Tractor might be shot

   / Tractor might be shot #1  

Omnipotent

Bronze Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Messages
69
Posted in Bobcat thread, but this is a generic engine question so placing here for more feedback.

Long story short, we just went into a deep freeze and a snow storm, so the tractor was needed. Went to move the tractor into "position" by the driveway the day before, tractor was hard to start but I just attributed to cold and been several weeks since it was last run, started, drove and turned off. Next morning, again really hard to start, so hard that I needed a battery jumper to get it going...after 2-3 minutes of work, tractor started and off I went to clear driveway. About half way through I notice antifreeze smell, by the time I noticed it I had been using it for ~20 minutes (thought is was steam from snow until I got a whiff) and then another ~5 minutes turned tractor off and parked it.

Now the fun begins, next day went out to use it again (wind blown drifts upwards of 2 feet over night)...tractor wouldn't start. Got out the battery tender again, threw it on 200 Amp and could get it to start for 5 seconds or so, but then it would die. Over and over again. Gave up and got out the snow blower.

Fast forward a couple more days and today was a warmer day (40 degrees) and decided to go take a look at tractor. Same, same. Throw on battery tender and crank away...got it to run for the longest of <20 seconds. Can't place any load on it or dies immediately. Trying to crank up RPM's dies as well.

Checked oil, plenty there. Checked anti freeze, low to empty, added anti freeze (during all the cranking and short stints of running, could not see any leak from radiator or hoses). What I did notice is oil burning through the exhaust pipe (the section where to two pipes join, oil bubbling out and burning). For the record, it seems like when it runs it's running much rougher, although I could be off on that, but seems like a loud knocking that may or may not have been there all along (you know when things are wrong you start hearing everything).

My gut is telling me I blew a head gasket and because of the lack of compression that is why the engine keeps dying after 10-20 seconds...thoughts? Other ideas?
 
   / Tractor might be shot #2  
I would take it for granted that you know how to treat fuel with ani-gel so we can rule that out?
 
   / Tractor might be shot #3  
Lack of coolant, and oil bubbling on exhaust junction?

Ok, Bobcat is really a Kioti, with different paint. You may also try their forum. The tractor is the same except for the loader as I recall

Does that engine have an EGR? If that fails, it could cause issues you speak of
 
   / Tractor might be shot #4  
Did it idle for a long time? If so it might be "wet stacked".
Look it up. Might be fixed by working it hard.
 
   / Tractor might be shot #6  
If you smell antifreeze coming from your exhaust, it usually indicates a blown head gasket, cracked cylinder head, or cracked engine block

willy
 
   / Tractor might be shot #7  
The coolant loss issue isn’t going to get any better with use. It’s time to haul it to a mechanic.
 
   / Tractor might be shot #8  
Posted in Bobcat thread, but this is a generic engine question so placing here for more feedback.

Long story short, we just went into a deep freeze and a snow storm, so the tractor was needed. Went to move the tractor into "position" by the driveway the day before, tractor was hard to start but I just attributed to cold and been several weeks since it was last run, started, drove and turned off. Next morning, again really hard to start, so hard that I needed a battery jumper to get it going...after 2-3 minutes of work, tractor started and off I went to clear driveway. About half way through I notice antifreeze smell, by the time I noticed it I had been using it for ~20 minutes (thought is was steam from snow until I got a whiff) and then another ~5 minutes turned tractor off and parked it.

Now the fun begins, next day went out to use it again (wind blown drifts upwards of 2 feet over night)...tractor wouldn't start. Got out the battery tender again, threw it on 200 Amp and could get it to start for 5 seconds or so, but then it would die. Over and over again. Gave up and got out the snow blower.

Fast forward a couple more days and today was a warmer day (40 degrees) and decided to go take a look at tractor. Same, same. Throw on battery tender and crank away...got it to run for the longest of <20 seconds. Can't place any load on it or dies immediately. Trying to crank up RPM's dies as well.

Checked oil, plenty there. Checked anti freeze, low to empty, added anti freeze (during all the cranking and short stints of running, could not see any leak from radiator or hoses). What I did notice is oil burning through the exhaust pipe (the section where to two pipes join, oil bubbling out and burning). For the record, it seems like when it runs it's running much rougher, although I could be off on that, but seems like a loud knocking that may or may not have been there all along (you know when things are wrong you start hearing everything).

My gut is telling me I blew a head gasket and because of the lack of compression that is why the engine keeps dying after 10-20 seconds...thoughts? Other ideas?
I doubt it "blew a head gasket" while attempting to start it on a cold morning. We're not getting the whole story here. So the tractor had been sitting unused for a few weeks. I'm betting some of the current issues were present back then. Any starting or overheating problems in the recent history just prior to that few weeks of non use?
 
   / Tractor might be shot #9  
The coolant loss issue isn’t going to get any better with use. It’s time to haul it to a mechanic.
4570man it may be a simple external leak near a hot place. I hate to see shops rip people off, if they can do the work themselves.
 
   / Tractor might be shot #10  
Have you checked the oil for coolant and the coolant for oil? Is the cooling system over pressurizing? Blown head gaskets usually put too much pressure in cooling system resulting in bubbling cooling or puking coolant.
 

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