Repeat Overheating

[Coyote machine]

What o2batsea and sandlot said. I was hoping it would not be what I thought it might be- possibly a head gasket. Don't panic- but DO STOP using the tractor until the problem is resolved completely or you could do further damage.
Check your oil level too and make sure it is not milky or anything unusual including fuller than you filled it when last changed.
You MUST involve your dealer on this issue NOW!
Chances are good that you have exhaust gases blowing by a failed head gasket, (as already mentioned by others) and entering the cooling system and boiling the coolant; and by boiling it raising the pressure to the point it blows out into the overflow tank and evaporates out a lot of the water, thus needing to constantly refill the tank/radiator.
Not a good situation but more easily solved the sooner you address the cause instead of the symptoms.

 

[tcb5040]

Well i don't think it's a head gasket cause it's not smoking at all and is still running good. There's no coolant in the oil either.

 

[irvingj]

With a cold engine, if you relieve all pressure in the cooling system, ensure that the overflow tank AND the radiator are at proper levels, and pressure is evident in the overflow tank immediately after starting & running --and I'm only talking a minute or so here-- then you've got a compromised head gasket and/or a crack in the head.

If there's a crack in the head in the pre-combustion chamber area (this is an indirect-injection diesel, yes?), the engine is likely to run just fine... until it overpressures, blows the coolant, and overheats. BTDT. Hope that's not the case, but that's what it sounds like.

 

[Coyote machine]

Well i don't think it's a head gasket cause it's not smoking at all and is still running good. There's no coolant in the oil either.

tcb5040, You're asking for our help and now you're disputing what we are telling you?!
You said in your first statement you'd been dealing with this for weeks and couldn't figure it out.
I was confident, (and still am) when I first read your post that the head gasket was most likely culprit, if not a stuck thermostat. I was hoping you might get lucky and have a bad stat but: But a stuck thermostat would not create enough pressure to blow off the cap on the overflow tank. It is a screw on cap yes? Radiator caps sustain about 15-30 psi at the radiator before they will boil over or allow the pressure built up in the tank to compress the spring and then coolant flows back to what is actually an expansion tank; commonly called overflow tank.
Numerous people have told you the same thing- likely blown head gasket with exhaust gases rerouted into the coolant causing overheating; so much so that it blew off the cap on your overflow tank!
You say that because its not smoking and there is no coolant in the oil that it is not a head gasket. Those checks I suggested are to rule out things including and beyond a head gasket. Keep running it and you will see smoke eventually and may end up with coolant in the oil- but less likely since it (coolant)is being burned by exhaust gases, and the gas is escaping out the cooling system to atmosphere at your overflow tank.
Its your tractor and you can do what you want, but I can assure you that if you continue to do what you've been doing it will cost you.
If I'm wrong so be it. But if I'm right, {and my having owned an run a foreign car repair shop for over ten years favors me being right}, then it might be wise to heed my advice and that of others who are trying to save you butt and wallet from bigger possible expense.
Caveat to above: assisting anyone via the net is ok except it does not substitute for being in front of the tractor/vehicle and seeing what is actually happening. I've had people tall me all kinds of things that were wrong with their expensive foreign cars and I actually started a list of famous one liners to showcase the amazing gap between what customers thought was the problem and what the actual problem turned out to be.
I'll be interested to see what your situation ends up being in the end result.
Oh, btw, since you are convinced its NOT a head gasket what is it in your opinion? This I've got to hear

 

[tcb5040]

NO no no i didn't mean to argue about it... id on't know much about diesels so i was just going off what happened with my truck..i respect all of ya'lls opinion and i know ya'll know way more about it then me. Oh and to clear this up technically this is my grandpa's tractor but i'm the one who uses and mainteneces it. I believe that the head gasket is the culprit based on what you said i was just hopin it was somethin simpler like the thermostat..We don't have a trailer to bring it to the dealer so we would have to pay to have it transported there if it was a head gasket.. sorry if it seemed that i was being argumentive i really did not mean to come of that way

Thanks for the help coyote and all others

 

[Labrat]

I have to agree with Irvingj it sounds like you're pumping cylinder pressure into the cooling system due to either a cracked pre-chamber or blown head gasket.

 

[Coyote machine]

Its fine- if only wishing would make it so!
Unfortunately, with engines some things just are what they are and there is no way around it. Since you're going to want to replace the t-stat anyway in the end I would suggest putting a new one in now and see if it changes anything. (This is to attempt to save you the expense of having it hauled before you have a 'absolute' diagnosis). It will also help to further confirm, prior to sending it out to a shop/dealer that the t-stat is NOT the cause of your problems.
Post back the results.

 

[o2batsea]

Depending on its age, this may be covered under warranty. Warranty info is here
CK engines are covered for two years parts and labor and another year more for parts. If the tractor is under three, it is eligible for free parts on the engine, which may be significant savings.

 

[tcb5040]

Thanks for the info guys
I'll try to get some work done on it this week we got a snow storm comin through and everything in NC shuts down with even a whisper of snow.
sorry if i came off as argumentive about it i'm still just a dumb kid haha

 

[mx5guy]

Just a note, have you been adding 50/50 coolant & water or just toping off with straight collant or water, as some vehicles will overheat if mix is 60 / 40 where as 60 % straight coolant that to can cause an engine to overheat, more coolant is not better.

Is rad in good shape, fins well attached or are they crumbling off, bad rad could cause rad to over heat.

With engine running and rad cap off of rad do you see bubbles in the coolant? a heat gasket may be the cause, been there done that.

Good luck.