bubbles in the rad

[rdrash]

Hey guys Im new here, but I sure like what I see. I've got a lot of ideas from reading this forum that I will try when I get back in town from work. But the reason Im writing this is I have an old Cockshutt diesel that blows bubbles in the rad. Now I overheated it last winter and this summer I noticed it. There is no oil in the antifreeze and no antifreeze in the oil. Im thinking the bubbles are coming from 1 cracked head, 2 blown head gasket or 3 cavitation on the water pump. I dont want to pull the head if I dont have to as the gaskets are $300. Will a compression tester screw into the holes for the injectors.
Thanks for any advice
Trevor

 

[Sutol]

Hey guys Im new here, but I sure like what I see. I've got a lot of ideas from reading this forum that I will try when I get back in town from work. But the reason Im writing this is I have an old Cockshutt diesel that blows bubbles in the rad. Now I overheated it last winter and this summer I noticed it. There is no oil in the antifreeze and no antifreeze in the oil. Im thinking the bubbles are coming from 1 cracked head, 2 blown head gasket or 3 cavitation on the water pump. I dont want to pull the head if I dont have to as the gaskets are $300. Will a compression tester screw into the holes for the injectors.
Thanks for any advice
Trevor

Could have a sniffer test on the gas in the rad to see if it is from combustion process. this would decide if heard gasket or something else.

 

[rdrash]

Thanks I might try that. I guess Im wondering wouldn't there be a slick of oil from the diesel fuel on to of the antifreeze?
Trevor

 

[Ford tractor]

A good shop can use a sniffer to see if the bubbles are combustion gasses as was stated above. But that requires you taking it to a good shop! The cost of that may be prohibitive.

As the OP stated, diesel compression testers use the injector hole. I think that even Harbor tools has diesel adapter sets for pretty cheap. A "quick & dirty" test would be to use compressed air in the hole to see if you bubble. You would have to do it at TDC with the valves closed. It may take 100 psi to get any bubbles unless it's real bad.

 

[Short Game]

Cavitation bubbles are bubbles of vacuum. Such bubbles collapse as soon as they are away from the vanes of the pump. Head gasket is a likely culprit.

 

[rsewill]

It's 1or 2. Get your checkbook out.

 

[Johnp33]

First thing you want to do is get the rad cap checked, and be sure the coolant has antifreeze to -35F. then run it if it has a recovery bottle it takes a while to purge all the air out but if after a bit of work it is blowing air into the recovery tank, it is a head gasket. You can not run an engine with no preasure in the cooling system the water pump is centrifical and will draw in air.
I did engine for a living and like to start with a good diagnosis, and diagnosis by the ripping and tearing method is expensive.

 

[Soundguy]

i'd be betting on head gasket, in leiu of any other info if oil and water are staying seperate. is water level dropping?

have you retorqued the head?

how much is a new head gasket. might be a cheap route to try.

 

[Short Game]

have you retorqued the head?

Oh yeah, do that first.

 

[rdrash]

Right on you guys have gave me a couple things to try. Thanks. Ill try retorquing the head. Nope Im not loosing any water. The head gasket is around 300.
Trevor

 

[rdrash]

What pressure would a rad supposed to be in the late 50s?

 

[Soundguy]

300$ head gasket? OMG I've seen ford engines go for just a lil more!

0 on up to modern standard psi limits...

7 was popular.

 

[rdrash]

Thanks for the info. Ill shop around a bit for a better deal, but the 298 Hercules was only used in this tractor and only for 2 years (that Im aware of). Makes parts a little hard to find, but not impossable. I bought it for $1500 with a loader on it ten years ago and really haven't put much into it. So I don't mind spending some money on it if it needs it. It really has been a good tractor to me. This summer Ill be putting in power steering and Batteries.
Trevor

 

[Don87]

Thanks for the info. Ill shop around a bit for a better deal, but the 298 Hercules was only used in this tractor and only for 2 years (that Im aware of). Makes parts a little hard to find, but not impossable. I bought it for $1500 with a loader on it ten years ago and really haven't put much into it. So I don't mind spending some money on it if it needs it. It really has been a good tractor to me. This summer Ill be putting in power steering and Batteries.
Trevor

Don't spend any more money til you figure the engine out...........just in case.

Could just be a head gasket.......but if you end up with a cracked head, and it can't be repaired/or no replacement is available...........

I would just hate to see good money thrown after bad.

 

[Soundguy]

man.. and the entire head kit from felpro for my 172ci ford was 48$ umbrella seals for the valves and all... 300$ for a head gasket....yikes!

 

[rdrash]

Stupid question can you warp a cast iron head if you over heat it? I know aluminum heads would be a yes but how about cast iron? I can get a used head from a tractor wreckers up the road if need be, they have them. Its the new parts that get pricey. I seem to end up working on the more rare tractors and as a result more expensive. My allis B they made lots of and parts are a dime a dozen, but it never need new parts. If only it could pick up a 1500lb round bale. :laughing: But don't get me wrong Im not complaining Ive got very little into this Cockshutt and to find something better will cost a lot more money so i don't mind spending a bit to get it up and running.
Well thanks yet again for the advice.
Trevor

 

[Short Game]

It's a wonder of modern engineering that they can take a quarter million dollars worth of parts and build a fifteen thousand dollar tractor!

 

[Don87]

Stupid question can you warp a cast iron head if you over heat it? I know aluminum heads would be a yes but how about cast iron? I can get a used head from a tractor wreckers up the road if need be, they have them. Its the new parts that get pricey. I seem to end up working on the more rare tractors and as a result more expensive. My allis B they made lots of and parts are a dime a dozen, but it never need new parts. If only it could pick up a 1500lb round bale. :laughing: But don't get me wrong Im not complaining Ive got very little into this Cockshutt and to find something better will cost a lot more money so i don't mind spending a bit to get it up and running.
Well thanks yet again for the advice.
Trevor

The only 'stupid question' is the one that is 'unasked'.

Yes, a cast iron head will warp with overheating. And they crack also......usually between the valves, but sometimes from a bolthole to the water jacket.

Check on the engine repairs before you sink too much money into it. With a head gasket costing 300.00.............you can easily get more money tied up in that tractor than you ever dreamed!!!


EDIT: All heads........whether it be the one you own now...........or one you get from a junkyard need to be taken to an engine rebuilder and checked. This will cost you, even if they check as bad heads.


Maybe all junkyards don't work the way one of them does here...........But I just happened to be in the office when the call came in for an engine..............

The employee told the owner..........."yea, we have one but it's a bad engine" the owner said "Sell it to them, by the time they figure out it's bad, we should have another one here"

That was a local garage that called(I won't mention names, but I know them)...........the garage got the bad engine, put it in the customers car, found out it was bad, removed it, and got another engine................

Be very leery of junkyard parts, they can cost an arm and a leg...........or as in the case I witnessed above, maybe even the 'firstborn'

Another little tip.............if you decide on a 'junkyard head'.............take it off yourself, and have your repair manual handy.........some older heads require a certain procedure for removal or the head may crack during the removal.

 

[rdbigfarmboy]

I would try some of the sealer in a can from the parts store cost is 40 to $60. It will work and get you to a better place.

Then you can decide whats next.

 

[brokenot]

You can not run an engine with no preasure in the cooling system the water pump is centrifical and will draw in air.

Ummm...what?

First thing you want to do is get the rad cap checked

While I'm not necessarily "against" checking a radiator cap, radiator caps are one of the most oversold, (i.e. replacement was never required because the radiator cap wasn't the cause of the problem), items you'll find at a parts store. I hear about radiator caps "causing" a variety of cooling system problems, (even where I work), but upon further investigation a so-called "bad" radiator cap is very seldom the real problem...