Oil and coolant mixing, coolant loss, Ferguson TE20

markushatg

New User
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Our Ferguson TE20 was running as it started pumping a mix of oil and water out of the engine, just above one of the spark plugs.
I opened the top of the engine to see that the rubber gasket had been sucked in just above the spark plugs. (See picture).

What seems to be going on here, and what is there to do about it?

Thanks, markus.
 
The sucked in valve cover gasket is a symptom, not a cause. One of 3 possibilities, head gasket, oring at the bottom of the cylinder sleeve, or cracked block.

I would drop the oil pan while the cooling system is still together, pressure up the radiator, look underneath, see where the coolant is coming from. Those blocks were prone to crack on the bottom, inside, between the cylinders. The cylinder liner orings are at the bottom of the liners, where they come through the block. If the coolant is coming from above or down around a piston, it's a head gasket.

If you pull the head to replace the gasket, need to clamp the liners down with bolts and fender washers. Otherwise, they will ride up, get trash under the seat and have to be removed, cleaned and new orings installed.
 
Thank you Steve

By the way, when I took out the spark plugs earlier, and rotated the engine a few times, water was spewing out from piston number 2 every time the piston moved.
Does that mean it's the head gasket?

 
Yes, if coolant is coming out the plug hole, definitely head gasket or head. If it's that obvious could just
start with the head, give it a try before going into the bottom end. Remember to bolt down the liners!
 

Thanks again Steve. Great to know

I’m neither properly skilld nor equipped to replace a head gasket on my own, but we do have some engine block sealent at hand (Holts Wondarweld, Heavy duty crack repair) for head gasket, head and engine block.
Would you say this stuff is worth giving a go?
 
No, not at this point. You have a completely blown gasket or possibly a cracked head. If it were a small
seep, it might work, but at this point, useless to try IMHO.

These are not difficult engines to work on, purposely designed to be field serviceable with minimal tools
and basic skills. Don't be afraid of it, get a shop manual:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ferguson-Tractor-TO20-TO30-TE20-I-T-Shop-Service-Manual-FE-2-/151662492547?
pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item234fc9fb83

Main thing, it needs to be repaired and back running ASAP before the the trapped water can start corroding
the metals. You can drain and change the oil, get some oil in the cylinders for now, but the only way to
truly dry everything out is get it running and up to temperature.
 

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