TC temp. toasty or normal ?

[MMBoomer1530]

Just got finished doing some lawn and pasture work this weekend and took a close look at the engine while the temperature gauge was nearing the red zone. It seems that the black tube that connects from where the engine oil is added and runs down to the bottom of the tractor and empties to the ground had a small amount of whitish smoke coming out. After smelling the smoke and getting the characteristic odor of burnt antifreeze, I think I have a small leak in a head gasket. I have noticed that I've needed to add 50:50 antifreeze lately, but I was hoping it was leaking somewhere else. Am I correct in my novice diagnosis? Could it be anything else? Any idea what kind of cost I'm looking at when I go to my dealer for a repair???

 

[jinman]

If you smell antifreeze at the crankcase vent, then you probably have antifreeze in your oil. It should look milky (yellowish-brown). If the oil looks okay, I can't imagine why you would smell antifreeze at the crankcase vent. Maybe an oil analysis is called for.

Coolant leaks sometimes are really hard to find when they are external and very small. If your engine is hot and there has been an antifreeze spill, the fan will ensure that you smell antifreeze anytime the engine is hot for a very long time. I'm hoping what you smell is from something like that. A small leak in a freeze-plug might evaporate before you find it, but you will surely smell it.

I can't tell you what the cost will be for an internal engine coolant leak, but a head gasket is only one of the possibilities. The others are a cracked head or a cracked engine block and/or leaking cylinder sleeves. Since you don't have wet sleeves, I'm pretty sure it's not that. Of the three things, a blown headgasket is the cheapest fix since no other parts are required except those gaskets and seals required while replacing the gasket. Of course, if you pull the head, you may find other service you want to do and things can escalate. It's a case of "plan for the worst and hope for the best" when opening up an engine.

 

[MMBoomer1530]

Thanks for your help! I checked the oil and it looks normal - absolutely no milky texture, bubbles, or discoloration. The hose that I initially described (from the oil resevoir entrance to the ground) I was told was some sort of venting tube and the very small amount of whitish smoke emanating out was not unusual. After speaking with a number of mechanics in order to get price quotes ($65 - $90/hr), I found one that was optomistic and didn't jump directly to blaming it on a blown head gasket, resurfacing heads (?), and needing between 9-12 hours of work (not including parts). I'm taking it in tomorrow and I'll hope for the best. I had recently changed and flushed the coolant system myself. I followed the manual to the letter, so hopefully the problem isn't because of something that I did!

 

[Lone Oak Landscaping]

OK finally had some free time today to get the tractor in the shop , it was hot and humid today and I checked the radiator with a thermometer after running hard for a while .
The gauge must be junk , at warm up it read about 170 and after working it I could still open the radiator cap without getting a green shower, and the temp was just under 180 ,while the gauge was reading the top of the green or showing just about to overheat.

Changed the oil , and yanked the starter even though it has been starting pretty good lately ,but still wont crank when hot once in a blue moon, can't have that happen anymore , I will take it to the re-build shop and see if they can bench test it tommorow plus ask the dealer if it is warranteed,let you know how it works out .

BTW I junked all the hose clamps I could find under the machine mostly metal to rubber to metal again .... dam things always dripped everywhere even though I KEPT TIGHTENING THEM AND PROBABLY OVERTIGHTING THEM they
just always dripped from day one , so I replaced them with stainless wider ones and hopefully that should do the trick.
I never understood why the heck they have all thoes short pieces of rubber in the lines for anyway .... but what do I know I am just a dumb landscaper