Tractor overheating head gasket problem?

[Don87]

THe head needs checked. I personally won't put an engine back together without doing that.

 

[Johnp33]

Please check the rad cap before you tear the engine apart again, the water pump is a centrifical pump, and will draw in air if there is no preasure in the system.
You always want a minimum of 50/50 antifreeze mixture, and a proper Rad cap at least 10 lbs, if not 15, that is what I run in mine.
I did engines, class eights for 40 plus years, and have seen many an engine that was overhauled for many thousands of dollars because of poor cooling system maintenance.
You have to watch the rad caps you buy, if the little disc is not tight to the seal it is crap, that valve controls the air coming back in when the engine cools. Stant sells many caps now that are Junk and they use to be the best.
I run Power cool antifreeze a Dex-cool product!, A noat product is also good, do not use crap antifreeze or a DCA4 product.

 

[Soundguy]

for those not familiar with yanmars.. many of the smaller models did not come with water pumps.. they used thermosyphon. ( ym2000model I believe is where you start seeing pumps.. 1700 didn't hav ethem.. but could take a 2000 pump.. etc.. )

on thermosyphon systems. many are told that too strong a mix can ****** the thermosyphon a bit.

 

[parapower]

you need to change the antifreeze it must be a 25% solution of antifreeze any more and it will overheat
yanmar will tell you this so ask the dealer
it is in the repair manual

 

[dirtdonkey]

Well my new head gasket just arrived so I'll be replacing this weekend. When I had the head redone I had it planed so I'm fairly sure that's not the sealing problem. The block looked flat and before putting the new head gasket back on I'm checking to make sure I'm totally flat in all areas. I wish I could find a head gasket like the factory one, which is all metal and worked perfect. The new ones have a small metal ring around each cylinder and then are made of a gasket material that is supposed to seal the water jacket areas to each other. Comparing the two looks like night and day with the metal one looking far superior in construction and the ability to keep anything from leaking from the cylinders to the cooling channels but I can't find anyone who knows where to get one? I did a lot of research on anti freeze and found all different beliefs. The best one was an air plane mechanic, who is a chemist by education, and he explained that anti freeze does not flow as good as water so from a cooling aspect water is superior to cooling your engine. Antifreeze has lubricating qualities superior to water and will help raise the boiling temp, as does the pressure you induce with the radiator cap.He showed where reducing the mixture from 50/50 to 25/75 would drop the operating temp on the plane he was working on by 10-15 degrees on average. Since I have no problems with freezing, where I live, I'm going to mix 25/75 and see if it helps. I also installed a mechanical guage, instead of the idiot light so I can monitor the temp I'm running and be sure to notice when I start to get hot. I'm hoping the overheating was a result of just the hot gas from which ever cylinder is leaking getting into the water and super heating it to cause the overflow of cooling liquid. I guess time will tell. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions, I'll let everyone know how it turns out as soon as I'm back together.

 

[Don87]

Well my new head gasket just arrived so I'll be replacing this weekend. When I had the head redone I had it planed so I'm fairly sure that's not the sealing problem. The block looked flat and before putting the new head gasket back on I'm checking to make sure I'm totally flat in all areas. I wish I could find a head gasket like the factory one, which is all metal and worked perfect. The new ones have a small metal ring around each cylinder and then are made of a gasket material that is supposed to seal the water jacket areas to each other. Comparing the two looks like night and day with the metal one looking far superior in construction and the ability to keep anything from leaking from the cylinders to the cooling channels but I can't find anyone who knows where to get one? I did a lot of research on anti freeze and found all different beliefs. The best one was an air plane mechanic, who is a chemist by education, and he explained that anti freeze does not flow as good as water so from a cooling aspect water is superior to cooling your engine. Antifreeze has lubricating qualities superior to water and will help raise the boiling temp, as does the pressure you induce with the radiator cap.He showed where reducing the mixture from 50/50 to 25/75 would drop the operating temp on the plane he was working on by 10-15 degrees on average. Since I have no problems with freezing, where I live, I'm going to mix 25/75 and see if it helps. I also installed a mechanical guage, instead of the idiot light so I can monitor the temp I'm running and be sure to notice when I start to get hot. I'm hoping the overheating was a result of just the hot gas from which ever cylinder is leaking getting into the water and super heating it to cause the overflow of cooling liquid. I guess time will tell. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions, I'll let everyone know how it turns out as soon as I'm back together.

Please do, and best of luck to ya.

 

[Baby Grand]

Is there a running in period after which you need to retorque the head? I have seen this on several engines.

 

[puckgrinder85]

Well my new head gasket just arrived so I'll be replacing this weekend. When I had the head redone I had it planed so I'm fairly sure that's not the sealing problem. The block looked flat and before putting the new head gasket back on I'm checking to make sure I'm totally flat in all areas. I wish I could find a head gasket like the factory one, which is all metal and worked perfect. The new ones have a small metal ring around each cylinder and then are made of a gasket material that is supposed to seal the water jacket areas to each other. Comparing the two looks like night and day with the metal one looking far superior in construction and the ability to keep anything from leaking from the cylinders to the cooling channels but I can't find anyone who knows where to get one? I did a lot of research on anti freeze and found all different beliefs. The best one was an air plane mechanic, who is a chemist by education, and he explained that anti freeze does not flow as good as water so from a cooling aspect water is superior to cooling your engine. Antifreeze has lubricating qualities superior to water and will help raise the boiling temp, as does the pressure you induce with the radiator cap.He showed where reducing the mixture from 50/50 to 25/75 would drop the operating temp on the plane he was working on by 10-15 degrees on average. Since I have no problems with freezing, where I live, I'm going to mix 25/75 and see if it helps. I also installed a mechanical guage, instead of the idiot light so I can monitor the temp I'm running and be sure to notice when I start to get hot. I'm hoping the overheating was a result of just the hot gas from which ever cylinder is leaking getting into the water and super heating it to cause the overflow of cooling liquid. I guess time will tell. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions, I'll let everyone know how it turns out as soon as I'm back together.

Its not just the freezing, its the chemicals for corrosion as well. If you're going with a thin mix I would either flush it more often than what you normally would or get some sort of PH tester so you know when the fluid is acidic. He's right, water does transfer heat better, its unfortunate there is a lot more to it than that.

 

[Soundguy]

Is there a running in period after which you need to retorque the head? I have seen this on several engines.

i always retorque a head after warming an engine..

 

[Johnp33]

You want to take a flat file and draw file the head and block, just to get rid of any dings on the pieces.
Just a thought!