Antifreeze "bad" for engine bearings?

[Richard]

I presume the answer is yes so let me clarify the question...

We've got an International 866 (or 886?)

Regardless.... seems it's leaked its water/antifreeze into the crank. Discovered it a couple weeks ago.

On a lark, we thought.... what happens if we drain everything, put new oil in (done) and refill radiator with water (done).... "how fast does it lose the water into the engine????"

I cut two fields over this last weekend and can't tell AT ALL that the water level has dropped. So the leak from the radiator to the engine crank seems to be more of a pinhole variety instead of a royal flush

So...here's the situation:

It's not my tractor so I don't care to spend to fix it. Tractor belongs to my father in law who's too cheap to fix it....indeed, he's already thinking on selling it. Problem there is, if he sells it, he'll probalby not get another one and the farm won't get cut.

My brother in law (his son) thought.... we can probably "hobble" along with this tractor for quite a while as long as it's a pinhole type leak.... we can just put more water in from time to time. (it's only used to cut fields maybe 2 or 3 times a year)

I pointed out we're heading into winter and we don't want to have ZERO antifreeze in the water.

So.... is there something we can put in the radiator to keep the water from freezing that might not be caustic to the engine bearings?

I don't want to use plain water, especially with winter nearing

OR.... is antifreeze indeed caustic to bearings?

 

[firemanpat2910]

why not use some stop leak to plug up the pin holes then fill with radiator fluid ? My grandpappy used to swear by Bars Stop Leak.

 

[Richard]

I don't know if I was clear or misleading....

The leak is NOT in the radiator.... as best we can ascertain without taking the engine apart, the leak (small as it seems to be) is probably on the sleeves of the engine.

We don't know this....just our presumption given what's happening.

Side note: During the cutting of the field on Sunday, the temperature gauge BARELY got to the green. It spent the first 30 minutes almost on the far left "peg" (totally cold reading). After I got some time on it, it went halfway in the unmarked area, BEFORE the green/normal reading. AFter I was at it for a while, it barely touched and went into the green area.

I wasn't really working the engine as the field I cut was not over grown.

Would someone use 'stopsleak' (or what ever its called) for a potential leak in a cylinder sleeve? I've never heard TOO many good reports on that stuff. Seems to me if its designed to plug a leak in a radiator, it might plug a passageway?

 

[Runner]

I second the Barr's Leaks idea. I used it on a car with a blown head gasket, and it worked (long enough to trade it in, anyway...).

 

[AlanB]

While I generally hate the "patch in a bottle" products, let me turn it around slightly differently,

What have you got too lose?

You should already be carefully monitoring everything, if it fails, your oil starts climbing etc. you are back to where you started needing a rebuild.

You may also have a leak that is changing or opening on temp differences.

I would say a jug of stop leak of your personal flavor would be a low cost way of possibly buying some time.

 

[Soundguy]

I don't know if I was clear or misleading....

The leak is NOT in the radiator....

Very cleaer. however.. i hope you understand that your radiator is not the only thing that holds water.. if there is a small leak at a head gasket, in the head, or the block / liner.. then the stop leak -may- find the leak.

Ever hear of builders cubes.. they toss them into a new rebuilt engine to find microscopic leaks. New holland actually sells a liquid/paste stopleak that clams to seal minor head gasket issues.

I'm in the 'what have you got to loose' camp. Maybee even drain it over the winter. then refill with water and run during use..

soundguy

 

[Travelover]

I used to work in the auto industry. For a long time every new car got a few pellets of leak stop to cut down on warranty claims for small leaks. The stuff works.

 

[Matt_Jr]

It's not the antifreeze that's bad for engine bearings it's the water/antifreeze(not being oil). Water is just as bad as a water/antifreeze mixture.

I work in the automotive field and every coolant repair be it a hose, radiator, intake, whatever, gets a complimentary bottle of stop leak. It not only stops the leaks you have(up to a point) but stops future leaks too. Bars(the type with pellets in it) works great in not only sealing leaks but also scrubs passage ways to keep them clean and corrosion at a minimum. Almost nothing will stop a cylinder wall leak if it's in the cumbusion chamber or if the piston rings rub past it but like other's have said... what do you have to lose? If I was in your situation I'd put in the stop leak, add antifreeze to the water so that it's at least 50/50 mix, and watch it real close. Keep checking the oil dipstick. If it looks milky the water is getting in there and it's time to change the oil. Also cut the inner rubber seal on the radiator cap that holds the pressure in the cooling system. It'll lower the boiling point of the coolant, but it'll also lower the pressure of the cooling system which will help stop forcing it in the crank case. Leave the outer seal on the cap so the coolant doesn't leak out of the system. Cutting the inner seal just lets the coolant that is expanding go into the overflow without building up pressure in the cooling system. -We call this a "patch job" or "band-aide".

 

[john_bud]

One point ---

The coolant system will develop pressure as it heats up. That's what it is supposed to do. If you have a leak, using a radiator cap that does not build pressure will slow the leak down dramatically. If you have an old cap, you can tear out the seal. Or drill a 1/32nd hole in the top. Small enough to let out pressure, but not so large that crud gets in.

I would check the condition of the oil every HOUR. If it turns into a milkshake, time to change it.

jb

 

[DieselPower]

In short if the collant leak is allowed to continue it's going to nuke the bearings in no time. It takes a extremely small amount of coolant to destroy the plating of bearings.