IH 340 head gasket

DanL1958 · Feb 28, 2014

Is there any possibility that the leaky head gasket on my IH/Farmall 340 can be fixed by just removing the valve cover and tigthening up the head bolts?

Ed Hotaling · Feb 28, 2014

It IS possible. Since the first step in taking off the head is to pull the valve cover, checking the torque on the head bolts seems like a worthwhile thing to do. The odds of it working will vary with the situation, but what do you have to lose?If it has been leaking for any amount of time or is leaking badly, it probably won't do much good, but if it is a new, minor leak, you might get lucky.

DanL1958 · Feb 28, 2014

Thanks Ed! I was just seeing if anyone had seen it help or if anyone had known the head bolts to loosen up over time.
As for the severity of the leak, I knew it had been seeping externally for some time, but didn't worry about it. I just ran it with the radiator cap loose so it didn;t pressurize the system.
Today, when I was moving snow, I foolishly tigthened the cap. After a little while, I had engine misfire, white smoke out the exhaust, and steam coming out from under the head on both sides of the block!
It appears there's only about a quart or two of coolant in the oil. Am I going to end up buying bearings for it too?
Thanks!

rustred · Feb 28, 2014

gasket is blown! pull head.
only quart or two of coolant in oil... that is way too much. pickup screen is on bottom of pan coolant is on bottom of pan. not good.
is this gas or diesel engine? sounds like a diesel as they do have head gasket problems as all those diesels do of that design. head has to come off so may as well pull pan and check brgs. then you know what you have.

Janicholson · Feb 28, 2014

If you run it you will sure ruin it.
Tightening that head will not "cure" the issue. Retorqueing several hundred hours ago might have helped but not now. If you have operated it for several hours overheating, or with coolant in the sump, it well may need bearings and a turned crank.
If it was quiet, and not much time spent operating with coolant as lubricant, it might be OK with a head gasket. Jim

gene bender · Mar 1, 2014

After reading your problem with the leak you need to replace now before you do any more damage to the system. Sounds like you need o replace coolant along with oiland filter longer you wait damage will get higher.

DanL1958 · Mar 1, 2014

Thanks all. I suspected as much. It's goin' to the shop. My shed is not heated and it's ten below in Minnesota right now.

IH 340 head gasket

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