Any Perkins mechanics for advice

[Rappey]

there is a test kit available that uses a coolant water sample to detect if any combustion products have entered the cooling system and therefore a yes or no to head gasket
Can you remove the heat exchanger end caps to see the core?

 

[burgundyben]

Does it have a genuine Perkins copper head gasket?

When its running can you see the edge of the head gasket joint at the rear, port side, on the corner, is it bubbling there out the side of the head gasket?

 

[Assassin]

You don't actually need a test kit as you can get the anti freeze much cheaper, if you get combustion gases in your cooling system it changes colour and the colour shows the problem, just another option to consider.

One issue you get with Perkies is the cooling system clogging up and if you get sludge in the block it settles, as it settles it rises up the liners and they lose their ability to cool, one quick check is to remove the engine block coolant drain plug, if water gushes out you can eliminate this problem, if little or nothing comes out then the contamination has settled at the bottom of the engine block.

I would also pressure test the cooling system, if you lose pressure then it is leaking, if it is leaking then remove the glow plugs and get someone to crank the engine and see which cylinder is blowing water out to confirm it.

I am assuming you are losing coolant while running.

 

[Neptune 19]

Thanks for all the replies took it for a 3 hour drive and its reading over 100 degrees but checked it with a thermometer and coolant read 78 degrees engine at 68 and exhaust at 74. So I think the engine is ok my clocks must be reading wrong can anyone tell me where my temperature sensor is on the engine I'm going to replace both sensor and clock. Thank you for all your comments they were very valuable.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

The link below is a useful data sheet for trouble shorting engine temperature problems. It's from the USA supplier Transatlantic Diesels: -

http://www.tadiesels.com/assets/docs/tech/marine_engine_overheating.pdf