[Ford-ferguson] Air cleaner problem - Ford 860

[Mike Sloane]

We got a good deal of snow the other day here in NJ. After clearing my 
two mile private lane and several driveways with the truck, I decided to 
do some cleaning up with the rear mounted blade on the Ford 860. I have 
weighted tire with chains on them, and a canvas weather cab, so there is 
little that can stop the tractor. Except when it won't start.

I pulled out the choke and hit the starter, and the engine tried to 
start but wouldn't fire on more than one cylinder and then quit. After 
doing a little thinking and remembering, I removed the oil bath air 
cleaner bowl, and it was filled to the top with ice. With the bowl off, 
the engine started and ran just fine, and I was able to do a very nice 
job on the snow that that the truck plow missed and was able to push 
back the drifts along the side that I couldn't get to with the truck's 
narrower blade. Image of the tractor, decked out in its "winter clothes" 
can be seen at: 
<http://public.fotki.com/mikesloane/other_machinery/fordcab2.html>

So my question is: has anyone else had a problem like that with their 
tractors? And, if so, what do they do about it?

This is the only tractor I have (with an oil bath air cleaner) that 
seems to fill up the bowl with water/ice. (This seems to happen to the 
860 almost every winter.) The tractor sits outdoors but under a fabric 
shelter, so it isn't getting rain or snow on it, and there is no sign of 
moisture anywhere else. I don't mind running without an air cleaner 
cleaning snow - the air is completely clean. The easy solution is to 
just remove the bowl and keep it inside the barn until I am ready to use 
the tractor, but I would like to find something less awkward.

Mike