Farm Equipment - 44B checking core plugs and rust

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44B checking core plugs and rust

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URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=162255
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Topic: 44B checking core plugs and rust

Posted By: Max (Iowa)
Subject: 44B checking core plugs and rust
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2019 at 10:20pm

I've got coolant in my engine oil. On the advice of this forum, I took off the valve cover to see if there was a hole in a core plug. If there is a hole in one of the core plugs, it must be very small. I've got two questions.

1) Is there any way to tell for sure if there is a pinhole in a in a core plug, like by poking around with a thin wire? Or should I just go ahead and replace them all?

2) Taking off the valve cover, there was a lot of rust in there, as shown in the picture. What should I do to address that?

uploads/9578/rust.jpg" rel="nofollow - uploads/9578/rust.jpg

Replies:

Posted By: Eric B
Date Posted: 27 Jun 2019 at 12:15am

I had a coolant leak in one of those plugs on my B. After wiping the frost plugs clean I was not very easily able to see the tiny pinhole where coolant was leaking. If you take an awl or small screw driver and poke you are likely to find the weak spot. My plugs looked nearly perfect from on top but were so corroded underneath. New plugs cost me $1.00 each. They are easy to replace. It would be best to replace all three. Try and clean up everything under the valve cover as best you can, once the rocker shaft is removed it's much easier. With enough rags around, wiping, scraping, using a paint brush or parts washer brush with some gas or diesel you can get it all looking much better. Keep an eye on how long it takes for the oil pressure to come up as the screen on the oil pump may be very clogged with that same gunk also. If it is very slow building up the oil pressure it is a good thing to remove the oil pan and clean the sludge off the oil pick up screen and out of the bottom of the pan.

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Currently- WD,WC,3WF's,2 D14's B. Previously- I 600,TL745,200,FL9,FR12,H3,816 LBH. Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal!

Posted By: Dick L
Date Posted: 27 Jun 2019 at 6:02am

Fill the radiator and put a (small amount of air pressure) thru a rag wrapped around the air nozzle to seal enough air from escaping to see a leak. Running the engine will run oil back into the core plugs. If you do not see liquid come thru the plugs you then can use the same process after removing the pan and laying a piece of cardboard under the engine to see where the drop of water liquid is coming from.

Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 27 Jun 2019 at 7:03am

Max,

Welcome to the forum, Lots of these types of issues on 60 year old tractors! Yes your top end is pretty crusty. Could use a good cleaning. Several areas wher water can leak into the oil. good luck in your search. I agree with Dick, finding the leak before you take the engine apart is the best thing to do. then you know the source and can plan repairs.

I am not a B guy. But lots of folks on here to help. Pictures always good too!

Regards,

Chris

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D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet.

Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 27 Jun 2019 at 6:41pm

I would try to find the leak like Dick says, but I would not put the engine back together with old core plugs. They cost a couple bucks a piece and you can't see how much rust is on the bottom of them without removing them.

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Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF