I have a Ferguson TO-35, and I need to fill the radiator with fluid and water in order to try and start it. Does it matter how much fluid to put in and how much water to put in? And does it matter what kind of fluid to put in? I would appreciate all the information you can give me on this. It has a 9 quart cooling capacity.
I am a strong advocate of using nothing but water in a tractor until you have checked everything out and make sure there are no internal or external leaks. Internal leaks, like those from the head gasket or cracks in the head or block can allow coolant to contaminate the oil. When you have anti-freeze in the coolant, it will take out the bearings in a matter of minutes. If the coolant is plain water, and you drain the oil in a reasonable time period, there should be no damage to the bearings or crankshaft. Therefore, use only water until you have verified you have no coolant leaks. I’d recommend flushing the cooling system with water and possibly one of the cooling system flushes, as per the package directions. Refill with water only and recheck and verify there are no leaks. You should drain the radiator and block if freezing temperatures are expected. The TO-35 with the Z134 Continental engine should have a cooling system capacity of 10 quarts. Once your are sure there are no coolant leaks, you can add anti-freeze. Ethylene glycol is what was used originally. A 50/50 mix is what is generally used. In order to achieve that mix, drain the water at the petcocks on the side of the block and at the bottom of the radiator. Because you will not be able to get all the water out, add 5 or 6 quarts of ethylene glycol antifreeze and then top off with water. Run the engine with the radiator cap off and observe the flow in the radiator to make sure all air pockets are removed. Once you are sure there is no air left in the system, you can install the radiator cap.
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