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Do I have a cracked block?? John Deere 310A

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
9,342
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
Black RTV is the only truly oil resistant sealant for engine assembly. IMHO.
If it is a high hour engine I would advise you to replace the camshaft bearings.
The last time I had a machine shop make a cam bearing driver it was only $20.00.
I had it made so that the small diameter of it was long enough to scribe a line on it for reference to get the oil hole in the bearing lined up with galley (hole) in the block.
It is very frustrating to install a bearing only see it is a half a hole off. You can see the alignment with a flashlight looking down the galley in the block.
 
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Bogueyman

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2020
Messages
34
Location
CT
Is the cam bearing accessable without more disassembly? I am already further in than I had planned. On car engines you typically need to pull the engine
 

Tinkerer

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May 21, 2009
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9,342
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
The front gear cover has to come off.
I never worked on a Deere 310A but I think the tachometer is driven off the rear end of the cam.
Removing the cam gives you the opportunity to measure the cam lobes. It is often amazing how much wear is on them. I have seen them where 1/2 the lobe is worn off (on one lobe).
Yes the motor would have to be removed. For me it is a lot easier to do a complete motor removal. I would much rather turn a motor on a stand than make 200 trips underneath to do the necessary work.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,257
Location
Canada
I would think the engine needs to be removed and completely rebuilt. It doesn't sound like it's going to be a budget fix. Everything will need to be checked and measured.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Best bet
Crisco
Used it for years, biodegrades and does not affect orings or the antifreeze or foam up.
 

Bogueyman

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2020
Messages
34
Location
CT
Those are great ideas. I have also heard that the sleeves should go in the freezer to shrink them down. Along those lines I have a portable heater for the garage, would that have any value? I rebuilt a gas engine 20 years ago, but this is my first time working on a diesel.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
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Oct 11, 2014
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12,257
Location
Canada
Vaseline/petroleum jelly would likely be a good lube for seals too. Friend who is a diesel mechanic says it works for lubricating all kinds of things without causing any issues.
 

Bogueyman

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2020
Messages
34
Location
CT
I made some progress today and pulled the pistons/sleeves. Cylinder #2 (which had the leak) was rusted on the inside and showed pitting on the outside of the sleeve through the wall where the rust was. I assume that the pitting is from cavitation and the rust was a result of the leak.
There was some sludge inside the block, but not too much from the videos I have seen (nothing looked blocked, dry, caked) and it was pretty even front to back.
Parts should be in this week, so targeting a start next weekend.
 

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Fred from MO

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
146
Location
MO
Occupation
Engineer
Vaseline/petroleum jelly would likely be a good lube for seals too. Friend who is a diesel mechanic says it works for lubricating all kinds of things without causing any issues.
We use Vaseline alot on re-assembling automatic transmissions. Its great for holding things in place while you assemble it like checkballs, springs and acts as a great lubricator for orings on installing them. Once it heats up it melts and blends with the oil. Good luck on your machine.
 

Bogueyman

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2020
Messages
34
Location
CT
I am happy to report that after a bunch of work.... It runs again with no water in the oil.
For the rebuild I did not split the payloader to do the cam, but I did the following;
-new pistons and cylinders
-new main bearings
-new rod bearings
-wrist pin bushings were still good
-new oil pump
(I had previously had the head out and replaced the vales, springs, and retainers)

I would like to thank everyone on the board that made suggestions and offer help. It is likely that I would have been 100% stuck without getting your feedback on wet sleeves and cavitation failures (which was the failure mode).

I found that there was enough of a ridge at the top of the sleeve that I was able to use the old piston to push out the sleeves and I was able to get the old main bearings pushed out using a plastic "pushing stick" as the main bearings are oil fed through the block not the crank (so I could not roll them out with a headed pin)

I ended up putting the sleeves in the chest freezer and using vaseline and they went in very easily.
 
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