[Farmall] 1925 M/D 10-20

Tue Nov 8 14:55:40 PST 2005

James Moran wrote:
> As Stephen Stills wrote (CSNY)...."So begins the task,
> etc.".
> This day the first meagher work commenced.  Before
> starting, my neighbor took some digital images of both
> the H-'n-M and the 10-20.  I should be able to pass
> them on to those interested tomorrow, though the exact
> approriate posting procedure is unknown to me at this
> moment.
Send them to me as attachments, and I will post them on my Fotki album 
and you can tell everyone where to find them.

> First, after the "Kodak moment" thing, I removed the
> hood and the ventilated side panels.  This arrangement
> is joined together in four sections with piano-style
> hinges.
> Second, the head cover was removed.  The push rods
> were, basically, free with the exception of the first
> of them (front of the machine).
That is OK, as the camshaft is in the position where the intake and 
exhaust valves are being held open. Not a problem at all.

>  As I mentioned once
> before, I anticipated finding a rodent housing
> project.  Sadly, I was not disappointed.  There was
> what appeared to be quilting material in shreds
> throughout the engine compartment.  Cleaned it off as
> best I was able.  Delightful aroma, may I add. :-)
> Next, the wiring was disconnected from the plugs. 
> BTW, the wires look pretty good, but that is strictly
> external/superficial.
Well, the problem with old spark plug wires, aside from the mice eating 
them, is that the rubber insulation cracks, permitting the spark to arc 
against any metal. I suspect you should think about contacting John 
Brillman about a replacement set (or buying a cheap set from Valu-Bilt 
until you know that the tractor runs).

> The first of the four plugs released with what I would
> describe as a "5" on a "10 scale" of force and effort.
>  The front-most plug....different story.  It was only
> with the aid of a length of pipe around the drive
> handle that it was finally extricated. 
> Tomorrow...hernia doctor.
> Know that the plugs were a bit "wet" which I take as a
> positive.  
VERY positive. As I suspected in my previous note, the rings are 
probably worn, so there was likely a fair amount of oil being pushed 
through the cylinders. You can expect, when you get it running, to see a 
lot of gray smoke. No big deal - I have a couple of tractors that have 
been running that way for years.

> Depite your assurance that, with a strong light, I
> would be able to see down inside, I could not.
I suspect you were looking at a lot of carbon on the inside of the 
cylinders, also not the end of the world - better than rust.

> The ATF mixture was poured in as directed and that was
> that for the day.
> I figure to let is stew for a while and, then, see if
> it frees up at all.  I assume that it may be necessary
> to repeat the "penetrating solution" thing.  Please
> advise as to this.
Yes.
> I looked for a dipstick but one did not jump out at
> me.  How does one check oil levels?
There are two petcocks on the side of the oil pan. The upper one is 
opened and when oil runs out, the level is correct. The lower one is for 
when you run on distillate - the next morning, you are supposed to open 
the lower one and drain off the diluted oil/distillate mix, close it, 
open the top petcock, and add fresh oil. Since you will likely only run 
gasoline, you can ignore the lower petcock. (which is why the starter 
tank cap is so tight - they never used it.)

> I don't know if what I did today qualifies as
> progress, but that is what I did.
I would call that HUGE progress! Congratulations!

Mike
> Hmmm....
> JM
> 
> --- Karl Olmstead <olmstead at ridgenet.net> wrote:
> 
> 
>>James, the plugs require a 15/16 wrench".  Wouldn't
>>hurt to spray a 
>>penetrating oil around the bases, but probably won't
>>be necessary.  You 
>>won't break them off; at worst you might round off
>>the wrench flats if 
>>they're really stuck tight.  You probably don't even
>>need a socket; a box 
>>end wrench will work.  The spark plug holes are so
>>big that it is easy to 
>>shine a flashlight inside and (in the dark) see what
>>the interior of the 
>>cylinder looks like.
>>
>>There might be some rust in the exhaust, but unless
>>you find one or two 
>>cylinders full of water, it is unlikely that any
>>major amount of stuff has 
>>built up in the exhaust manifold.  Generally not a
>>problem.  I usually dump 
>>some diesel fuel mixed with automatic transmission
>>fluid down the exhaust 
>>manifold also; it helps break loose any sticky
>>valves.
>>
>>When you get to the stage where you are attempting
>>to turn over the engine, 
>>remove the rocker arm cover and tap on the valves to
>>make sure that they 
>>aren't stuck.  If you succeed in turning the engine
>>and a valve happens to 
>>be stuck, you'll bend the pushrod or break the
>>rocker arm.
>>
>>Clutches are usually not stuck badly; the rear main
>>seal is just a hunk of 
>>felt, so some oil tends to seep past and ooze out
>>onto the clutch, 
>>preventing serious rust.  The exception to this rule
>>is if a mouse has made 
>>a nest in the clutch housing.  If that happens, the
>>clutch will be a rusted 
>>mess.
>>
>>Operating and service manuals and parts catalogs for
>>a 10-20 are available 
>>from www.binderbooks.com .
>>
>>You can't post pictures on this bulletin board, but
>>you can offer to email 
>>them to interested parties.  Count me in...
>>
>>olmstead at ridgenet.net
>>
>>Or you can put them up on a web page somewhere and
>>tell us where they are. 
>>They'll need to be reduced in size (cropped and
>>shrunk to something like 
>>640x480 pixels) so that guys like me with slow
>>dial-up connections can stand 
>>to download the pictures.  Thanks for taking the
>>time to show them to us!
>>
>>-Karl (in Ridgecrest, CA, middle of Mojave Desert)
>>
>>
>>------------------
>>
>>>KO-
>>>Tomorrow I am going to borrow a digital camera
>>
>>from a
>>
>>>neighbor and take some shots of the tractor and
>>>H-'n-M.  I am an idiot, of course, so that same
>>
>>fellow
>>
>>>will, hopefully, help me "post" them, if that is
>>
>>the
>>
>>>correct term.
>>>While there, I will make the first attempt to
>>
>>remedy
>>
>>>the M/D.  I don't know what socket size the plugs
>>>are...I would imagine 7/8, but I don't know for
>>
>>sure.
>>
>>>IYO...how readily will the plugs cut loose? 
>>
>>Should I
>>
>>>be concerned about putting too much behind the
>>
>>effort
>>
>>>and break them off at the neck?  Should I spray
>>>something alone the lines of WD-40 on them before
>>>taking the shot?  Clearly, I don't want to do MORE
>>>damage in the attempt to fix it!  What about the
>>>exhaust?  Will there likely be a "rats nest" of
>>
>>crap
>>
>>>inside of it?  Do you feel that the clutch plate
>>
>>is
>>
>>>rusted tight?  Any time you could dedicate to
>>
>>guiding
>>
>>>me would be OK with me, naturally.
>>>Where do you live, by the way?
>>>JM
>>>
>>>--- Karl Olmstead <olmstead at ridgenet.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>James, remove the sparkplugs from your 10-20, and
>>>>wait for nightfall.  Take
>>>>a powerful flashlight out with you, and shine it
>>>>into the sparkplug holes.
>>>>You should be able to see the opposite cylinder
>>>>wall.  It wouldn't be
>>>>surprising to find three good cylinders and one
>>>>rusty one.  That'll be the
>>>>stuck piston, and you will be able to see just
>>
>>how
>>
>>>>much rust has
>>>>accumulated.
>>>>
>>>>While you're at it, squirt some oil, ATF or
>>>>penetrating oil in each
>>>>cylinder, put the plugs back in, and let the
>>
>>engine
>>
>>>>set for a few days
>>>>before you try unsticking it.
>>>>
>>>>The rules are different for old tractors vs.
>>
>>antique
>>
>>>>cars.  In general, no
>>>>judging takes place at tractor shows, so the
>>>>atmosphere is much less
>>>>competitive than it is at car shows.  A tractor
>>
>>with
>>
>>>>all its original decals
>>>>in place on old paint is looked upon as a
>>
>>historical
>>
>>>>treasure, not an old
>>>>tractor with ugly paint.
>>>>
>>>>-Karl
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>Farmall mailing list
>>>>
>>>
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/farmall
> 
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>__________________________________
>>>Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in
>>
>>one click.
>>
>>>http://farechase.yahoo.com
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Farmall mailing list
>>>
>>
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/farmall
> 
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Farmall mailing list
>>
> 
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/farmall
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 	
> 		
> __________________________________ 
> Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 
> http://mail.yahoo.com
> _______________________________________________
> Farmall mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/farmall
> 
> 

-- 
Mike Sloane
Allamuchy NJ
mikesloane at verizon.net
Website: <www.geocities.com/mikesloane>
Images: <www.fotki.com/mikesloane>

Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a
free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough. -Franklin 
D. Roosevelt, 32nd US President (1882-1945)

-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.8/163 - Release Date: 11/8/2005