440c, head gasket or cracked head?

[5akman]

Last fall I bought a 440c site unseen although I had a buddy go check it out for me. He has heavy diesel experience and gave it the aok. I just arrived Saturday to AK for the summer commercial fishing season and fired the rig up for the first time. I checked oil and coolant levels first and found the coolant down about 1 gallon. I added the gallon of water and upon start up and driving about 100', the coolant started flowing out the overflow hose off the radiator filler. I shut it down, took off the cap and started it back up. I got immediate small white foam. When reved up, the foam flowed out. There is no evidence of water in the oil as it stayed normal looking.

I assume the head gasket is leaking. Before I pull the head, is there any other checks I can do to determine head gasket, cracked head or otherwise? If I pull the head, is there anything I need to do make it easier to re-install in terms of timing marks or does that not matter?

Fishing starts in 10 days, I'm in panic mode! Thanks for any help you guys can offer?

Thanks

Lance
Kenai AK

[sealark37]

You have to pull the head to replace the head gasket.  Your larger problem is to locate a rebuilder for the head who will inspect and repair your head instead of selling you a new head.  Park the machine in a good place before you start.  On the good side, you have plenty of daylight.   Regards,  Clark

[lumberjack48]

I would re torque head bolts, than try liquid glass [head sealer] in it, be for pulling head.

[5akman]

I haven't heard of the glass additive, is that just an autoparts supply store item? For newbe, how many hours to pull the head? Not that I'm short of daylight! If I can't find a rebuilder for the head up here, where do I check for a rebuilt head?

[mad murdock]

are you fishing out of Naknek? or somewhere in the gulf of AK?  If you have a NAPA store in the town you are in, they should have a head gasket sealer that you put in the coolant, it is a quick fix, and may or may not work, but it is worth a try in a pinch, worst case, you are out a couple bucks for the sealer, and you have to tear it down anyway.  I would guess at least 10 hrs labor on a head gasket change.  If you have access to all the tools, (injector puller, valve spring compressor, torque wrenches etc.  and there is someone with a media blast cabinet close by for really cleaning the head.  You could get by with a electric or air driven wire wheel on a drill or some such for cleaning the carbon off the head.  Hand lap the valves and put it back together, unless you encounter some major indication of a problem, you may be OK with that.  You will not know until you are looking at it.  Good luck.

[snowstorm]

any oil in the water?? water in the oil?? foam in the water could be oil . feel it smell it taste it whatever it takes .....then check the oil cooler.......and forget about any magic fixes in a can  or pepper shaker or what ever it comes in

[Coon]

You could always try the spicy milk home remedy.   :D  Get a can of condensed milk and some coarse and find grind black pepper.  Dump the can into the rad and add a bunch of pepper and go to work and get her good and warm then park it till it cools right off.  We have an old tractor that we do this to about once a year and it keeps plugging up the leaks.  The head gasket leaks and so does the rad but they want more for parts then what the tractor is worth probably by atleast double.  We never leave the yard without our baggy of pepper and a can of condensed milk..... :D

[5akman]

I'm in kenai with a Napa just down the road. I called the JD dealer here in town and a head gasket is 35.00 and a rebuilt head 1300.00 including overnight shipping. They gave me the name of a good machine shop here in town also to look the head over.

I'll check the oil cooler first. No sign of water in the oil and the coolant looks/smells normal. Any other way of checking for cross contamination?

[mad murdock]

pull a sample of the coolant and check it for oil by visual check in a small glass container and a good light source, a spec gravity check may help reveal something as well.  I should have looked at the bottom of your opening post I could have seen where you were : hope it turns out to not be a major deal for you.  engine issues can really stink sometimes. 

[cuznguido]

From your description, it is not the oil cooler.  It is either the head gasket or the head, and both require the head to be removed.  Prevention of this in the future requires careful reassembly.  Clean everything really, really well.  Clean the head bolt holes/threads.  Coat the threads with anti seize compound, not oil, and torque em down properly.  About the only way you can bust a head on one of those engines is overheating, so when you put it back together install new thermostat and watch it really close to make sure she runs cool. 

[5akman]

Sounds like good advice all around. I'm going to check the coolant a bit closer and then plan on pulling the head this weekend if the coolant isn't oily.