1957 850 Rattling and White Smoke

ROADMAN

Member
I've had this tractor for 3 years and haven't had a bit of trouble. I change the oil before I start the season and it has never used a drop. Yesterday while grading the driveway, the engine started rattling and white smoke came from the exhaust. I shut it down, checked the radiator and no steam. Checked the oil and it was at the full mark. Where do I start to figure out the problem or do I just plan on a rebuild.

Thanks
Clay
 
Rattling and white smoke could be something as simple as water in your gas. I would drain the tank and carb bowl and put some good new gas in it to see if that helps first.
 
Cracked head would be my guess. Early in the days of my Ford rebuilding, I bought a non-running 4000 (800 later series) and noticed a crack in the head.

I went to a Ford restoration shop/dealer and had a conversation with a machinist while I was buying a rebuilt head. The guy said that that engine had cracked head problems and it was good business for him.

He would drill holes in the crack and drive in lead sticks, about the size of regular spaghetti adjacent to one another and fix it.

I bought one of his heads and had no further problems.

So, white is water/condensation/running cool and I'd just assume you had a cracked head.

If you pull the radiator cap and rev it up you would normally see bubbles in the tank if it were.

HTH,
Mark
 
If you have a gasser and a clear bowl on your fuel filter you would
see water in it if the gas had water.

Mark
 
I broke my bowl about 3 months ago and haven't replaced it. Got it piped with a fuel filter. Hope thats the problem. If I had to pull the engine it won't be near as bad as removing the loader. I think you can pull the head without pulling the engine. The tractor was running great and this happened all of a sudden. It will still crank and run but will rattle and blow white smoke.

Clay
 
White smoke does not indicate a fuel problem but, rather, coolant in the combustion chamber(s). Take a look at the spark plugs.

By "rattling" do you mean spark knock? If so, I suspect a head gasket problem.

Dean
 
compression check her and post back.

Do read the plugs.. look for a steam cleaned one.. etc.


and yes.. you can pull the hood and then pullthe head with engine still in tractor..e tc..
 
#1 fix that sediment bowl and throw that in line filter as far as you can it is one thing causing you a problem. Next look at all the plugs. They should look a little brown on the ends but if any are real clean then you have or may have a coolant leak. You can also pull all the plugs and with them out spin it over and watch for water to spray out of the plug holes. As for the knock that could also be caused by water in one of the cylinders. Many years ago my 841 did about the same thing and I have blown a head gasket and I to have a loader on and did the repair with the loader still on.
 
I'll pick up a compression checker on my way home from work and check the compression. I don't know what spark knock sounds like. It seem like if it was a broke ring or piston, it wouldn't start and run like it does. I'm going to start with the simple stuff and proceed from there. Changing the gas and doing a compression test are the simple things. Any other advice on things to check will be appreciated.

Clay
 
Thanks old. Going to pick up a new bowl on my way home. I sure hope its a head gasket. I sure don't want to have to pull the loader to get to the engine. The engine has been strong and did not burn any oil. Can't beleive it just went bad all of a sudden.

Clay
 
When you do your compression check, be sure to do the first dry and then a second wet. It will add a little more info as to the condition of your engine, i.e. rings and valves
 
When I blew the head gasket on my 841 I was working it hard then all at once white smoke and low power and I knew right away what had gone wrong. Drove it to the shop and parked it and let it cool off. Pulled the hood, gas tank, then the head and had it back up and running in 24 hours.
 
This is my first shot at a compression test. The numbers are as follows:
cyl Dry Wet
#1 90 120
#2 70 40
#3 90 100
#4 93 100

When I spin the engine with plugs removed, water squits out of cly. no 2 Cyl. No. 2 plug is wet with water. All other plugs are as blackish brown. What do ya"ll think is the problem.

Thanks:

Clay
 
Yep. That what I thought. Thats good news and a fairly simple fix. Which head gasket do ya'll recommend. Also, I read in one of the archives that Fel-co makes a rubberized cork gasket for the valve cover. I don't want to uses a sealant with the gasket but I don't want it to leak. Any help with the gaskets will be appreciated.

Thanks:

Clay
 
Thanks Soundguy: Will pick on up at NAPA. I guess this comes with everything I need. Gonna get it cleaned up and plan on starting this project this weekend.
 
One more question although I'm sure I'll have some more. I was looking on this site at the gasket sets and they have different ones for 1/2" and 7/16" head bolts. Do you happen to know which bolts the 1957 850 has? I'm 30 miles from the tractor. Of even better do you happen to have the part no. for the Felpro gasket set?

Thanks again for your help.

Clay
 
fell pro gasket, complete head set for a 172 ci ford red tiger engine

HS7761B-2


the 172's have the larger holes.. the 134's the smaller.. the repor heads are all larger holes that you bush the bolts for use on 134 blocks..
 
(quoted from post at 02:55:13 09/26/12) This is my first shot at a compression test. The numbers are as follows:
cyl Dry Wet
#1 90 120
#2 70 40
#3 90 100
#4 93 100

When I spin the engine with plugs removed, water squits out of cly. no 2 Cyl. No. 2 plug is wet with water. All other plugs are as blackish brown. What do ya"ll think is the problem.

Thanks:

Clay

Tho you will need a head gasket check the head GOOD for a crack... If you do not see a crack take it to someone who can check it for you.... The valves may have to come out for a better look see.... All you have done at this point is confirm the hole that you focus your attention on... Your inline filter is not your problem are never was....
 
Thanks Soundguy. I checked the bolts last night and they are 7/16". The Part No. for the gasket set is a great piece of information. I will put that in my files. Now that we have diagnosed the problem, I will probably start a new Post on replacing head gasket. Even though I haven't had to ask a lot of questions in the past simply because I haven't had any problems with my 850, I read this forum every day. Ya'll are the greatest.

Thanks again

Clay
 
One more question although I'm sure I'll have some more. [color=red:939ad0413c]I was looking on this site at the gasket sets and they have different ones for 1/2" and 7/16" head bolts. Do you happen to know which bolts the 1957 850 has[/color:939ad0413c]? I'm 30 miles from the tractor. Of even better do you happen to have the part no. for the Felpro gasket set?

[color=red:939ad0413c]the 172's have the larger holes.. the 134's the smaller[/color:939ad0413c].. the repor heads are all larger holes that you bush the bolts for use on 134 blocks..


Thanks Soundguy. [color=red:939ad0413c]I checked the bolts last night and they are 7/16".[/color:939ad0413c] The Part No. for the gasket set is a great piece of information. I will put that in my files. Now that we have diagnosed the problem, I will probably start a new Post on replacing head gasket. Even though I haven't had to ask a lot of questions in the past simply because I haven't had any problems with my 850, I read this forum every day. Ya'll are the greatest.


Hey guys,

Do the 7/16" head bolts point to a 134 CI engine or am I misinterpreting the above statement from SouNdguy?

Chris
 

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