Antifreez on Floor

[From Jim]

Nov 1, 2015

After using my 2008 Kubota M108X for the last three weekends I decided to give it a cleaning, but to my suprise when I got to my garage I noticed a small puddle of green fluid, antifreez, 2 - 3 oz, on the floor, exhaust side just ahead of the windshield, upon closer examination I noticed a small pipe coming from what I believe is the breather tube from the Assy Cover Cyl Head, Ref # 010 part # 1J574-1450-2 , Breather Pipe, Ref # 140, part # 1C040-0551-0 , as noted in my Kubota M108X parts list, 2008. All fluids were at their normal level, This tractor has 663 hours on it and has been very well maintained, Oil, filters, as reccomended by Kubota.

The use of the tractor for the last three weeks is only for hay rides, used about 6 hours per day at 3 to 6 MPH in First to Fourth gears-high range, running about 15 minutes and stopped 15 minutes, the motor was on continuously, heater was used intermitently to maintain warmth, out door temp ranged from 5 - 10 C , the road was a bit rough, slight bumps and pot holes, fuel consumption was about 6.5 - 7.0 l/hr(1.72 - 1.85 usg/hr).

I have cleaned the tractor, driven it around our property a few times and placed it back in the garage, no leaks show after the last few days.

I would like opinions, suggestions and your thoughts on this matter. Is there some logical explaination or is this a forewarning?

Thank you
God bless all

Jim

 

[henrysbe]

I had a little puddle puddle of antifreeze on the floor of my garage, after about 350 hours, and found that the clamp on the radiator hose was a little loose. Got about half to three quarters of a turn then had no more antifreeze on the floor. Hope yours is that simple.

 

[From Jim]

Thanks for the reply, I pray that it would be that easy, I have checked around the rad area and there are no leaks in that area, the leak comes from the breather tube just near the exhaust area, actually the tube runs behind the fuel filter to about the level of the frame. I haven't seen any on the floor in the last few days. I am going to try and find a tool to check the pressure in the cooling system, this should indicate if the system can maintain the 12 to 14 psi needed.

If you have any more ideas please post them.


God bless

Jim

 

[CountryBumkin]

That breather tube is to let "blow-by" (combustion gases that get past the piston rings) out of the crankcase (older engines just dumped the blow by gases to ground/atmosphere, the new engines recirculate these gases back into the engine intake).

There should be no coolant coming from that breather tube. If there was - it's not good news. Would mean you are getting coolant in the crankcase - which would also mean coolant in the oil. And it is unlikely that it would be green color coming out the breather tube. Maybe you are describing a different tube - or the coolant you saw came from elsewhere and just dripped off the outside of the tube.

First, I would go around the engine and tighten/check all the coolant hose clamps. Also look at the bottom of the water pump (if you can see it) there is a "weep hole" at the bottom that lets coolant leak out when the water pump seal starts going bad.

If you see anymore green on the barn floor look closely at the head gasket area near that breather tube. I would clean the engine up real good to make it easier to spot the source of the leak (if it's external).

Good luck.

 

[From Jim]

That breather tube is to let "blow-by" (combustion gases that get past the piston rings) out of the crankcase (older engines just dumped the blow by gases to ground/atmosphere, the new engines recirculate these gases back into the engine intake).

There should be no coolant coming from that breather tube. If there was - it's not good news. Would mean you are getting coolant in the crankcase - which would also mean coolant in the oil. And it is unlikely that it would be green color coming out the breather tube. Maybe you are describing a different tube - or the coolant you saw came from elsewhere and just dripped off the outside of the tube.

First, I would go around the engine and tighten/check all the coolant hose clamps. Also look at the bottom of the water pump (if you can see it) there is a "weep hole" at the bottom that lets coolant leak out when the water pump seal starts going bad.

If you see anymore green on the barn floor look closely at the head gasket area near that breather tube. I would clean the engine up real good to make it easier to spot the source of the leak (if it's external).

Good luck.

I'm glad you mentioned the color would not be green coming out of the breather tube, because this antifreeze is bright clean green, I will check closer, it could be running down the outside of the tube, coming from somewhere else, I sure hope so. I'll post to let you know.

Thanks again for helping
God bless
Jim

 

[coachgeo]

If you want to get a total view (so to speak) go to your local auto parts store and get a kit that exposes Anti-Freeze leaks. It is a special chemical you add to the coolant, along with Xray Glasses and an Xray Tube. Ok not Xray but there is an Ultraviolet light source used The leak track will be exposed under ultraviolet light to help you find the culprit.

 

[From Jim]

If you want to get a total view (so to speak) go to your local auto parts store and get a kit that exposes Anti-Freeze leaks. It is a special chemical you add to the coolant, along with Xray Glasses and an Xray Tube. Ok not Xray but there is an Ultraviolet light source used The leak track will be exposed under ultraviolet light to help you find the culprit.

Thanks for this tip, I can remember using UV light to detect sulphite stock in the paper mill I worked at, must be the same principle, I will do a search on Google to see where I can get this, very good idea, I visually checked my tractor again, used a powerful flashlight but really can't find where it is coming from. The tractor is quite clean, everything shines in the light. I tried to remove the rad cap but antifreeze started coming out the rad filler when I turned it, so I stopped, didn't want more antifreeze showing up, can't be low though.
Thanks
God bless
Jim

 

[Tooljunkie]

Coolant from some other vehicle?
Only things would be block heater(if it has) hose leaking or water pump seeping as mentioned.
A pressure test would be my course of action.heater hose leaking, if it has a shut off valve i would look there.

 

[Daren Todd]

I've run into that quite a bit with hose clamps on motors not being quite tight enough. It's good when it's cool. But when they warm up, between the heat and pressure they start to drip slightly. I've gotten in the habit, when ever I get a new piece of equipment, I'll run the motor to operating temperature, shut the motor down, and then tighten the hose clamps a little more

 

[From Jim]

If you want to get a total view (so to speak) go to your local auto parts store and get a kit that exposes Anti-Freeze leaks. It is a special chemical you add to the coolant, along with Xray Glasses and an Xray Tube. Ok not Xray but there is an Ultraviolet light source used The leak track will be exposed under ultraviolet light to help you find the culprit.

Haven't had any luck finding Anti Freeze exposure kit or material here in Canada, I'll keep looking, thanks again, very good idea.

God bless
Jim

 

[Tooljunkie]

Leak detector kit usually has dyes for most fluids.
Search mastercool 53351. About $80
For the kit.

 

[From Jim]

Sorry for the delay, my sons,grandson and I were away for a while hunting deer in New Brunswick. No luck hunting, saw a few does, which we don't hunt. The antifreeze problem has been on my mind, the tractor has been sitting idle in the garage and the leak has only appeared a few drops at a time, I had traced it to the top of the water pump, a little more encouraging, on returning home I tried the lower clamp on the top radiator hose, the one entering the water pump, with an extension and socket I tried it and found the nut to snap and then turn about 3/4 turn with little force, the nut was hard to turn at first, it snapped and then was fairly easy to tighten, the cement floor is clean below the tractor and I will check for a few days and let you know how I make out.

God bless all

Jim

 

[From Jim]

Sorry for the delay, Hunting season, helping son with farm, then a bad cold, but back to the leaking antifreeze. I kept looking for leaks, very little on the floor so I used a good light and started looking every where under the tractor near where I thought it came from, and found the leak, as someone said, ended at the rear of the tractor but actually ran the length of the engine starting at the water pump, nothing seemed wrong so I decided to try the clamp on the hose to the water pump, using a ratchet and socket I gave it a little pressure and I heard a slight crack then the nut was fairly easy to turn about one half to three quarters of a turn. I cleaned everything and used the tractor for a day splitting wood and the next day checked for leaks,no antifreeze on the cement floor, clean, not a drop, thanks to all of your suggestions the leak was stopped. I am really grateful to you guys, may God bless all of you and keep your tractors running beautifully.

God bless
Jim