'52 8-N........I've struck water......help

01BIRDDOG

Member
Was using my '52 8-N yesterday and as i was coming back to shed it dropped off on two cylinders but had no smoke or unusual engine noise at time. This morning started it up and still two dead and shortly after (10 sec.) started white steam smoke. Shut it off, pulled two front plugs and see they are wet with antifreeze. Pulled rear two plug wires off and with front two plugs out crank engine. Cylinder or cylinders full of water......not talking a little but full gush of water from plug holes. Can i think head gasket or sleeve problem?? No noise, no water in oil, just water from plug holes. I know head must come off so do i need to pull all sheet metal and fuel tank to get to head easier or will it come free of everything and come off without doing this. Going to get on it tomorrow but cant get too torn up as i have known this tractor since new, from original owner and with just over 1000 hrs has never been apart. Thanks for advice.
 

It is much much easier to work on with the fuel tank/sheet metal off - the process is not difficult but, you will definitely need someone to give you a hand lifting it off - also, do yourself a favor and drain/syphon off as much gas as you can from the tank as that can be pretty heavy. I am amazed that if the two front cylinders were that full of fluid that none got down past the rings into the oil - or, that when you turned it over there was not some hydraulic lock up. One way or another the head needs to come off and you can inspect - if it is a blown head gasket you can replace this and, probably just as well to take the head down to local machine shop to check for warping. Hopefully that is your only problem and you can easily repair this. Good luck!!!
 
Inspect head gasket for fail and, if so make sure head and
block are flat. I was leveling the driveway last week and white
smoke and AF in oil - not good. Pulled hood and head gasket
no obvious problems. Next steps are to pull engine and take
to shop for magnaflux on head and block to see if there are
any cracks. Makes me sick as I just finished the head gasket
repair a couple of years ago and sold my other 8N a couple
months ago and grass is growing.
 
"I am amazed that if the two front cylinders were
that full of fluid that none got down past the
rings into the oil"

Yup, let's hope it's just a head gasket. Doesn't
seem like there is any reason for the block to be
cracked.
 
at this point i'dd pull the head and look at the gasket. if you see obvious issue, regasket and go.

if no obvious issue.. then i'dd pull the tin.
 
we had that problem with our car. when the timing belt idler pulley failed it bent all of the valves. when we replaced the head we had the wrong info on the head bolt torque. a year later when we pulled the head the gasket had been eaten away and water was going straight into the cylinder. the correct torque turned out to be x torque plus 3/4 turn after that. no problems since. i would change the oil if it needs it or not.
 
I pulled tin and head this morning and found blown gasket. Surfacing it now and will drop oil and coolant and replace head this afternoon. Will run for a while, retorque and give a report back tonight or in the morning. Block was OK checked with a machine straight edge and a .003 feeler guage. Will give report back tonight or in the morning. Thanks for advice.
 

I am sure you are already aware of this but if the head has already been machined in the past you may wish to be very careful when re-installing (ask me how I know..) put the head back on (I did without gasket to be 100% sure) and turn the engine over to make certain the pistons do not hit the head - I spent a good day grinding away at mine when I discovered they were touching - put white grease on top of the piston head and turn over - make sure no grease transferred to inside top of head - if nothing then with the new gasket you are good to go.

lee
 
Well i ended up taking .010 off head to just clear it perfect. I did check it with no gasket to make sure everything cleared ok and it did. I guess without not knowing CC of head or like me not seeing enough of these heads off could not tell by looking if it had been surfaced. Anyway put test fuel tank on tractor and tried for first start......tried again......tried again. No fire at plugs. What was chance of ignition switch going out at same time i was doing head gasket?? Checked out switch and found it was in fact bad, got new one and fired up, ran about ten minutes and re torqued head, put hood back on and called it a day.
 

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