[AT] Tractor Tale

toma at risingnet.net toma at risingnet.net
Fri Jan 27 09:25:54 PST 2017


This reminds me of what I went through with a 5J D2 that I bought at 
Arthur Bright's auction back in '86. The pony had never been a good 
starter and it had spent a lot of its life with me parked on a hill or 
pull started. Finally it developed a 1 cylinder miss and I put it in the 
garage and tore into it. Thinking it was a valve I pulled the intake 
manifold off of it and a head (easy part), everything looked good. I 
noticed a black streak on the cylinder bore so I pulled the piston 
thinking it was a cracked ring. It looked real good, no perceptable wear 
even. Not wanting to put a piston back in that had the rings disturbed I 
ordered new rings and gaskets.

Then it sat there collecting dust for maybe 5 years or more, not sure. 
Meanwhile we had bout the ranch in Mariposa County and I was not there 
full time anymore.

Finally I had to force myself to get it back together. I had not found 
anything wrong but figured if I put it together at least I could pull 
start it.

I got it together and pulled it out of the garage and found it would not 
turn over. The diesel was free but it would come up against a dead stop. 
Further investigation found that a mouse had built a nest in one cylinder 
entering through an open valve. I got it out by setting up a shop vac to 
blow through the intake valve and bumping the exaust valve.

I got the diesel started and it was ok. Unfortunately the pony still had 
the solid 1 cylinder miss. I eventually solved that by simply cleaning the 
carburetor.

Now it is the best starting most dependable tractor I have. It starts with 
one wrap of the rope almost every times. Every time I think about all 
that 
down time and the loss of use of that tractor it makes me sick. I have 
learned a lesson. I no longer will tear anything apart becouse I am afraid 
I will never get it back together again.

Tom




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