M4950dt overheating

[ben jamin]

I have had a 1988 M4950dt for a couple of years now. Its been a strong tractor and I have run it hard. I use the loader for everything and have forks for it.

It has never been hot up till the other day. I had worked it for about an hour and then let it run while greasing up the loader. I saw a couple of antifreeze drops on the floor so I looked at the temp gauge. It was all the way to Hot but not in the red. I shut the tractor off and let it cool overnight. Next day I put around a gallon of antifreeze in the radiator and ran for 15 min or so. It started spitting oil out of the overflow from the radiator all over the floor. It was around a quart or so of engine oil. I did some investigating and it seems the previous owner took out the thermostat which would explain the reason it would spit some antifreeze out the overflow everytime I had topped it off in the past.

I flushed the radiator out with some dawn dishwashing soap and water for several hours and then filled with just water and rain it for a while. Then I drained the oil and found 3 to 4 quarts of green antifreeze in the oil. I thought it was interested that it was green antifreeze and not just water in the oil. Either way I think I am screwed. Any suggestions on what to do next?

 

[Tooljunkie]

Head gasket is your likely cause.

 

[85Hokie]

First of all ....neVer run anything without the thermostat........reason ONE - on a very hot engine the water goes by the hot parts soooo fast, that it cannot pick up and remove the heat, also it takes a hellva lot longer to heat up a cold engine which is bad for the engine.

I think you got a head gasket leak, or cracked head/block - and being a gallon low is a real bad thing!

I would NOT run it anymore until you find the fault. AND hopefully not screwed just yet!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'll say pull the head and see what you got going on, Head gasket and or possibly head.

 

[ben jamin]

Yea. I'm parking her. Hate it. I have some projects to get done. I'm into her around 10k so I think I won't be too upside down after repairs. They don't make them like this anymore. It weighs 8 to 10 k and pushes like a bull dozer with 4x4. Have you ever heard of internal frost plugs letting loose causing this problem?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Have you ever heard of internal frost plugs letting loose causing this problem?

Yes that could also happen, it's rare but it happens!