[AT] winter projects?

[Mike Sloane]

And a Happy Thanksgiving to all from me also.

I don't have any "restoration" projects in hand - all my projects are 
centered around getting machines running properly.

While using the Farmall 560 diesel 
<http://public.fotki.com/mikesloane/farmall_560_tractor/> to power my 
backup generator during our freak snow storm in October, I blew the 
"hydraulic manifold" assembly - a combination of 1" hose brazed to a 
1/2" hard line with a casting that bolts to the hydraulic pump. I was 
able to get a replacement from Case IH, but meanwhile I realized that 
both of the (8 year old) batteries were no longer up to the task of 
starting the engine - I had to jump start the engine from the truck. I 
bought the replacement batteries and will likely put them in today or 
Friday. I also replaced the shut-off cable that had rusted solid and 
replaced the several gallons of hydraulic fluid that had sprayed out of 
the burst hose (all over the tractor and the front lawn!). So at least 
that tractor will be functional.

The Farmall 340 row crop 
<http://public.fotki.com/mikesloane/farmall_340/> has mysteriously 
developed a failure to start. It was running fine, but now won't even 
"pop". It turns over find, has good spark, and I rebuilt the carburetor 
twice. It won't even run on my favorite starting fluid: "2+2 Gum 
Cutter". I am going to try to do a compression check or leak down test 
over the weekend to see if I might have a valve or even a cam problem.

Then there is the old Ford 2N 
<http://public.fotki.com/mikesloane/1946_ford_2n/> that I restored a few 
years back. I guess I thought I had put anti-freeze in the cooling 
system, but it appears I was mistaken - when I pulled the cover off a 
few weeks ago, I saw that one of the freeze plugs on the block was gone. 
It is has been sitting covered in my neighbor's barn, and last winter 
was not severe, so I am hoping that the radiator and block are OK.

Finally, the International 184 LoBoy 
<http://public.fotki.com/mikesloane/international_184/#media> is driving 
me nuts - it starts and runs just fine for about 30-40 minutes, then it 
quickly looses power and finally just quits. It will start up fine after 
sitting for a couple of hours. Like the 340, it turns right over, has 
good spark, and the carburetor is fine. I thought it might be vapor lock 
due to the fuel line running very close to the exhaust manifold and 
re-routed it, but that didn't help. I have heard from a few other 184 
owners with similar problems, so I have a feeling that it might be fuel 
related. Someone suggested changing the ignition advance from 16° to 8° 
to better handle the E-10 fuel, and I may try that - if it doesn't help, 
it hasn't cost me anything to try.

I will turn 70 in 2012, and I have decided that it is time to "thin the 
herd" - I have several tractors that are in essentially good mechanical 
shape, but I haven't used them in years. So I will likely be trying to 
sell them in the Spring. There is the Farmall Super M, a '64 Farmall Cub 
Lo-boy with Woods mower, a '65 Cub with IH C-3 mower, and the Ford 2N. 
But first I have to clean them up, put batteries in them, and get them 
running. So those will be my '12 "restoration" projects.

Mike

On 11/24/2011 8:15 AM, john hall wrote:
> First off let me wish all list members a Happy Thanksgiving.
>
> I haven't seen hardly any posts the last month or so, kind of figured
> everyone has been too busy getting ready for winter. Maybe everyone
> is getting caught up enough to share what type of projects they have
> for the winter. Possibly someone has a real restoration project in
> the shop?
>