Farmall 400 question

Mark Hogan · Oct 14, 2018

Hi I have a question about my Farmall 400, I put in a new thermostat because It it was over heating, that didn't fix it, so I replaced the water pump with a brand new one. Still wants to seem to get hot up on the valve cover and starts wanting to smoke some of the old oil residue off of it. Took the cover off and seems like they are opening and closing.

I wonder if the external block heater had something go wrong inside of it and will not let the coolant flow through it. It starts right up and doesn't miss a beat. I have no clue.
Thank you all in advance.

Bob · Oct 14, 2018

(quoted from post at 04:44:22 10/14/18) Hi I have a question about my Farmall 400, I put in a new thermostat because It it was over heating, that didn't fix it, so I replaced the water pump with a brand new one. Still wants to seem to get hot up on the valve cover and starts wanting to smoke some of the old oil residue off of it. Took the cover off and seems like they are opening and closing.

I wonder if the external block heater had something go wrong inside of it and will not let the coolant flow through it. It starts right up and doesn't miss a beat. I have no clue.
Thank you all in advance.

Radiator could be clogged inside and/or outside.

Also, late ignition timing makes for extra heat and a HOT exhaust.

Mark Hogan · Oct 14, 2018

I believe the radiator is in good shape,
water from a garden hose flows right
through it. I was actually driving the
tractor back to home when it started
heating up. The tractor doesn't every get
over worked, it mainly spreads horse
manure maybe once a week, and pushes snow
in the winter.
If the timing was off ,wouldn't it have a
hard time starting?

casecollectorsc · Oct 14, 2018

Buy a cheap infrared heat gun and point it at the block to see what the actual temp. is. You didn't say if it boils over or not or the temp. gauge reading.

D beatty · Oct 14, 2018

You said water went through it . Was that through the radiator itself or through the fines of radiator? How much rust is inside block that could be blocking water passage ways in block.Your external block heater is it in bottom hose of radiator? If it is tank type it wouldn't effect the flow of water in cooling system.

Mark Hogan · Oct 14, 2018

I have a buddy bringing over his temp gun today.
It never has boiled over and the temperature
gauge is running cold.
However the valve cover is getting really hot just after a couple of minutes of idling.
That's why I wonder if the external block heater is plugged up.?

D beatty · Oct 14, 2018

Here is a photo of lower hose block heater that could give you trouble and second photo of a tank type that won't effect flow of system.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 14, 2018

Still wants to seem to get hot up on the valve cover and starts wanting to smoke some of the old oil residue off of it.

Seems to get hot.... Did you actually measure the water temp or are you using the smoke test to determine it's getting hot? Is the coolant boiling? Is coolant under pressure?

Jerry He · Oct 14, 2018

Does it run smooth? Could be compression getting by a valve somehow.

Mark Hogan · Oct 14, 2018

Runs smoothly

Mark Hogan · Oct 14, 2018

Ok, I have the 2nd one.

Mark Hogan · Oct 14, 2018

The water went through the fins, when we changed the coolant hoses, coolant came out of the bottom of the radiator. I have the tank type heater.

SDE · Oct 14, 2018

Maybe the problem isn't that it is getting too hot. Maybe the problem is that oil is leaking out the valve cover and the smoke has you thinking it is too hot.

Dave BN · Oct 14, 2018

I like Bob's idea. Try advancing the timing or at least check the ignition system.

Dave

Oregon Tractor Jack · Oct 14, 2018

Pull and replace the side cover on the engine block. Usually the cover is trashed. Clean out the water jacket around the cylinders. You will be surprised at the junk that is in side. The side cover should have a metal diverter welded to it. This is intended to help balance the flow or coolant between the front and rear cylinders. Usually it is rusted away, that is why you should replace it.

My two cents

OTJ

D beatty · Oct 14, 2018

Engine leaning out will cause head temperature to rise.

used red MN · Oct 14, 2018

What part of the valve cover do you think is getting hot? The bottom left side is right by the exhaust manifold and that part of the head does heat up quickly and oil residue can smoke in that area. The thermal gun will tell the story. The only thing that might be a problem is if you installed the thermostat upside down. The larger brass temp bulb should be down. Even then if it is getting hot and the temp gauge worked before it should read hot. One other thing I have seen is caused by folks that like to gob on a lot of RTV sealer. I have seen chunks of it get loose in the cooling system and plug the small bleed opening in the thermostat. Then the air cannot escape out of the block and head when the system if refilled. Then no water can make its way up to the temp gauge or the thermostat in this case you may experience the type of problem you are indicating. This is really not to likely a issue in a Farmall because of the fairly large bypass they have. The water pump will likely get some flow going in the system anyway, at least enough to open the thermostat and purge out the air. Your external engine heater is not to likely causing your problem. Originally the places it connects are plugged anyway. In no way can it flow enough coolant compared to a radiator hose to stop proper cooling.

Janicholson · Oct 14, 2018

From reading below, I also think at this point the oil residue is smoking because it is still coming out of the cover. After checking the static timing, Points just break at the timing marg (test light on the distributor side terminal will light when they open) or the Mag (if equipped) will snap at TDC when turned slowly. Make sure the coil wire is grounded to prevent starting if tyrning it by hand. Jim

used red MN · Oct 14, 2018

Just to clarify the water is inside the radiator and flows down through the ..tubes.. the ..fins.. are externally around the tubes and help transfer the heat from the tubes into the passing air flow. Some folks on here come off a little harsh if you call something by it?s incorrect name and it then seems to make what you are saying something that could not or should not happen. So in your case if the coolant flowed down in the fins by that description it would mean the radiator is leaking. You just meant the coolant was passing through the tubes. The majority of us understood what you meant.

rustred · Oct 14, 2018

many dont understand that the rad cores get corrosion inside from weak coolant mixtures. this plugs the cores and reduces coolant flow through the rad. you can simply remove the cap and drain down the coolant till you see the cores. if you see white corrosion in them thats your problem . from my experiences 90 percent of the time its a radiator problem. after all these tractors are over 60 years old and that is quite normal to happen. dont see how a circulating block heater can make it heat. do you have a working factory temp guage on the tractor?? normal operating temp on the guage is when the needle sits right on the U in RUN in the green. thats working in the field. you have lots of "seems" going on but nothing confermed.when you say "heating" is the coolant boiling and pushing out? retarded timing will not cause an over heating situation if the rad is good.plus you did not say if your working this tractor or just driving it around or its just sitting overheating.
plus you had the valve cover off and should have set the valves at that time... there is more to it than just say they are going up and down. they need to be set at .017 hot. and yes if there is oil on the top of head running down it will be smoking when working... but that dont mean the engine is over heating.

Mark Hogan · Oct 14, 2018

Thank you all for the in put!! Much appreciated!
I'll have to do some more through investigation!
I'll let everyone know what I find out

Thanks again

Mark Hogan · Oct 15, 2018

It runs smooth as a purring kitten. I brought
home a temp gun, to get a good reading.

Mark Hogan · Oct 15, 2018

Hi guys,
So I have another question, I got a infrared
Temp gun, and the spark plug side of the block
Is running at about 180 or on all cylinders, and the 2 outside cylinders on manifold side is running about 200 , the inside ones are 300 after running it . Does it sound like a coolant port plugged up somewhere? What is behind this cover?

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