diagnosing a Farmall engine problem

I bought a Farmall 100 last year that wasn't running. I had the head done, new rings, put it back together and ran pretty good as long as the choke was about 90%. Asked several questions here and we all thought a vacuum leak - never found one. Fuel is fine. One thing it did do is sometimes it would get a cloud of smoke after running a few minutes. I never ran it much and it didn't happen when it first started. I was out of ideas but winter came so I parked the tractor for the season. This spring after winter storage I found the radiator level low and took out grayish looking oil. Now I'm thinking a coolant leak. Can't tell about bubbles coming back to the radiator as the level is down just enough I just see return liquid form the water pump. I'm planning to check compression and do a pressure test this weekend. My question is what is a good compression test considering there are new rings and valves and what pressure should I pressurize the cylinders to. I didn't see anything in the cylinders when I had it apart so I'm real hopeful all I need is a new head gasket and sealer but I'm not normally that lucky. I'm thinking I didn't put a sealer on the head gasket when I installed it.

Did you re-torque the head bolts after you had run it and warmed it up?? If you didn't good chance doing that would fix it

Yes I did - I will recheck before tearing apart to be on the safe side.

You might also try pulling the oil pan before doing the head. Lot cheaper to pull the pan and then look up and maybe see where the coolant is coming form them to pull the head

I agree. The head work may have disturbed an Oring at the base of a sleeve. Looking up is a great idea. Jim

If an o-ring is leaking where is my smoke coming from. I just did a compression test and got 100-110 psi on all cylinders. Pressuring the cylinders with 40 psi air had cylinders 1 and 2 sounding like air moving in the head but could not find where it was coming out of the motor. Cylinders 3 and 4 had some air movement through the hole for the dip stick.Not sure how to interpret this information.

The grey oil pushes the diagnosis toward a leak into the crankcase. If the engine starts well and runs on all 4 as it starts, with no makor smoke then, I go for an Oring leak. If the engine requires messing with it to get it to run, fiz that first. To put pressure in the cylinders, the piston must be at its tdc on compression, in high gear with the brakes on/wheels blocked. If not, the engine will turn to a position that opens a valve. Jim

You sure the venturi was installed correctly in the carburetor?

not too much difference between a 100 and a c. usually not a good fuel flow when the c does this. (needing the choke)

Charlie, I no old asked if you retorqued, The question is what did you retorque Too! Over the year there has been so confusion about torque spec. on 113 and 123 engines. I have an old IT manual that say 65 fp. witch is way to low. I just retorqued a 113 farmall C to 80 fp. I would think a 123 engine would be 80-85 FP. no sure but may be someone can clear this up! Carb cleaning or fuel flow will correct that chock problem.