Lebby
Member
Need some advice or help here...
My son has a Case-IH 674 gas tractor(mid 70's I would say). About two years ago we replaced a leaking cylinder head gasket on this tractor. The head was taken to a reliable machine shop and was gone thru. We replaced the head, everything was fine.
Soon after the tractor had an issue of coolant being low when you were to use it and leaking near the top front of the head near location of the thermostat/ water manifold and down the side of the block.
Looking back when we originaly took the head off, we noticed cured clear silicone in between the water manifold and the water pump. These two items (the water manifold and the water pump) are somewhat mated together what I would call a coolant bypass passage. There is a rubber grommet or thick washer that fits into the water manifold or water pump. Its been long enough that I realy dont remember which one it fits into but for the matter of this conversation it doesn't realy matter. However when we replaced the head gasket a new rubber grommet which was included in the new head gasket set and was installed. This is the area where the silicone was located prior to the teardown.
I'm only theroizing here now, but I see this design as being an engineers worst nightmare. I believe what is happening is that when the tractor is at operating temp the expansion allows this point at this passage to seal. However when the tractor is shut off and cools down, contraction separates this area and allows the coolant to leak at this juncture.
Thought about this and am considering to somewhat reroute or redo this bypass with a couple of pipe nipples and a hose to complete the passage.
Am wondering if any one has had the same issues and what you did or what you may have done. This procedure I'm considering to do may sound radical but I think that it is doable and would be a whole lot better than the existing guess or by golly design that exists right now.
Thank you in advance!!!
LEBBY
My son has a Case-IH 674 gas tractor(mid 70's I would say). About two years ago we replaced a leaking cylinder head gasket on this tractor. The head was taken to a reliable machine shop and was gone thru. We replaced the head, everything was fine.
Soon after the tractor had an issue of coolant being low when you were to use it and leaking near the top front of the head near location of the thermostat/ water manifold and down the side of the block.
Looking back when we originaly took the head off, we noticed cured clear silicone in between the water manifold and the water pump. These two items (the water manifold and the water pump) are somewhat mated together what I would call a coolant bypass passage. There is a rubber grommet or thick washer that fits into the water manifold or water pump. Its been long enough that I realy dont remember which one it fits into but for the matter of this conversation it doesn't realy matter. However when we replaced the head gasket a new rubber grommet which was included in the new head gasket set and was installed. This is the area where the silicone was located prior to the teardown.
I'm only theroizing here now, but I see this design as being an engineers worst nightmare. I believe what is happening is that when the tractor is at operating temp the expansion allows this point at this passage to seal. However when the tractor is shut off and cools down, contraction separates this area and allows the coolant to leak at this juncture.
Thought about this and am considering to somewhat reroute or redo this bypass with a couple of pipe nipples and a hose to complete the passage.
Am wondering if any one has had the same issues and what you did or what you may have done. This procedure I'm considering to do may sound radical but I think that it is doable and would be a whole lot better than the existing guess or by golly design that exists right now.
Thank you in advance!!!
LEBBY
Last edited:
