3000 - head off- suggestions

[Hillclimber1]

Having cured seized big end bearing problem with new shells and checked oil pressure etc. the next problem occurs.
After tractor running Ok for a short period, unfortunately, I noticed the white smoke coming out of exhaust and out of dip stick tube!! plus a squeak/whistle noise as a piston got to TDC.
So it looks like head gasket now blown, so a chance to take off head and sump again to remove pistons and have a good look at the bores & pistons + rings.

ANY suggestions of other things to check whilst head off and camshaft, valves+springs etc checked. Or why gasket has blown?

 

[Welding man]

What tractor, gas or diesel? We need a lot more info here. Did the engine spin a rod bearing, did you run it dry of oil, Did you put it back together with the old rings? Sounds like you need to start over with complete rebuild.

 

[Old Ford Mechanic]

Most of the time if a head gasket is blown on a 3 cylinder then, it will be between 2 of the cylinders. The engine then will not have enough compression to start or run. Your engine was run with little or no oil so, even though you replaced bearing's on the lower end it still has problems. I would suspect galled pistons and /or damage on the crankshaft.

 

[skunkworks]

We ended up overhauling our 3 cyl diesel when whoever sleeved it used sleeves with no lip. So under some heavy workload - it finally pushed one of the sleeves down and we lost compression on 2 of the cylinders.. We ended up overhauling it and creating a lip. (this was in the 90's and I really don't remember it all.)

(granted - the overhaul lasted 15+ years before it slipped..)

 

[Eman85]

I would do a compression and leak down test first. It sounds like you will keep chasing the problem until you pull the engine and rebuild it completely. The gamble of putting bearings in was just that, and it sounds like it wasn't a winner.

 

[ErnieD]

Pull head, check for flat/warp. Inspect bores for scoring and mic for taper. IF tapered pull engine bore and fit oversized pistons. If your intention is to work the tractor for awhile, tear it down, rebore and be done with it.

If your going to sell it, put lipstick on the pig and scare it together. I always regret taking the shortcut through the woods.

 

[Hillclimber1]

Hi, Thanks for all the replies but to advise my repair route.
I was apprenticed as a maintenance engineer at a Birds Eye frozen food factory and since we were always trying to freeze the peas within 90 minutes of picking, I was always taught to look at the quickest way to solve a problem, not usually the recommended way, hence my solving the damaged bearing problem but recognising that other problems may be present.
So I again will tackle the blown gasket problem and check head, valves etc whilst head off plus inspect pistons/bores and asses what's best but will resist an engine out job as I want/need to get back to getting my race cars ready for next years race season and I know I have 3 new design expansion chambers to design and make.
So sorry to the purists who only do the job once but time is very short and tractor is only used on smallholding jobs.