My MF blown head gadket

Anonymous-0 · May 15, 2010

I got my tractor running this after noon, after the head gasket replace. I ran it about a half hour. Will it be too soon to retorque the head tomorrow when it cools. All the sheat metal is off, It's still a giant pain, because I have to remove the injectors, and rocker assemble. What do you think? Thanks for any info, stan

J.Wondergem · May 15, 2010

If you let it run enough to open the thermostat, or longer it will be enough.

Ky Hauler · May 15, 2010

Did it get up to operating temp? I would have let it heat up good. I've torqued heads a few hours later with no problem, but overnight is better.

DickL · May 15, 2010

When you get it up to operating temperature shut it off and retorque it warm then reset the tappets.

It you take it to a dealer do you think they would have you bring it back in after a coupe of days to retorque it?

If you let it set and cool back down you are back to the beginning.

J.Wondergem · May 15, 2010

you want it to go through a heat cycle.

Cas · May 15, 2010

I do not know if it is a rule, but we always ran
the tractor an hour and retorqued while warm.
Like the previous post said make sure to adjust
the tappets(should be a hot and cold clearance
given).

Bob · May 15, 2010

WHAT the &*## do some of you guys do to your tractors?

I'm 52 years all, and have put about as many hours on a tractor as anyone would care to on about 1000 acres of land and have NEVER "blown a head gasket".

WHAT sort of tractor abuse goes on, anyhow???

thurlow · May 16, 2010

Yabbut, you're probably one-a-them obsessive types who thinks one should check the liquid levels each day and monitor the gauges/idiot lights and listen to the sounds the engine/equpiment makes. :>)

buickanddeere · May 16, 2010

Ever see how many people jump in a vehicle, crank the engine , yank it into gear and be rolling before the oil pressur egauge even reads pressure. Then floor it as they turn onto the road.
Seen the same with tractor operators. Startup after sitting allnight and stone cold with the engine lugging at 100% load.

Anonymous-0 · May 16, 2010

Well Bob here is the suitation. In my 67 years of life I have raplaced a lot of heads on various motors, and have never had a gasket blow. I don't know how this tractor was treated before I bought it. I did have have the head resurfaced and it needed .006 removed to clean it flat. Thia may have been the problem. I treat my tractors very good. I change my oil every 60-70 hours. Please don't assume just because of a problem we are abusing our tractors. stan

RodinNS · May 16, 2010

Sometimes.... they just leak. Sh!t happens.
What I don't get is all this business of retorqueing the head bolts. Does anyone seriously think that is done as standard practice in most shops unless it is a clearly defined procedure on an engine with known problems?
I would think if the threads were chased down clean and perhaps 5-10 ft-lb extra torque applied... it's going to be fine.

a 6 thou scraping on a head is also basically saying it ~was~ flat anyhow... they just took that off to make it clean.

Rod

noncompos · May 16, 2010

Well, my gasket catalogs aren't up to date, but:
1930 McCord says tighten all gradually (mfrs chart if available etc)(they actually recommend three circuits to tight!) then "go over...tightening them again after the motor has been run long enough to heat thoroughly."
1939 Victor says:
CAST IRON heads: "final tightening ...after motor has been run a few hours and has been thoroughly warmed up. It will be found that nuts can be drawn down further."
ALUM heads: "...let the motor run hot (I assume they meant operating temp)and then let it cool. After it has cooled tighten the bolts to the final tension."
Cleaning threads is always recommended; some torque lists have different values for oiled and dry threads.

RodinNS · May 16, 2010

"Well, my gasket catalogs aren't up to date, but:"

I think that will qualify as the understatement of the day...

My way of looking at it... follow the procedure laid out in the serivce manual or the service suppliment, which ever is more recent.
None of the Ford stuff I work on requires retorqing. I'd be surprised if this thing does either.
With the amount of extra work involved in doing a retorque on many new engines I'd tend to think that not many require it...

Rod

DickL · May 17, 2010

In the 1930's and thru the 1950's it was (clearly defined procedure)

Come around and I will let you retorque a head and you can see the values change after warmed.
I never neglect to clean the threads in the block or the head bolts. I also never neglect to lube the the bolt thread and under the head. I started retorquing heads in the 1950's and still do and get the same results. It was clearly explained to me at an Oliver dealer that this was done before you put the nuts on the valve cover. What might also seem strange to some I was also instructed to set the tappets with the engine running at idle.
I have never worked on a car with an aluminum head or read the(clearly defined procedures)for them.

I have helped some that did not retorque a tractor head that lost the head gasket as a
result.

RodinNS · May 17, 2010

You're still talking 75 years ago...

Of the ones I've checked, and I have checked a few, none have moved. Again, as I said, this is Ford stuff. Procedure may be different for a different engine...

Rod

My MF blown head gadket

Anonymous-0

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J.Wondergem

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Ky Hauler

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DickL

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J.Wondergem

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Cas

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Bob

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thurlow

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buickanddeere

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Anonymous-0

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