john deere-LT155----Looks like a winter project

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doncuddy

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Just a quick follow up and couple more questions.. After my initial post several weeks ago about all the troubles my tractor has had, I did take most all the advice and attempted numerous fixes/improvements. Among these were an inline gas shut off--cleaning the carb and having it inspected((all looked well))--new oil filter-new gas filter--dry gas in the tank-new oil--new fuel pump(diaphragm was shredded). etc.
After all this--good money over bad, the tractor is still spilling gas from under the cylinder. I'm told the block could be cracked. Also the head gasket might need replaced--again. Question-is there an easy way to determine if the block is cracked? What about the head gasket? Do you need to actually pull the head off to visually inspect the gasket and what exactly should it look like if it is bad--big rips or tears or something more subtle? I also have a theory. I'm wondering if over time, the fuel started to slowly leak into the sump which thinned the oil and ultimately resulted in the overheating which damaged the head gasket. If that was the case, then it makes sense that the head gasket replaced just last fall went bad again since I just now replaced the fuel pump. I'm hoping this might be the answer at last.

Thanks alot for all the advice so far----------------------DON
 
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benski

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doncuddy said:
Just a quick follow up and couple more questions.. After my initial post several weeks ago about all the troubles my tractor has had, I did take most all the advice and attempted numerous fixes/improvements. Among these were an inline gas shut off--cleaning the carb and having it inspected((all looked well))--new oil filter-new gas filter--dry gas in the tank-new oil--new fuel pump(diaphragm was shredded). etc.
After all this--good money over bad, the tractor is still spilling gas from under the cylinder. I'm told the block could be cracked. Also the head gasket might need replaced--again. Question-is there an easy way to determine if the block is cracked? What about the head gasket? Do you need to actually pull the head off to visually inspect the gasket and what exactly should it look like if it is bad--big rips or tears or something more subtle? I also have a theory. I'm wondering if over time, the fuel started to slowly leak into the sump which thinned the oil and ultimately resulted in the overheating which damaged the head gasket. If that was the case, then it makes sense that the head gasket replaced just last fall went bad again since I just now replaced the fuel pump. I'm hoping this might be the answer at last.

Thanks alot for all the advice so far----------------------DON
Click to expand...
Clean off your block thoroughly- my favorite after getting most of the gunk off with Simple Green or equivalent is brake cleaner. Take a magnify glass and a scribe and see if you can get the scribe to go into any suspect areas on the block. Sometimes there are just casting ridges that look like cracks, and sometimes there really are cracks. If you want to do a first-class job, there are a couple of ways; one is a 2 part process that involves a spray dye and a developer. You'll find this at a welding supply store. The other is with your local general aviation repair center. There is a process called Zyglow that uses a flourescent dye to creep in to any cracks, and then you wash off all the penetrant and use a flourescent light to look for the dye that's left behind. This requires disassembling the engine, and the cost to have someone do this will probably be an hour of shop time.
As far as head gaskets go, there is usually a telltale carbon print on the gasket where the seal failed. It will go the complete width of the gasket, rather than just a portion of the way across. Think icing on a cake oozing out to the side of the layer; and what that looks like when you lift the layer back up.:licking:
 
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