JD H head stud leaks and lead washers

[RBoots]

I bought a JD H with the engine in a basket a couple years back. Getting over the whole thing, have inspected every part, replaced EVERY gasket on the tractor and EVERY seal on the tractor except the bottom bolster seal (if there is one). I went through and overhauled the engine, did the head work, etc. The tractor came with a new head set, although it was quite old, probably 20 years old, but all sealed up. Can't remember now, but I think it was a Felpro set. Anyway, when I put the head on, it came with copper washers instead of the lead washers. So, I used the copper washers. I work on this project when I'm waiting for parts or something for everyone else's stuff and have a few minutes, so it mostly sets in the corner until I can get a few free minutes. So after I got it all back together, torqued, push rods in, and adjusted, 'valve cover' on, filled with oil and all galleys full, radiator on, and filled it with coolant, after about a month of it setting there, I see a couple drips of coolant under it. I go look it over and it appears that coolant is coming around all or most of the head studs. Not sure about the ones under the valve cover, didn't crack the oil plug or take the cover off yet, it's not a real high priority. I'm just assuming I should have used lead washers instead of the copper ones it came with???? I haven't even started the engine yet, but I figure either way I'm gonna have to pull the head back off and replace the headgasket and then use lead washers instead. Isn't that their purpose, to seal the coolant from doing exactly what mine is doing and coming around the studs? I don't remember if I did or not, but I'm pretty sure I pulled all the studs and put sealer on the block end, probably better check those too. Also, what is the proper way to install the lead washers? Do you grease them at all? Now I don't work on many John Deere's but I've rebuilt a few 2 cylinders, it's just been quite a few years, but it always seems like when you torque the head nuts, that the lead washers appears to, many times, almost completely be torn to shreds or exuded from out under the nut. Maybe that's exactly how it's supposed to work, but it just seems like most of it is gone out of there once it's torqued. Sorry for the long post guys, just aimlessly thinking about it while waiting for the wife to finish getting the groceries and get out of the store, and figure I oughtta button this thing up and get it done. I've got the next 11 days off from my 'real' job so I'm trying to get as much done as possible.

Thanks again
Ross

 

[Mark-Ia]

The lead washers keep the nuts from galling into the head when torquing. They should be replaced anytime the head is removed. They DO NOT do any sealing, contrary to what some may say. If water gets the studs you have other problems.

 

[Mike M]

No need to remove the head again. Just remove 1 nut at a time and put a lead washer under each one and retorque and trim off any excess that squeezes out. I have even made lead washers for other applications by wrapping a ring of large dia. solder around the stud.
Don't believe the myths that a lead washer will not aid in sealing. Lead will act as a sealer under a bolt head or nut.
I had a 720D gasket set that came with copper washers and even at the 275 ft lbs they would not squeeze very well but many partially did. As soon as I tried them I knew I did not like them and removed them and put lead ones on.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

They are for sealing as MM said. I recently pulled the head on our 51 A and could barely find a hint of lead on any of them. Head had never been off. That's how thin it squeezes out. Get the new washers from Deere, not that expensive.

 

[MEANJDK]

You are saying that coolant is leaking out around the head gasket.
IF the copper washers are leaking on the nuts in the valve cover, and the head gasket is leaking coolant, that would mean that the head gasket also has a problem, or is the problem.
Am I missing something? Anyone else agree??

 

[RBoots]

I'm not sure if the ones under the valve cover are leaking for sure or not, but I can see the ones on the outside are seeping ever so slightly. So like you say, I'm assuming the gasket must be leaking around the studs down below. Probably shouldn't have used the gasket being a new, old stock one.

 

[Mark-Ia]

I Agree. Coolant should never get to the studs unless the head gasket is leaking. The lead washers aren't for sealing purposes.

 

[Mark-Ia]

The service book says on the older gaskets , to soak them in water for 1/2 hour, shake the water out and coat both side with oil. The new gasket, that is not needed because of a different composition of material between the steel.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Just checked mine. The two stud holes in the center of the block above the bores are drilled through. Could leak there.

 

[Bob]

Any studs not in "blind holes" should have sealant applied before being screwed into the block.

Was the N.O.S. head gasket steel on each side with fiber between, or a fiber "composition" gasket?

If "steel", I would have sprayed several coats of CopperKote, or even dollar store aluminum paint on both sides with drying time in between.

At this point if the gasket IS "steel", I would pull the head, seal the studs the other poster told you about, clean the "steel" gaskets, and "paint" it has previously mentioned, and re-use it.

 

[RBoots]

Bob, I'm pretty sure it had metal both sides. And, me being me, I tend to spend more time doing things to save me from having to do them twice. It was probably 8 or 10 months ago when I put the head on it, so I can't remember for sure, but whenever I do an engine with the metal head gasket, and I've done a lot of engines, just not as many JD 2 cyl engines, I always coat the head gasket with coppercoat. And, since I'd seen before something about sealing head studs on 2 cyl JD's, I can just about guarantee I sealed all of the studs in that block. Only because, like I said, I'd seen it mentioned somewhere on here probably, and I'm not as familiar with a JD, especially a 2 cyl as I am the engines I normally do. Alas, here I am, gonna have to tear into it either way to figure out what's going on in there when I get down to only a few pieces of equipment I'm repairing for other people. Thanks

Ross