4230 Coolant Manifold

jersey6620 · Sep 21, 2018

4230 Coolant manifold is leaking at around the front thermostat gasket. Just had an in-frame done about 400 hours ago, seems like an odd place to randomly spring a leak. Going to tear it apart on Sunday and replace the gaskets. Anyone had this happen before? Confused about why it would happen all of the sudden. Used it all spring planting beans. Last day we used it, it started leaking pretty bad. Have 2 other tractors with the same setup and never had a problem. I'm probably worried over nothing but just thought I would check.

tim s · Sep 22, 2018

Your correct, you are worrying over nothing,,change the gasket and thermostats while you have the lid off, be sure you don't put them in upside down...an old Neighbor use to say "There are some things that you can't explain"....

Glen D Anderson · Sep 22, 2018

I believe your engine may use the same style, if not the same P/N, of thermostat housing assy. as our 4020.

Ours leaked post overhaul as well. The jobber overhaul gaskets were replaced with OEM gaskets & the leak persisted.

Pulled the coolant manifold / thermostat housing off a 3rd time & paid a little more attention. The housing had not been machined properly from day one. The faces for the 2 thermostat ports were not cut on the same plane.

Took the manifold & the 2 pedestals to the machine shop. They re-machined the cast manifold flat & re-faced the pedestals making sure they both ended up at the exact same finished height.

Reassembled with new gaskets. Problem solved.......

(quoted from post at 19:31:55 09/21/18) 4230 Coolant manifold is leaking at around the front thermostat gasket. Just had an in-frame done about 400 hours ago, seems like an odd place to randomly spring a leak. Going to tear it apart on Sunday and replace the gaskets. Anyone had this happen before? Confused about why it would happen all of the sudden. Used it all spring planting beans. Last day we used it, it started leaking pretty bad. Have 2 other tractors with the same setup and never had a problem. I'm probably worried over nothing but just thought I would check.

matthies · Sep 22, 2018

Had a few of the pewter ones that I couldn't get to stop seeping, replacement cast iron/steel ones fixed the problem. Also have filed/sanded some of the pewter ones and they stopped leaking. chris

jersey6620 · Sep 22, 2018

Thanks for the feedback everyone., I'll post an update when I'm done and share how it goes.
Good to know I'm overthinking it.

Bob · Sep 22, 2018

Unless the surfaces are REALLY in need of truing up, take it apart, clean the surfaces 100% and put a tiny bead of aluminum-approved anaerobic sealant on each side of the gasket before reassembly.

Glen D Anderson · Sep 22, 2018

After everything is disassembled I would recommend laying a straightedge on the manifold to check for straightness.

I'd also set the thermostat pedestals on a known flat surface, spaced about the same distance apart as they would be if they were installed on the cyl. head & check them with a straightedge too.

Could be that there is nothing wrong with any of the parts & all that is missing is a little bit of sealant. However if you put it back together & it leaks a 2nd time you'll wish you'd have taken the time to check things out. I know I did........ LOL

(quoted from post at 12:56:26 09/22/18) Thanks for the feedback everyone., I'll post an update when I'm done and share how it goes.
Good to know I'm overthinking it.

4230 Coolant Manifold

jersey6620

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tim s

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Glen D Anderson

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matthies

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jersey6620

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Bob

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Glen D Anderson

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