Engine overflow

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RMAC
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Engine overflow

Post by RMAC » Sat May 21, 2011 7:07 pm

There is a steel pipe that comes out of the valve cover on the top of the engine block on my 66 JD 450 diesel crawler, it has a 90 degree bend in it and terminates on the side of the engine. After I shut the machine down a milky type substance leaks out of the open end of the pipe, almost like some type of overflow, a man told me it was engine blow by, but I am not sure what he means by that, Does anyone know what this pipe is for and if so is this leakage normal?
1966 JD 450 Crawler, 1986 Case Super E Backhoe, 2001 Kubota 7800, 1986 GMC 1 ton dump truck,1991 GMC Topkick dump truck

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push&pull7
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Post by push&pull7 » Sat May 21, 2011 8:33 pm

It sounds like you may have water in your oil, check your oil in your engine and see if it's milky looking also, if it is check your water level in your radiator to see if it's low, if it is you probably have a blown gasket. If all of the above is in good shape it may just be condensation collecting in your valve cover. Your blow by pipe is for crankcase ventilation, kinda like a PVC valve on a car engine. hope this helps.

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RMAC
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overflow tube

Post by RMAC » Sat Jun 04, 2011 5:09 pm

I checked the oil, it looks good, not milky, but the radiator was down about a half a gallon, hopefully it's just condensation.
Thanks for the help
1966 JD 450 Crawler, 1986 Case Super E Backhoe, 2001 Kubota 7800, 1986 GMC 1 ton dump truck,1991 GMC Topkick dump truck

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Willyr
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Post by Willyr » Sat Jun 04, 2011 5:28 pm

You can have blow by from the cylinder head where the water becomes steam. The oil may appear fine. I would suggest you check the underside of your oil fill cap. If it is also milky you have a bad headgasket (its the only place it can come from). If you dont pressurize the coolant it will lessen the amount of water loss. Yet your still looking at a head gasket soon.
former owner of a 1956 420c
All help is greatly appreciated.

Proud owner of a project 1952 JD 60

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFehqXVd9z4

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RMAC
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overflow tube

Post by RMAC » Sat Jun 04, 2011 6:39 pm

What if I don't have anything on the underside of the oil cap? does it still mean I need a new head gasket, and if so will I damage the engine if I continue to use the machine? What do you mean by not pressurizing the coolant, keeping the radiator cap loose? Replacing the head gasket sounds like a big job, I just put 11,000.00 plus into the machine, do you think it is worth the cost or should I quit while I'm ahead.
Thanks for the help
1966 JD 450 Crawler, 1986 Case Super E Backhoe, 2001 Kubota 7800, 1986 GMC 1 ton dump truck,1991 GMC Topkick dump truck

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tjdub
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Re: overflow tube

Post by tjdub » Sat Jun 04, 2011 8:25 pm

RMAC wrote: Replacing the head gasket sounds like a big job, I just put 11,000.00 plus into the machine, do you think it is worth the cost or should I quit while I'm ahead.
Try Barr's Leak?

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Willyr
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Post by Willyr » Sun Jun 05, 2011 4:56 am

For the most of us here on the board did not buy the tractors for how much money we are putting into it. We are restoring them to maintain a part of history. If you think this is nothing more than a value, then anything mechanical isnt worth keeping (cars, pickups, tractors, trailers, and so on).

Since you dont have it on the cap, its not likely to be the head gasket. If it were a head leak there would have been a creamy underside to your oil cap. I would get a coolant pressurize test first. If it holds (after the tractor is hot) you should be ok. Remember, the radiator will have some space (not filled to the top). If you filled it to the top you will see your radiator spewing the extra off. Usually there is a inch or so below the top that is normal (water line).
former owner of a 1956 420c
All help is greatly appreciated.

Proud owner of a project 1952 JD 60

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFehqXVd9z4

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gerald
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Post by gerald » Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:21 am

willyr good call on the radiator . If I can see collant looking in the radiator it's good . It will alway take about 16 oz an it always spits it out through the over fill. I really need to dump an flush the system, no telling how long the collant has been in . I look at my crawer an see how much work it's doing for me . I do all my own work I have 2 thousand in parts an oil and 4 thouand in my labor man hours. It's down right now for welding repairs at 50 hour for certfide welder. Who keep tracks of man hours any way .
1970 350 crawer/loader 93a back hoe

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Post by Lavoy » Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:37 am

As far as dollars invested, you need to deduct from every dollar you put into your crawler, what it would have cost you to hire someone else to do it at $100 and up per hour. I think all too often we only see the money flying out of our wallets, and don't realize that if we did not have one of these money pits, we would still have to pay someone else to do it. Or, the work may just never have gotten done, because you aren't going to call a guy in for a 3 hour project, but can do it yourself because you have the tools to do the job.
Lavoy

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RMAC
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overflow

Post by RMAC » Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:54 pm

Willy R.
Dont get me wrong I like the old machines, if you look at my profile you can see everything I own is oldler, not as old as the 450, but certianly not new. I'm obviously not a mechanic tough, and replacing a head gasket seems like a pretty big job to me.
I need to find a service manual for this machine as I'd like to perform as much of the work as possible on it myself, I have nowhere near the mechanical knowledge as most of the members of this board, but I'm willing to learn, as far as getting rid of the machine I wouldn't even think about it, unles it gets to the point that the parts are no longer available or a machinst can't make them for me.
By the way my daughter lives in Ellsworth, she works for Jackson Labs.
Thanks for the advice
1966 JD 450 Crawler, 1986 Case Super E Backhoe, 2001 Kubota 7800, 1986 GMC 1 ton dump truck,1991 GMC Topkick dump truck

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Post by KenP » Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:35 am

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RMAC
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overflow tube

Post by RMAC » Mon Jun 06, 2011 5:03 pm

Thanks Ken,
I will order a service manual tomorrow. I haven't had a chance to look at the underside of the oil fill cap yet, so I'm not even sure if it is milky or not, in any event as you say the manual will pay for itself the first time I use it.
1966 JD 450 Crawler, 1986 Case Super E Backhoe, 2001 Kubota 7800, 1986 GMC 1 ton dump truck,1991 GMC Topkick dump truck

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