Our Tractor Story

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May, 1999

5-4-99:  We got back from the Kentucky Derby today, after spending the weekend with Carolyn's family (she has 4 brothers and her mother in Louisville.)  A fellow that I work with came over to pick up a computer that was upgraded, and I started the tractor for him.  Boy, was it hard to start, and then it just ...died.  Acts like it is out of gas, or flooded.  I will look at it tomorrow after work.

5-5-99:  I tried to start the tractor again, and had to go in the house for a minute to answer the phone.  Carolyn was returning to the house through the garage, and yelled for me to come out there quick!!!  I did, and gasoline was flowing rather freely from the left cylinder relief valve.  I shut off the fuel, pulled the mag wires, and slowly rotated the flywheel to get the raw fuel out of the engine.  It fairly "squirted" out, making quite a mess, which was dangerous to say the least.  I cleaned it up with my custom made floor dry (cat litter).  I removed the carburetor, opened it up, and found that the float seam was cracked.  I drilled a small hole to get the gas out, then I patched it with a thin coat of JB weld, tested it in hot water to make sure there were no leaks, and put it all back together.  It started real easy, and ran OK.  I will make a better fix with a new float as soon as I can.

5-6-99:  Ordered a new float from Circle W, and it was only $24.13 including shipping & tax!  I will pick it up tomorrow, and do the job right.

5-7-99:  Carolyn picked up the float, and I put it in.  How sweet it is, it runs again!!!

5-8-99:  The fuel shut off valve is dripping, so I went over to the Ace hardware store for a fiber washer to tighten up the plug valve stem packing.  I took the rod off the valve stem, removed the packing nut, and slipped the washer on, and retightened the packing nut, and put the rod back on, adjusting the nut as tight as I can but still be able to turn the fuel control.

5-15-99:  I decided to take the tractor over to the gas station to fill the main fuel tank.  started it up and let it warm up for ten minutes, and drove it there, a total of about 2-1/2 miles each way.  There is a small hill on the way, and the engine had to work going up in 6th gear.  Wow, this thing barks!  Temperature stayed OK, no leaks, and all is well.  The transmission makes a little noise, but not too much.  I put it back in the garage head-in, so Pat and I can get started on the power lift this weekend.

Click here to see the road trip.

5-16-99:  Pat came over and we drained the rear end and transmission, which had a gallon of water in it, along with what looks like road tar.  We took the seat, platform, pump and power lift control off.  The rockshaft is stuck in the up position, as we can see the piston is all the way back.  Pat grabbed a 24" pipe wrench and gave the rockshaft a turn, and after giving a good pull, it broke loose.  A 1/2" diameter stream of oil shot out of the passage about ten feet when the piston broke loose.  We both were quite amazed that we did not get any on us, or were standing in the way.  He worked the rockshaft up and down some, and I shot some WD-40 in the cylinder and on the piston. Lots of rust in the bore.

I cleaned the shaft, gears, case and bearing on the pump and put it back on.  We looked in the power lift case and everything looks good, no wear or rust.  I cleaned it with solvent.  I continued turning the rockshaft, and it now works much more smoothly.  I bolted the power lift control back on, oiled the pedal assembly, and got it loose too.  Hooked the link back on, and the ratchet now works inside, and the shaft turns freely against the internal spring.  I think we got it fixed.  We took the shaft seal out of the PTO shield and bearing retainer, and I will get a new one, as this one leaks.

I took the top off of the transmission, and dumped a gallon of solvent in while Pat turned a wheel that we jacked up off the floor an inch or so. As he turned the wheel, I slowly poured it in, hitting all the gears.  What a mess inside.  There was no gasket on the transmission cover, so I need one of these too.  I drained the solvent, poured it in and drained it again.  I can see the red primer inside now, but it still is pretty dirty.  Pat said that he would bring over his solvent sprayer, so that we can get the inside of the case as clean as we can.

5-17-99:  I ordered the oil seal for the PTO shaft from Circle W tractor, along with new top cover gaskets and an oil filter.  Pat brought the sprayer over and I rinsed the cases out, getting a little mud out of the bottom of the crankcase and transmission.

5-18-99:  Carolyn picked the parts up at Circle W, and we went down to Farm and Fleet after work to get transmission oil.  I put the oil filter in, filled the crankcase, power lift and transmission cases with new oil.

5-19-99:  Made a new rear half of the seat platform, as the original one is all rusted out.

5-22-99:  I took the seat platform over to Bill Peak's shop for welding into the old part that is OK.

5-23-99:  The hydraulic pump is still leaking.  I drained the lift oil and removed the pump.  I put a coat of aviation Permatex on the face of the pump where it touches the rear case, and put it back on, refilling with oil.

5-24-99:  The pump still leaks, but not as bad.  I wonder why the parts book does not show any gasket between the pump and cover?

5-29-99:  Carolyn and I went to Brook, Indiana to see some friends who moved there from here a few years ago.  They have a 1949 Ford 8N, that is in pretty good shape, and starts on the first twist of the key.

5-30-99:  Pat came over and we reworked the pump again.  I made a gasket out of wax paper and put it in. It just dripped a few drops in 4 hours.  I think this thing needs a diaper, so I may hook a coffee can under it to catch what comes out when it is parked.  Pat and I removed the brakes, tore them apart and cleaned them up.  The shoes look good, but one drum was loose on the shaft, so we peened the rivets to tighten them up.  Easy-off to the rescue again.  This stuff really works good taking grease and paint off.  Just spray it on, wait and hose it off.  If there is any paint left, a wire brush knocks it off real fast.  I cleaned the transmission case behind the brake drums and repainted with primer and green.  We should get the brakes and the seat back on tomorrow.

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