[Farmall] Setback on '40 Farmall A

[Howard Weeks]

I just brought a basket case A back from Texas a few days back.  Plan 
to refurbish it.  Believe it is a 46 model.  Needs a new head (old 
one was cracked) and possibly a crankshaft.  I have both parts left 
over from stuff I accumulated to restore a 44 A that I have.

I enjoy working on them but cleaning rust and paint prep is pure 
"labor"!  

The previous owner tore the motor down to free the frozen pistons.  
When he found the cracked head, he gave the tractor to me;} 

My main reason for bringing all this up is to comment that every 
Farmall that I have redone was stuck to begin with.  I completely 
disassembled each of them to check conditions inside the motor.  In 
all cases, I was extremely glad that I did. A Super C and the A 
engine had so much dirt, scale and rust inside the water jacket on 
the block that the rear cylinder cooling space was almost completely 
full of the crud.  #3 was also partially covered.  Those cylinders 
would never have cooled properly.  I have found main and rod caps 
that were reversed.  Cam shafts that were installed out of time 
relative to the crank.  And oil pumps that were barely functional due 
to wear or warping on the bottom cover plate.  Governors that were so 
rusty they couldn't possibly work properly.  

I have gotten so paranoid that I will tear down a "new to me" engine 
that is running just to determine (for sure) what is what in that 
engine.  

Howard in GA

On 17 Jan 2010 at 11:51, Al Jones wrote:

> I went to Agri Supply yesterday and got a gallon can of PB Blaster to
> put in the cylinders on my '40 A I drug home last weekend. I just got
> back from filling the cylinders so they could soak. #1 didn't look too
> bad in there. I was filled with cautious optimism. #2 you could see
> water inside. Dang. I stuck my funnel in the plug hole and put about
> half the can of PB in there to try and flush out the water.
> 
> The other cylinders didn't look too bad. They're all full of PB now. I
> was so hoping that maybe the rings were just stuck a little bit, but I
> am afraid #2 is in pretty bad shape. Gonna let her soak a while and
> see what happens. I am afraid I'll be putting new sleeves and pistons
> in before it runs.
> 
> I have aspirations of making this one run again "ALL BY MYSELF." 
> Hopefully I'm not getting in too deep.....
> 
> 
> 
> Al Jones
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Farmall mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/farmall


Howard Weeks
Harlem, GA 
K5JCP