assume I will need a new head gasket, but cannot find the one for my machine. I found This gasket set but it indicates that it is for CASE VAI model years 1951 to 1954. I decoded my serial number to be from 1946, will the head gasket included in this set work for my tractor? If not how would I find the correct one? Is my SN decoding incorrect?

Tractor SN: VAI5060262

 

[Betta7776]

Here is a video for reference just in case I am looking at it incorrectly. I am extremely new with restoring machines, but am fully willing to learn and experiment with anything and everything. Any assistance would be appreciated!

 

[casecollectorsc]

Water in the oil could have come from many sources. Cracked head, cracked block, head gskt, even thru an open exhaust pipe. You will have to pull the pan to check bearings anyway, so fill with water and see if it leaks out the bottom. Pull the head and have a machine shop check for cracks.

 

[Rodney51Cub]

According to the parts manual a gasoline engine uses gasket VT 3312. It does not have a different part number for different years. I would think that that gasket set would work. Yes you have a 46 VAI. You said it had no oil pressure. How long have you had the tractor and when did the no oil pressure happen ?

 

[Betta7776]

According to the parts manual a gasoline engine uses gasket VT 3312. It does not have a different part number for different years. I would think that that gasket set would work. Yes you have a 46 VAI. You said it had no oil pressure. How long have you had the tractor and when did the no oil pressure happen ?

Awesome thank you for the information! I've had the tractor for about two months. It sat for about 10 years then I got it going back in August. The oil pressure gauge never showed more than 0 psi, I had assumed the gauge was busted as there was 0 noise coming from the engine, which made me believe the system was remaining lubricated. We drove it up onto the trailer, drove it off the trailer, then had a few runs trying to see if the temp gauge worked (it also doesnt seem to be). The tractor never smoked up until I replaced the oil.

Oil was replaced with 4qt of 10w-30. This was the only oil I found quoted anywhere as a potential good replacement. When I first started the tractor post-oil change I noticed the oil pressure immediately increased to 20, this was the first time I ever saw the needle move. At that time it was still running with 0 smoke. It was only after about 5 minutes of idling that blue smoke started coming out of the exhaust, with the oil pressure lowering to about 5psi. The engine still sounds fine with 0 internal engine noise, it just shoots blue smoke now and stutters every once in a while.

 

[Betta7776]

Water in the oil could have come from many sources. Cracked head, cracked block, head gskt, even thru an open exhaust pipe. You will have to pull the pan to check bearings anyway, so fill with water and see if it leaks out the bottom. Pull the head and have a machine shop check for cracks.

Financing the repairs on this tractor is something that I am going to need to be extremely careful about, and am trying to just focus on one thing at a time. What would I fill with water? the pistons themselves? or do you just mean fill the radiator with water and see if any drips while the oil pan is off?

Also with the lack of internal engine noise/lack of metal in the oil I was not planning on checking the bearings. Could you point me to a guide on how to do so? Its just not something I have had any experience with.

 

[Rodney51Cub]

Water in the radiator. If you Message me your address I can send you a parts manual and some gaskets I no longer need. I sold my 1950 VAI a while back.

 

[sms]

Awesome thank you for the information! I've had the tractor for about two months. It sat for about 10 years then I got it going back in August. The oil pressure gauge never showed more than 0 psi, I had assumed the gauge was busted as there was 0 noise coming from the engine, which made me believe the system was remaining lubricated. We drove it up onto the trailer, drove it off the trailer, then had a few runs trying to see if the temp gauge worked (it also doesnt seem to be). The tractor never smoked up until I replaced the oil.

Oil was replaced with 4qt of 10w-30. This was the only oil I found quoted anywhere as a potential good replacement. When I first started the tractor post-oil change I noticed the oil pressure immediately increased to 20, this was the first time I ever saw the needle move. At that time it was still running with 0 smoke. It was only after about 5 minutes of idling that blue smoke started coming out of the exhaust, with the oil pressure lowering to about 5psi. The engine still sounds fine with 0 internal engine noise, it just shoots blue smoke now and stutters every once in a while.

Typically blue smoke is burning oil. Can be a number of reasons for oil smoke. Since it's been sitting the rings could be stuck in the pistons which may loosen over time. The engine may just be worn and need rebuilt. They used to say if detergent oil was used in an old engine that only had non detergent oil it would loosen old deposits and act like what you are describing, this is debated however.

 

[showcrop]

Here is a video for reference just in case I am looking at it incorrectly. I am extremely new with restoring machines, but am fully willing to learn and experiment with anything and everything. Any assistance would be appreciated!

Get yourself a compression gauge, (they are not $$), then look up wet and dry compression tests.

 

[Mike Fitz]

John Saeli is a great parts source and has a wealth of information for a new to tractors person. 20 psi on startup is decent they are a low pressure system, going to 5 psi warm is not surprising, probably a well worn engine, 15-40, or 20-50 oil might help. the checking compression idea was a good one, so is checking to see if water is going from the cooling system to the oil pan.parts are available for this unit.

 

[Betta7776]

Get yourself a compression gauge, (they are not $$), then look up wet and dry compression tests.

I have one that I use for my car, is it the same mentality where the PSI reading doesnt matter as much as having all of them close to the same reading? Or what reading would be considered "Bad"?

 

[Betta7776]

John Saeli is a great parts source and has a wealth of information for a new to tractors person. 20 psi on startup is decent they are a low pressure system, going to 5 psi warm is not surprising, probably a well worn engine, 15-40, or 20-50 oil might help. the checking compression idea was a good one, so is checking to see if water is going from the cooling system to the oil pan.parts are available for this unit.

If water was leaking in would it show with a lower level of water in the radiator? Or is the amount probably too small to be noticeable by fluid level? The radiator has been full since I got the tractor with no sign of it being any lower now.

 

[Betta7776]

Typically blue smoke is burning oil. Can be a number of reasons for oil smoke. Since it's been sitting the rings could be stuck in the pistons which may loosen over time. The engine may just be worn and need rebuilt. They used to say if detergent oil was used in an old engine that only had non detergent oil it would loosen old deposits and act like what you are describing, this is debated however.

In car engines I have heard that putting ATF into the pistons and letting them sit for a while could help loosen the rings back up, is this something that would be worth trying? Or if it is stuck rings should I just rely on a few heat cycles to free them up?

Also just to confirm my understanding: If the compression is low when dry and high when wet, the rings are either stuck or warn/broken, correct?

 

[casecollectorsc]

If water was leaking in would it show with a lower level of water in the radiator? Or is the amount probably too small to be noticeable by fluid level? The radiator has been full since I got the tractor with no sign of it being any lower now.

Crack the oil drain plug and slowly loosen it till oil seeps out, or water if getting in the pan. If no water in the pan it should be good to run and check again.

 

[sms]

In car engines I have heard that putting ATF into the pistons and letting them sit for a while could help loosen the rings back up, is this something that would be worth trying? Or if it is stuck rings should I just rely on a few heat cycles to free them up?

Also just to confirm my understanding: If the compression is low when dry and high when wet, the rings are either stuck or warn/broken, correct?

Sometimes soaking with ATF may help. Checking compression is a good idea and if wet it would be higher.
I had one tractor the rings were stuck in the pistons and the only way they loosened was when I pried them out in pieces.

 

[showcrop]

I have one that I use for my car, is it the same mentality where the PSI reading doesnt matter as much as having all of them close to the same reading? Or what reading would be considered "Bad"?

Yes, plus you can differentiate between a valve problem or worn rings.