CT120 Oil In The Radiator

[CoSed22]

My CT120 has 51 hours on it. I was getting ready to service the tractor when I checked the radiator. To my surprise there was oil in the radiator and the engine coolant tank is full of black oil. You dip your finger in it and it comes out dripping with oil.

I took it in to the dealer and they were very surprised. They told me they had not seen that before.

The tractor runs great. No issues as of yet that I can tell. Seems to have good power and its not overheating. I'll keep you guys updated when I hear back from the dealer.

Do any of you have any ideas as to what it would be?

Thanks,
Corey

 

[Gittyup]

Sounds like the HST cooler is leaking into the radiator, which would also mean that coolant is in your tranny fluid.

I had something similar to happen to my GMC truck. Tranny was running on engine coolant mix and engine was cooled by tranny fluid mix. No indication of a problem even though I have a separate tranny temp. gauge. Before I knew what had happened, burned up the tranny. Had to replace the radiator,resevoir, water pump, transmissions, and all hoses, plus flush the engine block. Was an expensive ordeal, for sure. Hopefully you caught it before it did any extended damage.

 

[DK35vince]

Sounds like the HST cooler is leaking into the radiator, which would also mean that coolant is in your tranny fluid.

I had something similar to happen to my GMC truck. Tranny was running on engine coolant mix and engine was cooled by tranny fluid mix. No indication of a problem even though I have a separate tranny temp. gauge. Before I knew what had happened, burned up the tranny. Had to replace the radiator,resevoir, water pump, transmissions, and all hoses, plus flush the engine block. Was an expensive ordeal, for sure. Hopefully you caught it before it did any extended damage.

The HST cooler on the CT 120 is seperate from the radiator, so I don't think it can leak into the coolant.
I believe many cars and pickup trucks have the transmission coolers in the radiator where a leak can get into the coolant and coolant into the tranny.

 

[BTI]

Can you tell if there is ANY anti-freeze color wise, or is all the liquid black?
If the tractor was ever overheated, the antifreeze CAN turn black and have the consistency of oil.
It could have been overheated and you didn't notice.
The difference is the antifreeze will smell HORRIBLE.
It can happen if the screen in front of the rad gets clogged.
I'm not accusing just throwing out ideas.
There's just not many too ways to get oil in anti-freeze.


BTI

 

[Gittyup]

The HST cooler on the CT 120 is seperate from the radiator, so I don't think it can leak into the coolant.
I believe many cars and pickup trucks have the transmission coolers in the radiator where a leak can get into the coolant and coolant into the tranny.

I'm not even close to being a mechanic. So could be way off here. But, doesn't the HST cooler use the same antifreeze and share the same antifreeze circulation system? If so, and the HST cooler allowed oil to mix with the antifreeze, the same thing could happen, couldn't it? Maybe less likely to get coolant in the oil in this case.

 

[BTI]

It is a complete separate cooler in front of the radiator.
It is impossible for them to co-mingle.
They can spray oil onto the rad but not into it.

BTI

 

[JoelD]

Interesting problem.

Wonder if it is somehow a pre-existing contaminiation?

You'd think you'd know if block or head were cracked or gasket gone bad enough to co-mingle oil and coolant that you'd be running like crud.

I would definitely not operate until you have it sorted out.

Drain your engine oil and see what you have.

Joel

 

[CoSed22]

I'm 95% sure it's oil in the radiator and the coolant tank. 40 of the 51 hours on the tractor were using it to push snow so it's hard to believe it overheated. The tractor is in the shop so I should know in the next few days what the problem is.

I did a little research. The most likely cause looks like a blown head gasket.

I never would have noticed if I didn't check the radiator. I would like to think that something like that would cause a performance problem that would have been noticeable.

Whatever the problem is I'm a little worried that I could own a lemon. If it's something major would it be out of line to ask for a new tractor? I've only owned the tractor two months.

 

[Gittyup]

If it is a head gasket, it's not the end of the world since it's under warranty. It'll get fixed and should not affect the long term reliability, I wouldn't think.

Good that you noticed it early on.

 

[Gittyup]

It is a complete separate cooler in front of the radiator.
It is impossible for them to co-mingle.
They can spray oil onto the rad but not into it.

BTI

I see. Given it's proximity to the radiator, I thought it used radiator coolant to remove the heat from the tranny fluid. I guess it just exchanges the heat with the air. (I don't have the HST, so haven't seen the heat exchanger in person).