Frozen Cooling system No apparanent damage

draftx

Member
I looked at a Ford 4000 3 cy diesel that didn't have strong enough coolant this winter when it was below zero. They have since run this tractor and there is no outward sign of damage. It was so frozen the water pump was not turning when it was started. Can anyone tell me how this is possible or was it just luck that nothing cracked. I do know that the coolant level was not completely full when it froze. Would you buy a tractor that has froze like that. Thanks
 
I would be very careful with this one. I would want to see it run and check everything very carefully after everything thaws out.

Be sure to let it run until up to normal operating temp then if possible put it under a load to ensure no overheating. Be sure to check coolant levels before and after the run. I would check and make sure that there is no coolant leaking into the clutch area.

I am not real familiar with this model but some engines have a freeze plug on the rear of the engine that can pop when frozen and allow coolant to leak into the clutch/tranny area.

Also check all of the other freeze and drain plugs you can find.

This one may have gotten lucky.

Just my thoughts.
 

yes... seen it many times... as long as there is some antifreeze, it will slush up but the slow freezeing, allowing the expanding water to move up in to the radiator and saves the block... Freeze plugs may come loose later, but the block is intact and good.



check the oil and water both for signs of contamination, check for bubbles in the radiator with it full to the top, check for cyl balance...

This I do on all tractors anyway, if good, buy it and dont look back.
 
NO I would not buy that tractor unless they would give you a money back written guarantee the block or any other parts were not damaged.
 
I bought a 3000 gasser that had froze.
It cracked the head and intake manifold but did not push the frost plugs out. I had another engine so put that in the tractor and sold it.
Ken wanted the froze block so I gave it to him.
He had nothing in it so he gambled and had it professionally cooked out, magnifluxed and dye checked.
It was fine so he rebuild it.
He knows the guy who bought it and it is fine 5 years later.
 
Good point, slow freeze may have allowed water to use up rad
and void space instead of pushing metal out.
 
Chances are that with even a little antifreeze it would not freeze solid enough to do damage. Had that happen with an Oliver last year. Not damage but the water pump seal leaked bad. I didn't have it home long enough to know if it leaked before.
 
You might have gotten lucky. Pressure test the cooling system to make sure you don't have any leaks. Freeze plugs don't have to be pushed out when the coolant freezes and causes damage.
 

Those are not freeze plugs. Those plugs close holes that are used during the casting process to fill the cavity with sand. Their purpose and existence has nothing to do with freezing or crack prevention. Just because none of the plugs were damaged or pushed out is not an indication of whether the block or head was not damaged from freezing.
 
I disagree. I've seen many an engine that froze and pushed out one or more freeze plugs. While I'll admit that these holes are there primarily for the sand casting process, they serve a secondary role in saving blocks and cylinder heads from damage. Unless the plugs are loctited in place, they should perform this job, and they often do.
 
I had a car once that was protectd only to -20, and got slush in the coolant with no damage. I could see slush keeping the pump from turning way before anything would crack.
 
agree with the other posters, that it just went to the slush stage.
Pressure check the cooling system, and crack the oil drain plug after a few cycles of work/sit overnight.

My guess is they got lucky.
If it was a hard freeze solid ice, it would probably be junk.
Once it is real ice, flow stops/slows and the muscle expanding really starts.
We all know what happens to an open top bucket of plain water
in freezing weather. 'dumb round bottomed bucket that won't stand up no more'...lol
 
It probably just made slush.... all the same, I think I'd want to see this tractor brought up to operating temperature and then have the cooling system pressure checked... If it checks out good and there's nothing leaking into the base, then that guy needs to go buy himself a Powerball ticket lol

Rod
 

Yes, we all know that.. but since the model t, they have been "called" freeze plugs... and yes, sometimes they do get damaged when a block freezes... or push out a bit.... So bear with us old mechanics that have doing this for 40 or 50 years or so... They used to rust out in the old days of poor antifreeze and develop leaks. Still do actually. Extreme overheating pressure or freezing also does a number on them especially when they are already thin from rust.


Again, check the water for bubbles filled to the top of radiator for compression leaks into the coolant.. check the oil for contamination.. check visually for leaks, check engine for over heating.... If it passes, doesnt leak, doesnt over heat, doesnt contaminate the oil and the cyl are balanced, it will be fine for at least 40 years or so.
 

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