Looking for some info/advice on a tractor I Inherited (Massey Harris)

[mogwild]

YouTube - 1946 Massey Harris first start.AVI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yflxEfKL4S0

 

[beenthere]

I wouldn't try starting it before draining the old fuel and putting in fresh. And cleaning the carb would be a good place to start, as well as at least cleaning the plugs or putting new plugs in. Be sure when draining the fuel that it runs freely to the carburetor.

 

[dcyrilc]

That's awsome!:thumbsup:

Keep us posted on how the tank cleaning goes.

 

[mogwild]

I wouldn't try starting it before draining the old fuel and putting in fresh. And cleaning the carb would be a good place to start, as well as at least cleaning the plugs or putting new plugs in. Be sure when draining the fuel that it runs freely to the carburetor.

Oops

Well...er...it runs!

 

[dcyrilc]

Oops

Well...er...it runs!

Right or wrong, I would have been right there with you doing the same thing.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Awesome for sure. We now have the FIL 265 MF and one BIL has the 30 MF. You will have a lot of fun with that MH for sure.

 

[mogwild]

Tank drained, no rust or sedement at all, inside of the tank looks brand new!

Turns out, the inlet spigot sticks up about an inch inside the tank. While there was fuel in there, it was under the level of the spigot! Which is good, because none of the nasty old fuel got sucked in.

I replaced everything, put fresh clean fuel in, and gave it a test run. Drives great, occasional sputter (tune up soon as I can find parts) but it goes under its own power. Actually I was trying to figure out the gear pattern and found 4th gear, that little thing moves! All four forward gears and reverse go good. I actually couldn't get it to go into gear until I moved a large (1/2 to 3/4 inch thick) bar forward (see attached pic's) Oh, my apologies about the bird crap, it was in a pole shed the last 15-20 years

Gear just grinded until I moved it forward, then it went into any gear silky smooth. Any idea what the heck that bar is?

Here's the first run:

YouTube - Massey Harris First Drive.AVI

YouTube - Massey Harris First Drive 2.AVI

A yellow jacket landed on my wifes hand, so she dropped the camera

YouTube - Massey Harris First Drive 3.AVI

Now to find it a dedicated battery, replace the fluids (any advice on that would be much much welcome) Do a tune up, replace the fuel bowl gasket (its dried out) and I'll be set!

 

[mogwild]

Dang,

Figured out why it was sputtering, the carburetor appears to be leaking fuel out the bottom (stopped now that I turned the fuel supply off) I seem to remember now my Father-in-law mentioning that "was the only thing wrong with the tractor" and he never managed to get it fixed...guess its my job now.

So I'll have to ask around town and see if there's any vintage tractor familiar mechanics.

-Trev

 

[dcyrilc]

Dang,

Figured out why it was sputtering, the carburetor appears to be leaking fuel out the bottom (stopped now that I turned the fuel supply off) I seem to remember now my Father-in-law mentioning that "was the only thing wrong with the tractor" and he never managed to get it fixed...guess its my job now.

So I'll have to ask around town and see if there's any vintage tractor familiar mechanics.

-Trev

Seems like an odd place for a leak. Looks like it's comming from that thicker section. I wonder if there could be a drain screw missing from under the float bowl.

 

[mogwild]

There's defiantly a whole in the bottom of that manifold, it's tiny, and appears to not be threaded, but looks like a brass insert is in there, maybe its actually a drain? to prevent flooding?