MM BF restoration-more progress

[irvingj]

QUOTE: "I made two studs for installing the flywheel by cutting the heads off long bolts"

What a clever idea! Not sure why, but that never ocurred to me before... I can think of several situations where that technique would come in handy. :thumbsup:

(I'm thinking I've been out of the wrenching business too long...)

Thanks for the update!

 

[MikesTractor]

Nice work. I love seeing these old tractors brought back to life. That thing is gonna be nice when you finish. I have a '62 Ford 2000 Diesel that I plan to start in the spring. Wish me luck... :>)

I made two studs for installing the flywheel by cutting the heads off long bolts.

I have a drawer full of these. When I make them, I keep them for future jobs. A little trick I use on mine is to cut a slot in the end when you cut the head off. Then, if you need it, you can use a flat screwdriver to remove them.

 

[flusher]

Nice work. I love seeing these old tractors brought back to life. That thing is gonna be nice when you finish. I have a '62 Ford 2000 Diesel that I plan to start in the spring. Wish me luck... :>)




I have a drawer full of these. When I make them, I keep them for future jobs. A little trick I use on mine is to cut a slot in the end when you cut the head off. Then, if you need it, you can use a flat screwdriver to remove them.

Thanks for the tip. I'll do that in the future.

 

[flusher]

Back in the shop today (pea soup fog this AM that didn't clear, so no work in the hayfield today). Got a 1948 Farmall Cub the week before Christmas and have been getting it back in shape (plugs, magneto, rebuild the carb, etc).

Got the engine installed on the work stand today.



I bought that $49 Oberg tilt lift hoist to make the job easier.

The Oberg Tilt Lift - The Stricklin Companies

I had to fab a few adapters to mate the flywheel housing to the work stand.



A 5 minute job to get the engine on the work stand.



Flip the engine over and get ready to install the oil pump. The old one seems to be OK. If I have to replace it, no problem getting to the pump once the oil pan is removed.

 

[irvingj]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[flusher]

I finally found time to work on the BF.

The 6V positive ground generator is toast (not worth restoring) so I changed to a 6V positive ground alternator. Thought about changing to 12V negative ground. Only problem is with the 6V starter. It'll work OK on 12 V but the higher voltage and the heavy copper winding in that 6V starter will cause the bendix to slam into the ring gear on the flywheel--possibly causing damage to the gear teeth. So modify the alternator to 6V. Better safe than sorry.

Got a Delco 10SI 12V negative ground alternator from NAPA ($44) and a modification kit to change it to 6V positive ground ($40). This alternator has an internal voltage regulator and runs single wire. The new circuit is supposed to excite the alternator at low rpm.



It's an easy job--four major parts and a few nuts and bolts in the conversion kit.



Next step: install the front cover on the engine, the governor and the distributor.

The crankshaft and timing gears coated with Permatex assembly lube. Ditto the gear on the governor.



The timing gear cover, governor and distributor installed.



Next--oil pan, cylinder head, water pump, alternator, ignition coil.

 

[irvingj]

Looking very nice. Um-m-m, Those two little springs? They got back in place OK? (That would really worry me; I hate to see teensy parts lying loose like that....)

I really didn't know 6V and/or positive ground systems were still available!

 

[flusher]

Looking very nice. Um-m-m, Those two little springs? They got back in place OK? (That would really worry me; I hate to see teensy parts lying loose like that....)

I really didn't know 6V and/or positive ground systems were still available!

Those springs are spares for the brushes. YOu can see the brush assembly in the photo--the springs and brushes are already installed in the holder and that piece of wire holds the brushes and springs compressed in the holder. The final step in the installation is to pull that wire out (it sticks out of a hole in the alternator housing) to release the brushes so they ride on the slip rings.

YOu have to look around on the Web for 6V alternators--they're available. And NAPA will special order them.

 

[irvingj]

Gotcha! I see now where they fit into the nylon housing, in parallel. Guess I'm used to seeing them opposed; never had an alternator really apart before. Nice pics!

 

[flusher]

Well, I finally caught a break in the work load around my place and spent some time with the MM BF engine. Converted the Harbor Freight work stand into a run stand by attaching the front engine mount to the block and supporting it with some slotted angle.



Added gauges. Rigged a gas tank using a paint cup from my Harbor Freight HVLP gun. Oil in the crankcase with Lucas break in oil added. Water in the block (no flow for now). Alternator not installed (run ignition off the battery alone).

Ran into an immediate problem--with the plugs installed, this rebuilt engine is really tight. 6V (positive ground) starter runs slow, labors, insulation on the windings is smoking. Pull the spark plugs-- the 6V starter spins the engine nicely (50 rpm or better).

This engine is set up for a hand crank, so I'll install that hardware on the run stand and see what happens. Ignition on this engine is the normal type (not a magneto ignition with an impulse coupler) so I don't know how effective the hand crank will be. May have to spin the engine with a big drill motor.

More later.