Ford 555 coolant in oil

[JimFord555]

Ford 555 has a 3 cylinder diesel with a turbo that looks aftermarket.
Ive had it 6 months and it has been working great until yeasterday It wouldn’t turn over. The engine was hydro locked with fluid in the cylinders (mostly the rear one) when i removed the injectors it woud turn over and sprayed fluid out of the injector holes.

My first thought was i had water in the tank that was being injected into the cylinders but the volume of fluid In the cylinders seemed too great

My rad has had a leak for a while so i have been filling it with water before each use with the plans to fix it soon. I have the radiator out now and will repair/replace that But in the mean time i need to deal with the milky oil and fluid in the cylinders.

How do i find the problem ? I have read it can be the cylinders or the head gasket. How do i check the cylinders without tearing down the whole engine ?

Any advice is greatly appreciated


I made a YouTube of me removing the radiator and will continue to document the whole process to help out future Ford 555 owners

 

[Andre van Greunen]

Sounds like your engine overheated, loss of coolant at the radiator.
I suspect its a blown cylinder head gasket or cracked cylinderhead.
In that case remove and strip the engine complete.
Piston rings collapsed even damage to pistons and liners.
You can look at a complete engine overhaul.
And sort out the leaking radiator.

 

[Tinkerer]

Welcome to HEF, Jim !
Nice video.
Start by removing the head first and see what it looks like. Don't just do a visual inspection, it should be magnafluxed if you don't see anything obvious.
That is a massive leak to dump that much coolant in the cylinders.

 

[Check Break]

Your 3 cylinder has a pin hole in the side of the cylinder wall caused by cavitation erosion. Ford used a coolant additive (FW-16) available under many other names like Nalcool & Pencool to prolong the life of the engine block. If you have a turbo in that 555, it's not factory and may be a repower out of a 545D. No telling what that engine went through before being installed in your tractor. When you verify your problem, if it's a pinhole, you'll have to send the block to a machine shop to be sleeved. Find someone who knows what they're doing and use the correct sleeve. There's plenty of stories of folks who thought they were doing it right and weren't. A little extra effort up front is a good way to avoid doing it over. Post back when you get it torn down.

 

[JimFord555]

Thanks for the response that info is greatly appreciated

I talked with the previous owner and have some more back story now.

Previous owner blew head gasket (or thought he did)
And replaced it

Blew it again (or thought he did) so he took the head in and had it pressure tested , magna fluxed and machined then re installed with a new head gasket and sold it to me

I now have coolant in cylinders and in the oil (blown head gasket #3?)

I’m thinking the aftermarket API turbo is too much for this engine as it increases the compression and the waste gate may not be adjusted properly ?
I’m happy to not re install the turbo if it helps or fixes my problem from happening again.

I have now removed the head and taken it in for Pressure testing. The machinist looked at the head and head gasket and said he could see the head has already been machined and that he can see the middle cylinder has seen some heat (the middle would obviously be the hottest) he also said he could see where the gasket was starting to fail. He said an improper turbo setup will lift the head. Makes sense as the head gasket and torque specs are based off a certain psi in the cylinder. I tried to get a reading before i removed the head but the tool i had threaded into a spark plug hole and the injectors attach completely differently.

See for yourself in my latest video of the tear down. I was expecting a head gasket in much worse condition but I’m not experienced with this sort of thing

Ill find out on Tuesday the head condition

My biggest concern is the block / piston condition as I don’t want to re install the head (If its good or fixed) and new head gasket just to have this happen again. I need to pull the oil pan and try to block the coolant ports off and pressurize the Cooling system and inspect the cylinders above and below the Pistons for leaks. Any advice on how much pressure or ways to do this ?

 

[Check Break]

Hard to believe someone would turbocharge a 333H without substantial re-engineering. If you have a 201ci 3cyl, it came with Headland pistons from the factory which raised the compression ration. The Headlands have a steel band around the top of the piston. Your pistons look like they're the lower compression piston out of a straight 333. Maybe that's the re-engineering. Ford use a 4.2" bore 192ci when they turbo-ed the last 3 cylinders. They may have changed the length of the rods as well. If your engine is a 4.4" 201ci, I think your best bet would be to consider returning it to stock configuration. If you pull the pistons, you will be able to see if there's a pin hole in your cylinder wall. If no hole, then honing, new rings (bearings if needed) and head work may get you several thousand more hours out of that girl. Thanks for posting the videos. They're an invaluable reference for others. Unfortunately, I won't be able to watch them until tonight. Post this thread on yesterdaystractor's Ford forum also. There's a bunch of Ford guys there who will have all your answers before sundown.

 

[Check Break]

I watched your videos and see you posted on YT. Not sure why everyone is asleep over there. You have slurry (oil/coolant) throughout that engine. Hopefully the crank is not damaged. I'd pull the engine, clean it up, and go through it. I still think you have a pin hole in a cylinder wall. That turbo is quite a piece of work. Some of the stock parts are probably salvageable. It's too late now, but there was an easier way to get at the radiator. Your tractor is going to have to be split to remove the engine. That means you have to support the loader frame differently. More on that later if this is the direction you decide to take. Makes it easier to get the pan off as well. Look carefully at the cylinders. It doesn't look like they're sleeved but a good sleeve can be hard to spot in a video. If you decide to split the tractor and remove the engine, post up your decision. There's a bunch of tips that will make your job easier.

 

[JimFord555]

Thanks for your reply’s Check Break. Oil pan comes off tomorrow then pistons come out and lots of close up pics of the cylinders. If the cylinders are Bad I will be splitting the tractor to remove the engine.

 

[JimFord555]

Got the pan and the rear most piston pulled out you can see it all in the newest video #4 here:

Wondering if anyone can identify the piston at the end of the video if they are in fact the headland stock ones

To identify the block so we know what motor we have
Numbers On the block:
T6
D5NN6015G
Serial #? *D371560*
9C7

I would like to try to add pressure to the cooling Chanel’s to help in finding any pinholes in the cylinders.

Again thanks for any help and fingers crossed the turbo was the reason for all the blown head gaskets and the cylinders are ok

 

[JimFord555]

Piston pics

 

[JimFord555]

Pistons are 4 3/8 inch diameter.

 

[mitch504]

I believe that is a 201 block. It was used in letterless 555s. It should be 4.4 inch bore.

 

[JimFord555]

I have clearly identified a pin hole in the rear most cylinder.

In my video of the cylinder you can see a drop of water that i whipe away. I noticed that drop kept coming back and after watching it for more then a few seconds the drop gets bigger and bigger until it drips down and another starts. Clear as day i have a hole.

I dont have proper measuring tools to get accurate bore and stroke but to the best of my ability with my metal ruler:

Bore is 4 and 3/8 inch
Stroke is close to 4 and 7/16 inch

My tools are about as good as my working conditions Im in a bad place here so any help has been and will continue to be greatly appreciated. I cant stress that enough.

I figure finding a re built motor would be nearly impossible here in Canada and cost more then it will to fix the one i have

A friend of mine said he had cylinders on a truck milled While the block was in the truck. Have you guys heard of a portable unit that can do such work ? Im assuming the block would Need to be heated and the sleeves cooled before pressing them in So I dont know if thats possible

What else do I need to know before I talk to the machinist ?

The manual says cylinder liners are available for sleeving the bore.

4.4inch bore thin Walled lipped sleeve and it gives instructions on how to machine and install these

 

[Tinkerer]

Engine blocks can be bored and or honed without removing them from the vehicle or machine. Always a chance something will go wrong.
I would much prefer removal and taking it to the shop that can do the work there. Then the block can be boiled/washed spotlessly clean after the machining is done.
If you have contacted the correct machinist he will answer all your questions.
If he can't find one that can.

 

[JimFord555]

Machine shop called today and say the head is flat pressure tested great and has no cracks

Radiator shop quoted 600 + to re core the old one . I saw some rads online but they wont ship to Canada Eh ? Any advice on where to get a good rad or at least if there is a difference in quality on what’s available ? I was told not to touch the “over seas” rads but that’s a large generalization.

I have access to a HIAB crane and run smaller cranes HIABs etc for a living as I’m a Power Lineman. I can pick the block out and straight up Between the loader arms.

I asked around and found a shop that has some good experienced Machinists that take their work personal and will be good to do the line boaring, sleeveing and checking the crank.

I am leaning toward re building the engine myself as I have a garage and am in no hurry. I can take it one step at a time and cut no corners documenting it all on my videos for future Ford owners.

 

[Check Break]

I believe there's still one good radiator manufacturer for Ford radiators. Ask on YT. You'll spend $400 but that's better than the way you're headed now. Now that you have the engine removal issue solved, it depends upon what you find on teardown. Since those aren't Headland pistons, you don't have to worry about reusing them, but they still may be better than what comes in the engine kits these days. Either way, your machinist will need pistons in hand before he can finish boring the sleeves. I think you have a winter project underway. Leave the T/C in the shuttle and bolt a piece of plywood to the front of the bell housing before you cover her up.

 

[Swetz]

Every Ford 555 I have split or seen split was done kinda like the link below (not quite as back yard mind you). I think the front axle/weight assy. must be out of the way first, then, yes tho could pull the engine with the Hiab. Support the bottom of the trans while you do it, and then as Check Break said bolt a piece of wood on for the long term. Note the wedges in the sides of the axle. These will keep the axle from pivoting on you and make it stable.

https://www.mytractorforum.com/threads/in-process-of-splitting-a-1968-ford-4500.970970/

 

[JimFord555]

Thanks for that link ! I only wish he kept up with the pics and posts. I can see in his pics he secured his lifting chain via the exhaust and intake bolts, Is this the best way ?

Injector pump says :
Lucas CAV
DPA 3233651
Ser 2129150
Is this the stock pump ? I need to order a rebuild kit for it as it was leaking so bad

Any tips on pulling this block out ? How do I disconnect the T/C
From the flywheel before I pull the block ?

Looks like the access plate On top near the bell Housing will give me access.

Here is the latest video

 

[Check Break]

If you connect to the manifold holes, use at least four bolts. You might want to make four lifting eyes that use two bolts apiece.

I need to go back and take another look at your injection pump. I thought I saw a paper sticker on it that says to me someone monkeyed with it, but maybe I just imagined it. You can send your pump out for tear down and reseal. If a prior owner turned up the fuel, it can be reset to spec. There's a guy named Dieseltech over on YT that does good work. I'd guess <$500, quite a bit less if all it needs is a reseal. If all that's leaking is the top cover, you can reseal it yourself. Need more facts.

You disconnect the T/C by pulling the starter and unbolting the T/C one bolt at a time. Remove a bolt and bar the flywheel over to get at the next bolt. When you take the engine loose from the bellhousing, the T/C will stay in the transmission.

The access plate on top of the bellhousing is useful if you're RR-ing the shuttle. It won't help you with engine removal.

 

[Check Break]

Ok. Watched the video. Those green pieces of plastic on the oil pump screen. They look like plastigauge to me. Might indicate someone had the bearing caps off previously.

You didn't have to pull the waterpump but now that you did, bolt your lifting eyes to the waterpump holes and the battery tray support holes above the bellhousing.

The tag on your injection pump doesn't look factory to me. I'd say a shop worked on it in the past. Dieseltech might be able to tell you what those numbers mean and whether it was turned up.