# ford 851 overheating



## johnwayne377 (Jan 22, 2013)

I have just aquired the tractor. Installed new temp gauge and found it getting hot, replaced thermostat which was malfunctioned. It is still getting hot, though i can tell the thermostat is trying to work. Exactly how much water should the pump be pushing, pulled the hose and getting 1/4 stream, any help would be appreciated.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Dumb question, but is the new gauge giving false indication? It might be that your new gauge is not compatible with your temperature sending unit? Or maybe the temperature sending unit is defective.

Ford radiators will push out excess fluid to reach an equilibrium coolant level just above the radiator core. That's the way they run. If you fill them to the top, they'll push out fluid when they're warm and you shut the engine off. It will appear that they're boiling over when they're not.

After it runs for a short time, do you see bubbles in the fluid in the radiator? This might indicate a head gasket leak or possibly a cracked head allowing combustion gases to enter the cooling system. Gets hot very quickly if this is the case. Are you seeing any evidence of water in the oil (milky looking oil)? 

I guess that I would take the radiator to a shop and have it checked out. You can try flushing out the cooling system a couple of times with vinegar. Run the engine long enough to get it warm and then drain it out. Vinegar is a mild acid, so you'll want to be sure to get it all out of the system when done.

Pump is giving you a 1/4 stream out of the top hose. My guess is your pump is working OK. 

Fan shroud is very important for cooling - does your tractor have a plastic fan shroud? 

Is the fan belt is tight enough to prevent fan slippage? 

If engine timing is too retarded or too advanced, it can cause overheating.


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## johnwayne377 (Jan 22, 2013)

Thanks for the educated answer. I got some real amateurs on the other site, asking me if the damn radiator had fluid in it. I finally got it figured out, flushed the radiator with bottle of permatex radiator flush and wow thats amazing stuff. Actually for the first 5 minutes i thought i had 50 leaks but it cleaned out and sealed up. I had one freeze plug leaking replaced both and removed handfuls of sludge from behind them. 
Thanks again for the reply.


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