7 1/2 years ago I bought a 1967 1850 diesel tractor with a short wheel base front end. I began to restore tractor - new hydraulics and went through everything but was running out of time so took
to a local implement New Holland dealer (previous white and oliver dealer). They completely overhauled it and were breaking it in on dyno and it completely locked up. Upon tear down it was discovered that the machine shop had honed the cylinders to 2-105 specs (too small). Also locking up under load appeared to have distorted the connecting rods and caps and the crank shaft. We found a used crank shaft and connecting rods, had new sleeves
and pistons put in, new bearings, bushings etc. Started using
the tractor seeding alfalfa and on a feeder wagon. After 100 hours started getting oil in the radiator. Checked out the oil cooler no problem there. Took apart and found head gasket leaking fixed - started feeding cattle again, another 30 hours and oil in radiator again.
Took apart and determined sleeves were sitting too high above the block and top of block was not surfaced completely flat. Put together again, more research on gasket, supposedly right gasket to match serial number on block. Started feeding cattle, another 30 hours later - oil in radiator. Machine shop says block must be cracked. Got different block, checked it out, new sleeves, put back together. Put on dyno and starts leaking oil to the outside and head gasket seeping oil. Machine shop doesn't want to see it anymore.
Had another mechanic look at it and discovered sleeves were placed too high because the counterbore of the sleeve was 5-10 thousandths above top of block, and should be 5-8 thousandths below. Also could see very light impressions of the valve heads on the pistons, so if we redo the sleeves and lower them, to get the head lower so the gasket will seal, the pistons will pound the valves. This has been going on for 7 years. The dealer and I both have too much money tied up in this, but would appreciate any advice on how to move forward to get my tractor runnning. It's just a good old 354 Perkins!
to a local implement New Holland dealer (previous white and oliver dealer). They completely overhauled it and were breaking it in on dyno and it completely locked up. Upon tear down it was discovered that the machine shop had honed the cylinders to 2-105 specs (too small). Also locking up under load appeared to have distorted the connecting rods and caps and the crank shaft. We found a used crank shaft and connecting rods, had new sleeves
and pistons put in, new bearings, bushings etc. Started using
the tractor seeding alfalfa and on a feeder wagon. After 100 hours started getting oil in the radiator. Checked out the oil cooler no problem there. Took apart and found head gasket leaking fixed - started feeding cattle again, another 30 hours and oil in radiator again.
Took apart and determined sleeves were sitting too high above the block and top of block was not surfaced completely flat. Put together again, more research on gasket, supposedly right gasket to match serial number on block. Started feeding cattle, another 30 hours later - oil in radiator. Machine shop says block must be cracked. Got different block, checked it out, new sleeves, put back together. Put on dyno and starts leaking oil to the outside and head gasket seeping oil. Machine shop doesn't want to see it anymore.
Had another mechanic look at it and discovered sleeves were placed too high because the counterbore of the sleeve was 5-10 thousandths above top of block, and should be 5-8 thousandths below. Also could see very light impressions of the valve heads on the pistons, so if we redo the sleeves and lower them, to get the head lower so the gasket will seal, the pistons will pound the valves. This has been going on for 7 years. The dealer and I both have too much money tied up in this, but would appreciate any advice on how to move forward to get my tractor runnning. It's just a good old 354 Perkins!