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Antifreeze in the Oil pan

IH CUB Lo-Boy Series - 154, 184, 185 Forum -- Questions and answers to all of your Lo-Boy related issues.
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Bob cramer
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Antifreeze in the Oil pan

Postby Bob cramer » Sat Jul 22, 2017 7:57 am

After normal use plowing snow and shut down 154 Loboy sat idle and early spring thought I would start her up and run for a while. Wouldn't start. Initially would start and run for a few seconds and then shutdown. Thought maybe dirt in the completely rebuilt carb (tractor was a restoration that sat for in barn for 6 years). A key note, engine was frozen from sitting and during initial restoration required PB spray and Seafoam and nearly 3 weeks to break loose. But all went well and tractor ran well all fall and winter. As summer rolled around thought I would get started and figure out what's going on. With that said checked oil which was a quart above full and then checked radiator which showed coolant loss. Drained oil (looked like chocolate milk) and sure enough there was antifreeze in the oil. Drained Nearly 5 quarts. No white smoke, no metal in old oil. So...I'm thinking its a head gasket but don't want to do anything premature. No external signs of gasket failure. If I remove the head, is there a way to best ensure I won't break a head bolt. Planning on Using an impact wrench or breaker bar as necessary. What would be learned looking at plugs or doing a compression test first? Would request help on how to proceed with repair. What does a "blown" head gasket look like or worse, a cracked block. Where do you look? Thanks
Bob Cramer

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tnestell
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Re: Antifreeze in the Oil pan

Postby tnestell » Sat Jul 22, 2017 9:46 am

I believe if you do a compression check it will give you a clue as to whether or not you have a bad head gasket. Let's hope that's the problem.

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Re: Antifreeze in the Oil pan

Postby Jim Becker » Sat Jul 22, 2017 9:51 am

Looking at the plugs and running a compression test may give a some indication of where the problem is but might not. If you have a compression tester, go ahead and run the test. If a single plug (or 2) is much cleaner than the others, it suggests a coolant leak into that cylinder. Likewise, much lower compression on one cylinder might indicate a blown gasket at that cylinder. Any of these indications tell you where to look first when you pull the head. After pulling the head, the failure point of a head gasket can usually be seen by close inspection.

Using an impact wrench usually gives the least chance of breaking a head bolt. When you get to each bolt, start with the wrench turned down and let it rattle the bolt a few seconds. This will help shake any rust loose. You can put some penetrating oil on each bolt before you start. But is unlikely it will soak in far enough to make any difference.

After the head is off, use a straight edge to check the head and block for flatness.

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Re: Antifreeze in the Oil pan

Postby BigBill » Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:11 am

With any head removal I send it to a local auto machine shop and have it milled to clean. It's usually .010" max.
I'm technically misunderstood at times i guess its been this way my whole life so why should it change now.

Bob cramer
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Re: Antifreeze in the Oil pan

Postby Bob cramer » Sat Jul 29, 2017 2:28 pm

Thanks for the replies and I just bought a head gasket from Hamilton Bob. I will put a straight edge on head and block. Do I apply a sealant on surfaces, top and bottom of gasket and bolt threads prior to assembly? Thanks

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Re: Antifreeze in the Oil pan

Postby staninlowerAL » Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:58 pm

Sealer is recommended on both sides of the gasket and a non-hardening thread sealer like PTFE paste on the head bolts.
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Re: Antifreeze in the Oil pan

Postby mastercraft » Tue Aug 15, 2017 3:18 pm

Bob cramer wrote:Thanks for the replies and I just bought a head gasket from Hamilton Bob. I will put a straight edge on head and block. Do I apply a sealant on surfaces, top and bottom of gasket and bolt threads prior to assembly? Thanks
that's all good, but carefully inspect the headgasket to see if you can locate where coolant may have entered.....if you don't see any, there's always a possibility of a crack in the head or block, when the head is off, rotate the motor over and look for possible cracks in the cylinder walls, since the motor was frozen, you most likely will see pitting in the area where the rings were stuck, pay attention to the areas where the pistons were sitting in the cylinders if those areas are still visible.

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Re: Antifreeze in the Oil pan

Postby gitractorman » Wed Aug 23, 2017 9:13 am

The bigger question to answer is, why did the engine overheat? In a lo-boy I just had this past spring, it was clear that someone had allowed the radiator to become plugged up, which caused the engine to overheat. The result was a blown head gasket right at the spot where Cylinder #2 is close to the water jacket. Also, when removing the head bolts, the 5 along the right side of the engine (which is also the water jacket side, not the intake/exhaust side) were all loose and easy to remove. On the intake/exhaust side and middle the bolts were all VERY tight!!! Anyway, the head gasket fixed my engine, but the real issue was all of the mowing debris (grass, dust, dirt, etc.,) that was plugging up the radiator.
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