Coolant Leak In 1938 Farmall F-20

Dylan Barker · Jan 25, 2014

Hello. I am restoring a 1938 Farmall F-20 for a 4-H project. When my dad and I drained the oil, we smelled antifreeze mixed in with the oil, and I was just wondering what the cause of this could be. Any help is greatly appreciated.

jerrybigrig · Jan 25, 2014

It could be a blown head gasket or a cracked block . When you remove the head inspect it closely.

Steve@Advance · Jan 25, 2014

Might want to post this in the Farmall section for a more specific answer.

Not sure about Farmall, but lots of tractor engines have "wet sleeve" cylinder liners. They have an oring seal at the bottom of each sleeve that will leak antifreeze into the oil.

Hope your project goes well, wish I had had that opportunity in high school, get ready, you will learn a lot!

I assume you have a shop manual? If not, get one!

Just sit and read it, put yourself back in the time this was being designed, the simplicity of the design, the similarities of today, and the differences.

There will be information in there that will definitely save you a lot of "do overs", things you would have never thought to check!

One more thing... Think of the age of this tractor! Keep in mind, everything that can rust, rot, crack, dry out, or split... will! Take no shortcuts, it will haunt you later.

Take some pictures! Let us know how it progresses!

Coolant Leak In 1938 Farmall F-20

Dylan Barker

Member

jerrybigrig

Member

Steve@Advance

Well-known Member

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