Continuing saga and questions from the anti-mechanic...MarlinSlayer's NAA

MarlinSlayer · May 23, 2015

I am not anti-mechanic, but I'm just not a guy I would consider a gear head, but rapidly learning. I have some questions:

1: I want to do a screw on oil filter conversion. The tractor has a canister which is a pain in the butt because some previous owner had a preference for vise grips I guess and rounded off the big bolt that goes down the center with the valve in it. Is this a no-brainer? Should I do it...or are there problems associated with it. Anyone have a part number I can order?

2. Water jacket has a slight leak by drain cock...between there and the ring around the oil filter. No leaks around freeze plugs....it was JB welded, I think, but that flaked off and steam was slowly exiting from tiny crack and bubbles condensing and slowly dripping down motor. Panicked thinking (That's it...engine done)...till I did some interesearch. Found out not too uncommon. Obviously if I was doing a teardown, I might consider getting it stitched....this is 3/8 inch long max....thinking about something like IRONTITE...ceramic leak sealer....any inputs. I think that's the only problem. I haven't drained oil yet, but oil looked pretty decent when I pulled filter to get starter out/in.

3. Water Temp held constant when I let her run at PTO speed for an hour while I farted around. That's when steam started trying to leak out crack. Gage showed 220...and stayed there....I don't know how accurate gauge is.....
Don't know how hot they are supposed to get. Throttled it down and slowly let it cool. Oil Pressure from crappy oil line and old pressure gage showed about 50 psi. Needles showed about 2/3 scale for both gauges so I figured these were appropriate numbers.

Engine had a slight tapping noise. To remind you....all four cylinders had dry compression numbers between 135, 140, 137, and 140. Is that maybe a tappet out of spec...how easy is that to fix. I will upload a video. Should I dump this and get the Kubota with a bucket? Something about this old tractor that I like.......like me...old and fugly.:dance1:

japody · May 23, 2015

The screw on conversion is real easy. Took me less than 5 minutes. Well worth it because the canister was a PITA. Sorry I don't have a part number.

Soundguy · May 26, 2015

the canister is only a PITA if you can't lay an oring on with grease, or don't clean up flanges... that said, the conversion plate is not hard to install. just a new center nub, plate nad oring.

again. if you don't know how to clean a flange, your conversion plate will leak!

On the leak.. lets see the crack.

any oil / water involvement? or external leak only?

tapping could well be valvetrain.

is it oiling up top and adjusted?

MarlinSlayer · May 26, 2015

Soundguy said:
the canister is only a PITA if you can't lay an oring on with grease, or don't clean up flanges... that said, the conversion plate is not hard to install. just a new center nub, plate nad oring.

again. if you don't know how to clean a flange, your conversion plate will leak!

On the leak.. lets see the crack.

any oil / water involvement? or external leak only?

tapping could well be valvetrain.

is it oiling up top and adjusted?

Ok Soundguy...YOu're going to turn me into a Tractor Mechanic yet. I simply want to replace Canister because the center bolt that holds it on is all buggered up because some PO liked to use vise grips and rounded it off. Figure that new part costs the same as a screw on conversion.
Is one product better than others? Is there a "goto" conversion, or whatever is sold by Yesterdays tractors, F/NH, or Steiner?

Placed a screwdriver up against Valve cover and sounds like tapping coming in neighborhood of Number three cylinder on right hand side. With good compression, that could just be something that needs adjustment.

Couldn't get it to crank again....pushbutton backup 6 v solenoid (Didn't know there was a pushbutton) and the 12v conversion was all messed up (Surprise). Sometimes solenoid would work, sometimes not. Took it out and hooked it up to 12v battery charger and could only get it to throw eight out of ten times. When it did throw, it would drag battery charger down to 9v drawing 5 amps and put that out the other side. i do know that these solenoids will output as low as 9v to keep the starter cranking when batt gets drawn down....but I didnt expect that kind of draw with nothing hooked up to output side of solenoid.....figured its broke. Gonna replace with Napa ST-56 Isolated solenoid.

After sketching my own electrical system and comparing it to the guy from MyFordTractors.com where he gives out schematics
I found the following things:

First off, that "Charging Button" was wired from the #1 Post of the Alternator (I'm assuming 10SI-Says Delco-Remy and has a Bat and terminal 1 and 2)to the top (small post) on the 6v three post solenoid where the wire for the grounding Starter switch is wired (Weird- that might explain the poor performance of the solenoid). #2 terminal went to the ACC post of the three post ignition switch. Terminal block is broken off and the three post ignition keyed switch is used as a terminal block. I have a Motorcraft 12 Coil that says Use with external resister. Indeed, from the ignition switch it goes to something I can only imagine is a resistor. (ceramic, two terminals, roundish) From ignition switch goes to this resistor....then from other terminal on to coil. I have no problem with spark, so I figure its right.

I have no clue on the Ohms...and from what I understand, that changes with heat correct? Anyway. If/When the coil goes, I'll just go get the coil from Napa that doesn't need and external resistor.
I plan on rewiring this correctly, but there is so much to do and check and I am so unskilled, I'm just going to cobble it back together schematically correct and worry about a new wiring harness once I checked the water system.

For now, I will take the #2 terminal on Alt and jump to Bat terminal, and take the #1 and install the resistor (I imagine you just solder the resistor in place and cover with heat shrink and take it back to the Bat Terminal)

Got the Tins off surprisingly easily as there were a lot of bolts missing. Left hood, right hood, cover, hinges, and nosepiece all look good. Rusty dirty and need paint. Dogleg on left side is destroyed. Local guy here has lots of dead tractors....collects the doglegs. Are they brazeded on or spot welded. I've never brazed but have soldered...I have a torch and I can learn.....Can someone describe the process?

So first, I will get it to start by fixing the wiring (Complete proper re-wire later)
Then I will ascertain that the ugly radiator is working and the water pump is working.
Then I will run irontite through the system using the three step process after applying some jbweld to the crack. I might gently stop drill end of crack on surface. (I'll try to get a picture)

Then I'll try to adjust valve train to get rid of the tap

provided that works, I'll yank gas tank and either clean and seal or replace, then consider replacing radiator and thermostat.

All that because I wanted to bring it home to install starter and give it a brake job. Also steering spindles look like they need new bushings on the vertical tubs....right side has some movement.

I'm becoming a mechanic whether I like it or not. At least in the end, I'll know the tractor.

Soundguy · May 27, 2015

wow.. horrid wireing.

On a 3 post solenoid, the small post is HOT ALL the time the battery is hooked up.. thus, tab 1 on the alt is HOT all the time, meaning it will kill the battery.

Tab 2 on the alt ALWAYS needs to see bat voltage ref any time the tractor is running. putting #2 on accy is not a great option.

#1 needs to be on accy, and #2 needs to loop to the charge stud on the alt.

a solenoid that won't always throw needs to be replaced.

Make sure you get an isolated base style.

As for the oil canister? why not just fix the bolt head flats with a file so a wrench fits.. or tack a new nut onto it for new flats...

MarlinSlayer · Jun 2, 2015

Well I got the thing running reliably...so it was time to take it apart again. Biggest problem was ground issues.....when I mounted the new solenoid. Also the positive battery cable was atrocious on the inside. 10 minutes of polishing with sandpaper did the trick. I reused old wires, but put new connectors on them to temporarily fix the 12 v conversion. When I paint the tractor, I'll completely rewire in a workmanlike manner.

I've cleaned a 1/4 inch of sludge off this tractor....I thought the tank might be leaking because the tractor always smells of gas....and I always seem to have to fill it up after it sits a while. It almost looks like someone poured oil from the top down and then bushhogged in a dust bowl. after 20 minutes of cleaning, I got the tank to this. Can't see where gas might be coming off, but found this weld.... (tell me this is a repair and not oe). SoundGuy, you told me to get a new tank....and I'm all for it, but I can't see where it's leaking from and I am loath to spend $200 on a new tank just for Aesthetics......but if you tell me this is a goner, then I'll get a new tank.

I'm already planning on a new radiator and shroud. Shroud was missing on this, and radiator holds well, but really kind of beat. There was no thermostat in the housing, and the water pump looks good (other than the backing plate which will need some jb weld...hopefully I can buy new gaskets...(Soundguy do you have a part number?)

I dropped the oil plug and there was no water whatsoever in the oil....looked pretty clean. Anti-freeze was bright green with no oil....so I think I will just do a ceramic sealer to plug the little crack in the jacket between the freeze plug and the water drain stop cock.

Here is a pic of the tank.....would you replace?

Here is a idea of the goo all over the engine.

Maybe this breather was spraying everything?

Soundguy · Jun 4, 2015

goo is pretty common.. I've seen much, much, much worse.

That is a braze.. not a weld.. and if it is brazed.. it was brazed for a reason!

Front tank seam also is a common leak point, and under those mounting rails it will crack..

MarlinSlayer · Jun 4, 2015

Yeah....I knew it was brazed (embarrassing....since it's brass...) the bead made me think of a weld.....speaking of brazing....when I do get a new dogleg....do I fit it in place then braze it. (I've never done it but I've sweated a lot of pipe. Can you do it with a blue torch, or do I need some acetylene? right now, the port side dogleg is destroyed at the lower end where it bolts in. The PO just tucked some of the ragged metal under the bolt. Since I'm going to do some aggressive hogging in the near future, I plan on just pop riveting a bracket to the bottom of the dogleg to have something to bolt through..no sense getting a new one since I'll probably try to put a stump through it at some point. When I get my farm a little more under control....I'll spring for the new dogleg and plus up the tins. I guess you're telling me to get a new tank.

Soundguy · Jun 4, 2015

A blue torch won't braze for you, but will do some hard and soft solder. I'd bolt the new dogleg in myself.

For the old one temp, maybee rivit on some roofing tin or something to get you going.

A cheaper alternative to a new tank is ti clean and line your old one. Por15 and similar coatings.. Pour in, roll around. Protect tank tap threads with a plug. These coatings will seal weeping cracks and pinholes