[AT] Mustang stuff

[Spencer Yost]

Just a quick update on the Mustang:

First let me give my stated goal for this tractor:  I want to get it running well.   I am not looking for perfection here.   There is a possibility that I may sell this tractor soon because my daughter starts college in the fall $!$!$!$!$!   Anyways, as the old timers on this list know - I hate just buying and selling tractors, even if I keep them for years.   I want to add value before I pass them on.   Getting the tractor running well is how I wanted to add value to this tractor.

By the way, the engine is getting a refurb, not a true rebuild or remanufacture.   Lots of reasons why, but the engine being in excellent original condition is the main one.   Original bore diameter and a bore variance that was less the .004" is example of how little this tractor was ever used.   No wear on the pedals or PTO either....   The mouse caused some rust in the cylinder ports, and on the guides, valve stems that were exposed in the ports.  But none in the cylinders.  Sharp tall cam lobes, good bearing clearances are more indications what great shape the engine was in - If I could just get the valves and the pistons out.

On with the update:   

The last two valves gave up the ghost last week.  I pressed the guides out afterwards.

Next was the pistons.  Since this is refurb, I wanted to leave the front cover on, the camshaft and crankshaft in place and the engine installed. This would make removing stuck pistons lots of fun but I had done it before and I disconnected the rod bearing caps with high hopes.  The cylinders have been soaking _for_years_ so I figured I was good to go.  

Wrong.

I tried my usual tricks like placing a steel rod with a rounded end up beside the connecting rod and against the bottom of the top of the piston then placing a shop jack under the rod and then jacking up the tractor so the weight of the tractor is on the piston.   One piston gave pronto, the other after just an hour or so having the weight of the tractor on it.  These two pistons showed galvanic corrosion rather than rust and the bores therefore were not badly rusted.

I let the tractor sit on the other two pistons, alternately, for three days.    No budging.   Air chisel on the on a wood disk placed on top of the piston,  some moderate beating (wanted to be easy on the rod bearings and pin bushing), and lots of different kind of soaking juice.   Since the two stuck pistons were on opposite strokes of the crank, there was no removing the rod bearing caps and just turning the crankshaft out of the way so I could beat from above.

These two were stuck good and so was I.

I figured after years of soaking, if they weren't going to give, they just weren't going to give.   I just broke the last two out  by busting the tops out from below  )-;   I always hate doing that, but what are you gonna to do?   If years of soaking don't work, will a decade?  If two thousand pounds from below don't do, can I place a couple thousand more on top of the engine?   If I do all this work, and I still have to bust one out then I still have to buy a whole balanced set of pistons anyways.  I gave waiting and soaking the old college try but since I would like to rebuild this sometime before I get sent to the raisin ranch, I just busted them out.

So, there is still a lot of work to do while waiting on parts:  I will be cleaning up the engine, there is a stuck brake I need to fix, carb rebuild, etc.  Over the years I picked up parts for this tractor from Portland and other shows.   I will be putting them in.   A new shifter, new lights and brackets, and more.

More later....

Spencer