Older Tractor痴 and Retaining HP

[dieselscout80]

How well do older tractor’s retaining their HP?

I have old IH 424 diesel tractor from the 60s that’s rated for 36.97 PTO HP.
TractorData.com International Harvester 424 tractor information

It still runs good, but I don’t have a reference to know if it’s still producing it’s rated power.

Any ideas on what to factor for HP loss?

 

[LouNY]

If it's running good without excessive smoke and doing the work you ask it to must be all right.
If you really want some numbers call up your old line dealers and see who has a PTO dyno and have them
come and test your tractor, they could check your pump pressure and timing run the dyno test maybe even tweak it up a bit.

 

[airbiscuit]

Hook a 3 bottom plow on it.

 

[dieselscout80]

Hook a 3 bottom plow on it.

The plow is a idea, but I don't have one and I doubt I'd get a 3 bottom for our heavy clay.

 

[jeff9366]

If you determine current horsepower accurately it will tell you nothing about pressure decrease in hydraulic cylinders do to wear, nor increased pivot pin friction.

 

[ericm979]

There are PTO dynamometers. Some tractor dealers have them. You could find one and run yours on it. But without an as new (or just broken in) run you only have the spec to compare with. Actual values can differ due to production tolerances, not to mention purposeful inflation or deflation of the rated number.