4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please

   / 4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please #11  
GBW and Brad5541 here is another post on the coolant leak problem. See if you can search for this post also. It has more of my pictures. Let me know.

4720 Coolant Leak​

 
   / 4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please #12  
More thoughts, since you have the front axle out it would be a good time to replace the pivot support bearings and thrust washer. They are a nylatron type of material. A reinforced nylon 66, I think. And also maybe replace the fan belt and tensioner. I did.
Thanks for this. I just ordered a new fan belt and tensioner today. I have everything disabled off the timing cover so tomorrow morning I will be pulling the front axle and oil pan. Another question after reading the service manual and it states I need alignment tool part jdg1660 for installing the timing gear cover? Is this needed?
 
   / 4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please #13  
brad5541, I don't remember needing a align tool but I will check. I did buy a puller I think for removing something. Let check on this and I will get back to you.
 
   / 4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please #14  
GBW and Brad5541, I wanted to get some more pictures to you. The problem area on the forward end cover that leaked was around the road course formed gasket near the water inlet. This gasket is the connection between the FEC and the cylinder head and that is where JD has you do some mickey mouse measuring and apply the brass shim. I think when my tractor was still under warranty the dealer replaced the upper radiator hose 2 times thinking that this was the problem. That is not the problem unless you have coolant erosion now on the cylinder head in the sealing area. The factory dimension are still valid. The major problem with this design is that they made the FEC out of aluminum and the engine block and cylinder head out of cast iron. On a temperature cycle the is a difference of about .020" plus that frets this connection between the FEC and the cylinder head causing the leak. I think it also erodes the other sealing surfaces at the water pump internally and around the oil pump area internally. Notice the rough as cast surface and JD expected this surface to seal with there mickey mouse formed nitrile? gasket. The groove is rough cast along with the eyebrow along the inside and outside of the groove. This area should have been machined at the factory. To remedy this finish problem I hand filed this eyebrow area smooth around the groove. I did not use a speed lock disk and or any power tool. I just wanted to keep the area flat with a good finish. This hand filing needs to be done but just to clean up with minimum metal removed. I think one of the pictures shows this surface after filing but I am not sure and I don't remember taking a finish picture of this area only the as cast surface. I am still going to look for that alignment tool but I don't think I ordered it. Also depending upon how you disconnected the throttle you may need to access the ECM to reset the engine idle. Its set according to voltage/ like .5 to .7 volts. But if you need that info I think I can send it.

20150116_173053_resized.jpg20150325_111844_resized.jpg20150325_131125_resized.jpg20150327_113354_resized.jpg20150327_113412_resized.jpg20150116_173028_resized.jpg
 
   / 4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please #15  
brad5541, details on the alignment fixture for the FEC. The alignment tool is shown in JD instruction RE547689. It is called JDG1660 alignment tool. It is some how used to align the FEC. I did not purchase it. It is not shown being used only written about. Now it is also shown as a "timing gear cover front seal installed tool". Maybe it is designed to to 2 operations but like I said I did not purchase it. I only purchased the damper puller DO1206AA @ approx. $30. You should have the instruction RE547689 to do this job. It details the process, disassembly, inspection, reassembly, torque turn hardware, measurements, parts list and tooling list. I got it from my John Deere dealer. Let me know if you need it.
 
   / 4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please #16  
brad5541, I don't remember needing a align tool but I will check. I did buy a puller I think for removing something. Let check on this and I will get back to you.
Thanks I got everything apart today. I'm going to clean everything today and start putting it back together. I will look closely at the L shaped gasket area. Here's some pictures
 

Attachments

  • 20230322_143638.jpg
    20230322_143638.jpg
    2 MB · Views: 61
  • 20230322_143634.jpg
    20230322_143634.jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 65
  • 20230322_111126.jpg
    20230322_111126.jpg
    1.7 MB · Views: 80
  • 20230322_110708.jpg
    20230322_110708.jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 65
  • 20230322_111705.jpg
    20230322_111705.jpg
    1.5 MB · Views: 69
   / 4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please #17  
Looks like you have a nice shop there. How many hrs on the tractor? The reason I ask is the front tires look worn out. The only thing I was hesitant about when I reinstalled the FEC was getting the governor linkage aligned correctly. The writeup calls to use two alignment pins/ bolts? to align the FEC. I had extra bolts because the kit contains new. I cut the heads off and and used them as alignment pins, at 2 places opposite each other around the crank bore area.
 
   / 4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please #18  
I will try and send you the RE547148 instructions.
 
   / 4320 Coolant Leak from Timing Cover advise please #20  
Scan_20230323_4.jpgScan_20230323_5 (2).jpgScan_20230323_5.jpgScan_20230323_6 (2).jpgScan_20230323_6.jpgScan_20230323_4 (2).jpg
 
 
Top