Ford3000 white smoke - radiator?

[brumer0]

Hi folks,

Today while using my Ford3000 there was some kind of burst line or something happened and I had white smoke pouring out from under my engine hood. Looking at it, it was coming from the right front side. After everything cooled off there was fluid all over the front of the engine, but it looks like oil. Its possible it is radiator fluid though.

Is there an easy way to figure out what happened or do I need to really dig into the engine?

Thank you!!!!!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Can you figure out which hose burst and where it leads to? If it goes to the radiator, it is a coolant hose.

When you mention oil, I start to worry. I'll let a Ford 3000 expert take over from here.

You might try posting in the New Holland/Ford subdirectory.

 

[Texasmark]

Antifreeze has a funny feel like oily. If you burst a hose the radiator fan could have spread it all over everything. Being white smoke almost smells of overheating or antifreeze on the exhaust manifold, left side under the hood.

 

[brumer0]

Thanks everybody for your help, and continued help.

I could not locate any burst hose. But, when whatever burst it initially looked like my radiator overflow hose. But that would not make sense with the amount of fluid I found everywhere. I pulled off the grill and there was all kind of weed and grass stuff covering the radiator.

I wish the guy who I bought this from last year would have left the instruments functioning when he rebuilt the engine (assuming they worked before).

 

[strum456]

There should be an overflow tube that goes to the bottom of the radiator. This way, if the tractor overheats, or if the radiator is overfilled, the excess antifreeze doesn't get splattered all over by the fan, as you describe.

Refill the rad to the top of the cores and run it until the engine is up to operating temperature. If you have a blown hose, you'll be the first to know. It would also be smart to check the oil to make sure it isn't low before you run it. Possible squirting leaks there would be the oil pressure sending unit and the o-ring on the filter. Both are on the same side as the exhaust and could potentially cause some smoke. Surely you can tell the difference between the smell of oil burning vs. the sweet smell of antifreeze. Just the smell alone will get you half way to diagnosing the problem.

 

[sd455dan]

Hi folks,

Today while using my Ford3000 there was some kind of burst line or something happened and I had white smoke pouring out from under my engine hood. Looking at it, it was coming from the right front side. After everything cooled off there was fluid all over the front of the engine, but it looks like oil. Its possible it is radiator fluid though.

Is there an easy way to figure out what happened or do I need to really dig into the engine?

Thank you!!!!!

Does your 3000 have factory power steering?

mine used to leak a bit and if I didn't keep a close watch when it got low it would aerate and then overflow out of the breather cap from the reservoir.
It is behind the radiator and just above the generator- there were a couple times it did cause some smoke because some of the oil hit the vertical exhaust pipe under the hood..

If it is antifreeze it should have a slightly sweet smell to it.

I would recheck all of the fluid levels and verify there is no oil in the antifreeze and no antifreeze in the engine oil.

 

[brumer0]

thanks Everybody. I値l top off the fluids and see how it goes.

The thing w the white smoke smell threw me off because it didn稚 have a noticeable smell. I don稚 know the history of the cooling system so hopefully it痴 just that.

Previously, I read these things take a specific type of antifreeze Is that really the case or can I pick up anything from Autozone?

Unfortunately I have no power steering. That was a good thought.


Thank you so much!!!!!

 

[strum456]

No noticeable smell plus you being in NC sounds to me like your cooling system has water in it. The standard green antifreeze will be fine. Did you mention if the tractor is gas or diesel? If diesel, it should have SCA mixed with the antifreeze.

 

[brumer0]

Topped off oil and antifreeze and she ran pretty well (thanks for the advice!!). It needed about 3/4 gallon of antifreeze and a little less than two quarts of oil (dipstick was at the 'Fill' line). I checked the parts diagrams and there is no antifreeze overflow tank, just the hose.

Ran it for about 2-2.5 hours today and noticed the whole time that the radiator overflow line dripped. I am going to go out on a limb and say that the cloud of hissing white smoke was due to me running out of antifreeze, and am going to hope there is no real permanent damage. I'll definitely check the fluid levels more often...

What would cause my overflow line to continually drip?

Follow-on Question:
I'm going to repair or buy a temperature gauge. Since my whole instrument panel is not functional would it be worth the time to rewire the whole thing to get a thermostat working or should I buy a 3rd party one off eBay or somewhere? Basically, Im not sure how hard itd be just to get the existing temperature gauge working.


Thank you!!!!!!!!!

 

[japody]

On my two Fords, I only fill the radiator to about 1" below the cap. Anymore than that, and they will drip out of the overflow like yours.