G head gasket

minniemo705 · Apr 20, 2023

Having a heck of a time finding leak. Long story short, both heads were replaced. With the old metal copper? gaskets we always were able to reuse them several times. This tractor had been worked on before I got it and has these newer fiber? gaskets. One I had to replace new cause it got mangled pulling head. The other one looked fine so I left it alone and reused it. Everything was good for two days of running- then tractor sat for 2 weeks and I just checked and water in oil. Obviously happened sometime the second day cause all the oil including in the filter was milk. I had checked before I started the second day (which is actually day 3 cause I ran it for several hours after replacing heads), and the oil was perfect. So question is do I go after the gasket I reused?

Tony in SD · Apr 21, 2023

First of all I wont reuse a head gasket. So if you think a gasket is the problem, I would check the used gasket first. Second, If I remember right, you are to tighten the head bolts to the specified torque. Then run the engine up to temperature, then retorque the head bolts to speciations again. That said some of the head bolts are under the rocker arm shaft making it hard to get a socket on them. Those bolts or nuts require a wrench that is offset with the axis of the headbolt & torque wench inline.
Offset wench

molinegb · Apr 21, 2023

Back in the day all head gaskets were reused. Was no options. Bit of grease.

J.Wondergem · Apr 21, 2023

I would, as long as it is in good shape and not blew out or damaged.

Did you retorque it after you ran it?

This post was edited by J.Wondergem on 04/21/2023 at 09:37 am.

Dieselbear · Apr 21, 2023

If you tear it apart again, put new gaskets on it. Are you sure it's not the water pump seal letting water get in the oil? Are you getting pressure in the rad?

minniemo705 · Apr 21, 2023

Well I have reused alot of the gaskets on my mms and never had a problem but they have all been the metal copper looking ones. I actually did find one on one of my u's that was the copper one that failed on an outside corner, so new gasket and no problem.But this gasket is one of these what I would call new style fiber gaskets. When I think about it I honestly can't ever remember reusing one of these types. I used Napa gasket goop that I have used for years as a sealer, but the particular gasket I am wondering about didn't come off when I pulled the head, so I gooped the top and left it alone. I can tell it didn't have any type of sealer on it from when it was originally redone before me. As to the water pump seal, I am wondering on that too, but I thought it would leak out the weep hole too? It is not leaking out the weep hole, so can it just leak into the crank case? I have new seal kits, and the rusty crap I have flushed out has made me wonder about the seal. It has been retorqued. Thanks

Dieselbear · Apr 22, 2023

yes can leak even if not coming out the weep hole, most of them are stopped up anyway. if you don't have any back pressure through the rad.I would change water pump seal

T.R.K. · Apr 22, 2023

Were any head or block surfaces re done while the head was off?

Its been a while, but I remember at least one U (was that a 283?) or 403 engine that ran me in circles leaking until I doped the head gaskets around the water and pushrod holes. (It was a copper gasket, of course.) I know that is supposed to be a no-no for head gaskets, but it seemed to work. At this point I am thinking I used Permatex #2.

I recall wondering at the time why the head torque was something like 100 ft.lb. on the one side and only 80 ft.lb. on the exhaust side.

Then I think someone on here or the Jetstar.MM forum said there was a service buliten that upped the torque to something like 100 ft.lb. on exhaust side and 120 ft.lb. on the opposite side.

These torque values are coming from a nearly 30 year old memory, so check before you take them for gospel.

G head gasket

minniemo705

Member

Tony in SD

Well-known Member

molinegb

Well-known Member

J.Wondergem

Well-known Member

Dieselbear

Member

minniemo705

Member

Dieselbear

Member

T.R.K.

Well-known Member

Similar threads