[AT] Status Quo Maintenance?

Thu Oct 5 11:59:29 PDT 2006

I agree with Frank on 99% of his comments. I would, however, expand on a 
couple of comments:

If you are going to start an engine that hasn't been run in a while, it 
helps if you can crank it over a little with having it fire to get some 
oil pumped into the bearings before you put any strain on them. Second, 
when you do start the machine, run it long and hard - maybe half an hour 
and maybe with the radiator partially blocked. The reason for this is 
that an engine that has been sitting picks up condensation in the oil, 
and also gas washing down from the cylinders when cold. By running it 
for a while and getting it up to temperature, you boil off the 
accumulated water and gas. It will also get the moisture (and mouse 
nests) out of the exhaust (especially if you have a Ford N or other 
"industrial" tractor with a horizontal exhaust system and manifold.

As for the rest, "dirty" oil is a meaningless term with today's 
detergent oils - they get "dirty" almost immediately after changing, 
especially in older engines that may have lots of sludge and dirt 
inside. So using the color of the oil is not an effective way to judge 
when to change is. Frankly, modern engine oils can run far, far longer 
between changes than those available when most of our tractors were 
built. For a tractor that gets used for only mowing some acreage once a 
week during the growing season, you can probable go two years between 
oil/filter changes with no problem. A true working tractor that is 
running some real hours on the meter needs to be changed more often. If 
you are running a tractor hard all day, every day of the week, then 
changing the oil and filter every couple of weeks would not be a bad idea.

The best thing you can do for batteries is remove them from idle 
tractors and keep them in a reasonably warm place - letting them sit and 
letting them get frozen are two things very bad for them.

Mike

Francis Robinson wrote:
> 	You have to remember that to most here this old tractor stuff is a hobby...
> It has been mostly hobby for me in recent years and more so now that I have
> retired from the grain farming (just isn't fun anymore). For most of my life
> it was all for income. Now as you start getting answers in you must remember
> that most of those answers come from hobbyist. Hobbyist are mostly into
> hobbies to use up time and find ways to spend time (and money) on their
> hobbies. I have observed that most hobby magazine projects are based on
> consuming time rather than efficiency.   :)   Some woodworkers would cut
> down a giant redwood to make a toothpick if they could.
> I started using a tractor in the fields alone at age nine. I will be 65 next
> spring. During that time we always had more than one tractor and they all
> had to work hard. In more recent years (the last 40) we kept a batch of them
> going but since we quit livestock (mostly hogs) most of them sat during the
> winter months. My Deere 4020 for example got used in the spring for primary
> tillage and pulling a 24' field cultivator. It was very efficient at such
> jobs but not at light work. During most years it sits most of the year. The
> combine was also seasonal. We do try to keep everybody under roof as much as
> possible.
> 	Batteries are a bit of a problem. All I do with them is keep the terminals
> cleaned and greased and on the 12 volt ones I use float chargers, rotating
> them (2) around. On the 6 volt ones I try to put a 1 amp trickle charger on
> them for a day or two a couple of times a year. Beyond that you just have to
> buy a battery now and then.
> 	I change oil when it gets dirty... period. If it gets dirty in a couple of
> months I change it. If it sits most of the time and stays clean for 3 years
> then it stays in the tractors... I always change oil and filters together.
> 	I change very little rear end lube now that they don't get a lot of hours.
> I did need to get some water out of the Farmall Super MTA this fall. I let
> it sit about a week then drained about a gallon out of each drain plug and
> topped it off with new lube.
> 	Now about this radiator stuff... With all of the tractors I now own, all of
> the tractors I used to own and all of the tractors I grew up with we "NEVER"
> had a radiator on a tractor corroding inside and needing replacement.
> NEVER... Not one. Antifreeze was mostly just left in  and added to as
> needed. Now on cars and trucks I have replaced several radiators from salt
> damage (makes them spongy and they cant even be soldered). Even then I have
> "NEVER" had a radiator corrode from the inside... If others are having this
> problem I have no idea why unless it is bad local water. I have also often
> used tractors on water only and drained them in cold weather. Again,  never
> a problem.
> 	Fuel... If I am not going to be using a tractor for some time I run it in
> under roof and shut the gas off and let it run a minute then  shut the
> engine off. The next step is to walk away...   :)   I have tried a little
> stabil (sp?) but frankly I could never tell a difference. While the newer
> fuels do have their problems I don't believe they "gum" as bad as the old
> fuels and do a better job of self cleaning when fresh fuel is introduced. I
> just don't generally find it to be a problem. As for fuel tanks I do buy
> stuff like "Heet" etc. and use it now and then all year. About once a year
> if I am going to be using one I like a bottle of Gumout in the tank. If I am
> going to work one really hard and long I like a few ounces of something like
> Marvel Mystery Oil or even some two cycle oil added to the gas (about 200 to
> 1 or less). It may not make a bit of difference, I just feel good about it.
> :)
> 	I do agree with your neighbor about running them but only if you can run
> them long enough to get them warmed up. One of the reasons I tend to walk a
> lot more on the farm is that I do not like to start a cold engine and drive
> it 1,000 feet and shut it off cold.
> 
> 	The above is the normal procedure here and has been for over 5 decades. It
> works in spite of what the worry warts say and many will say (as they have
> in the past) that I am all wrong but I don't really care. I know better from
> real world experience. It works...
> 	The only real bad problem I have had develop was when I had to leave one
> out all winter and I didn't notice the cover had blown off of the exhaust
> and it messed up a sleeve. Do cover the exhaust if it sits out and tie the
> cover down so it can't blow off.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Francis Robinson quote: "People that throw out trash while driving are
> trash..."
> 
> "farmer"
> 
> Francis Robinson
> Central Indiana, USA
> robinson at svs.net
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> ?
> 
> Hello All...
> 
> As many of you have found the tractor bug can hit you and before you know it
> you have multiple tractors... I have mostly Allis, WD, WC, C, D17, HD6G, G.
> I find myself getting overwhelmed by the maintenance required to keep my
> stable of tractors at status Quo...
> 
> It seems like everytime I turn around I am replacing a battery. Or, a
> tractor needs an oil change. I am also concerned about anti freeze aging and
> corroding the expensive recored radiators... Oil changes, just when its
> dirty now...? Or, if I havn't started one for a while the fuel has gelled.
> What about water condensing in the castings or the tanks...
> 
> I was wondering if some of you that have multiple tractors could share your
> procedures (if you have any)  that keep your tractors fresh with little
> effort. For instance, my neighbor is an X merchant marine, he feels that
> every engine should be started at least once a month as he did on his ships.
> Should I just add staybill to every tank of gas I fill up as a precaution,
> and how long will it last? Is there a staybill for antifreeze?
> 
> Maybe I just need to reduce my tractor count, though I would rather just do
> what it takes to preserve them. I wonder how antique automible collectors do
> it?
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Will Powell
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> 
> 

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

Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition
of this is the beginning of wisdom.
-Theodore Rubin, psychiatrist and writer (1923- )

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