Fordson Super Dexta

[fireman4074]

I have Fordson Super Dexta, 3 cylinder diesel. The problem that I am having is that I can fill it with water and run it. It will start blowing water out of the little drain hole at top of radiator(near cap). The water is going somewhere. It is not any water in the oil or oil in the water to indicate a crack head gasket. I have to add about gallon of water if it is operating under a load. The water that is coing out is kind of foam like. What can this indicate????

[tmajor]

If the water is bubbling in the radiator, the head gasket is probably leaking.

To clarify: a small pathway between a cylinder and the water jacket, will allow the cylinder pressure through to the cooling system. Some water may seep back to the cylinder, when not running.

[fireman4074]

I don't know bout bubbling but it does come out the hole by the cap. If head gasket, wouldn't it be water in oil. It got to be going somewhere. Also no white smoke either is coming out.

[tmajor]

Remove radiator cap and peer in, to see if the water is bubbling, while engine is running.

I don't think, water necessarily has to get into the oil, under those conditions. The water, not having any pressure on it, might not even leak back toward the cylinder.

[Soundguy]

i agree.. considering engine compression in a diesel is what? 300 psi, and rad pressure is what? 14 psi?

it's very possible for combustion gasses to get into rad, and not have water into the engine.

if you see water coming out the vent by the cap, then it's no mystery where it's going.

it's being blown out.

soundguy

[fireman4074]

Ok SoundGuy what is causing this problem? Is the engine going bad?

[SandburRanch]

For a temporary test, try it with the thermostat removed to see if the gallon of water is lost out the over flow tube. If all the water is retained within the engine I can tell you why later.

[Soundguy]

Ok SoundGuy what is causing this problem? Is the engine going bad?

it's either being blown out the overflow, ( or boiled out as steam ) being 'burned' in a combustion chamber and sent out a tail pipe, or being dumped into the oil.

Any of those COULD be a head gasket. of course.. could be head, liner, or block problems too.. however head gasket is cheapest so I like to investigate those first..

do the test the other poster mentioned.

soundguy