Dax DeCelle

I’ll get some measurements this weekend for analysis.

No

Yes it does. Olson’s Gaskets can only provide a Felpro gasket for $135.

I’ll catch up soon. The 7.3 is down and taking priority…….

Let me try to answer a few of these questions. I can’t explain why the head gasket is designed the way it is. The passages that are surrounded by the strange holes with slots are coolant passages. It would certainly be nice if they were surrounded with compressible copper. It seems logical to me that they would leak both inward and outward from there if the gasket were not sealing. All that I can say about the shop that worked on the head is that they have an impeccable reputation and I have truly never heard a poor review of their service. They’ve been there as long as I can remember. I’m 46. The head is dirty because I ran it for several hours before I pulled it before the current surgery. I have had the head off three times since I’ve owned it. It ran poorly when I got it, I pulled the head for service. It was gone through by the best around. I put it back on and ran it successfully for a several hours over several days. Then I believed that the head gasket lost its seal and I pulled it and did an in-frame minus camshaft. I cleaned the bottom of the head thoroughly and put it back on with another head gasket. The one in the pictures. I ran it for a total of about an hour. It smoked the whole time. I pulled the head back off and here we are. The tractor lived a very hard life before I brought it to the “orphanage.” The pits were in #2 when I got it. The head shop said they were not to be worried about and it certainly couldn’t be shaved enough to get rid of them. He said he took some very small amount off (I can’t remember the thousandth,) and that it should be fine. If someone could tell me that the official IH gasket were superior, I would spend the money, but I’m going to try a Fel-pro and some aluminum paint and cross my fingers. If IH addressed these heads with a solution, I would love to know more. Again, I thank you all for taking the time to analyze and discuss this.

And the cam looked good and the lifters all started working properly. I didn’t pull the cam, only did a visual inspection from below.

Let’s see if I can write all this concisely. When I bought the tractor, it was running poorly. There was obviously a valve problem from the sound it was making. There was also an injection pump problem that caused unsteady idling. There were countless problems from a hard working life with little maintenance. I foolishly started the process of trying to save another IH that had been put out to pasture. I started by pulling the head and having it reworked at the shop I mentioned earlier. Obviously there was pitting from what it is now very clear that was coolant leaking into the cylinder and being burnt. There was valve seat damage there as well. He said that the pitting was ok and he checked it for cracks and warpage. He said it needed new seats and a very minor shave. While I had the head off, I took the pump to a local legend that has worked on diesel fuel systems since the early 60s. He is officially retired now, but he still works for certain people. He rebuilt the pump. I also had him pop test the injectors. He said you couldn’t ask for better. That part I watched. Certainly looked like a nice spray pattern to me. I then put the engine back together with many new parts and it ran ok for a brief time before it started smoking and running rough. I decided to go ahead and do an in-frame overhaul when I went back in. Did that. Reassembled. I completely cleaned out the head bolt holes with brake cleaner and a Mityvac. New head bolts. Torqued three times. When I filled the cooling system, coolant steadily streamed out between the head and block. After I ran it a bit, the coolant stopped leaking to the outside, but clearly was still leaking to the inside. I installed the head gaskets dry both times. I believe that the aluminum paint is going to be the key to success. The head gasket that was on it when I bought it had clearly been installed dry as well. I see now that that must be the problem. Thank you all for the information and help.

And the injectors were pop tested in front of my eyes by a man that’s been working exclusively on diesel fuel systems since the early 60s. I’m at a loss.

Thank you for the information. The head was checked, resurfaced, new valve seats, and valve job, done by the most respected shop around. They’ve been there more than 30 years and I’ve never heard a complaint. I did run it a few hours after the head was worked on, before I took it apart for the overhaul. It ran about like it was after the overhaul, so I thought either the head gasket was bad before and after, or something didn’t take with the head work. I guess I’ll take the head back and have him go over it again.

I hope this gets the exposure I need. After running it several times, I pulled the head back off. #2 is wet. #4 head is, but not piston. The others are not. Fuel system is top notch. All just set up and tested. Head got the same treatment, and I just pulled the valves and they are fine. Just did “in frame” overhaul. I did this overhaul because it ran like this before. Is this evidence of head gasket leaking?

Thought someone might like to see what developed with this one. After a heck of a fight getting the injectors out, and sucking lots of water out, I filled the cylinders with Marvel Mystery Oil and let it soak for 3 weeks. After trying the biggest cheater I’ve ever tried, I pulled the head to find a seriously rusted situation. Won’t be firing this one up without some new liners and rings at minimum. It’ll go in a shed for now.

Version 2.5 did the trick. Almost. I used a 1/2” fine thread bolt and coated it with 80/90. #3 brought the cup, #4 left 1/2 of it behind. Gonna be fun getting that bottom half out. 3 and 5 had a nice serving of water in them. I’m starting to wonder if this one will run again.

The scars on the bolt are from gripping it with vise grips and trying to back off the nut.

The slide hammer just wore a hole in my hand. This particular bolt was a grade 5 —3/8” fine thread.

Version 2.0 has failed. These injectors are very, very stuck. The pulling nut pulled the threads and seized. I guess I’ll try a 1/2” pulling bolt next.