[AT] Super A engine jams when hand cranking

[charlie hill]

Al,  pull the spark plugs and crank it over a few times and see if it still 
jams up.  Also watch to see what might fly out of the plug holes.  Before 
you do that pull the valve cover off and while you crank look to see if a 
valve is sticking open.  Have you seen any sign of water in the oil or oil 
in the water?

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Al Jones
Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 1:48 AM
To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com ; farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: [AT] Super A engine jams when hand cranking

Had some time to work on "Ol Whitey," my white demo Super A 
yesterday...finally got the mag hot, (long story) and decided it was time to 
try to start it. Rigged up a pony gas tank, and after a few pulls of the 
crank, it did "hit" a time or two, which got my hopes way up. After a couple 
more trys, it suddenly became impossible to turn the engine with the crank. 
I was able to turn the engine backward by pulling on the fan blades, and it 
released and seemed ok but after a couple more trys it did it again, and I 
couldn't get it to turn loose. So I decided to call it a night.

I've hand cranked this engine a number of times and it has never shown any 
problem like this.

Any ideas what's binding it? I pulled the starter off just to make sure it 
wasn't jamming the flywheel (although I don't see why it would since I was 
hand cranking it.) No change. Though I have been around Super A's all my 
life, I'm not much of a mechanic, but my notion is there's an issue in the 
timing gears. Of course, those "hoofbeats I hear may not be zebras." In 
other words, it may not be that exotic of a problem. What else should I look 
for? I had high hopes of being able to hear it run before I did more 
extensive engine work, but that possibility appears to be fading fast...

Al


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