More work !

[Bob]

well on a "spur of the thought moment" I fired up the tractor and after airing up the rt front tire I went over to the pond and dug a bit to make a bit of a watering hole below the spring for the critters sense the pond had gone completely dry.... just got that done and I hurd a POP and the familiar rattle of the hydrolic pump drive shaft slipping and the Hydrolics no longer functioned!
so back to the house I went... got behind the house ready to make the corner to go up by the welder and everything quit... no spark !  points are burnt so bad I had to take a file and grinder to them to get them to work again.... then after putting the points back in, I ground the battery flat so I had to take it over to the charger....
....
 I'll go re set the points a bit wider and see if it starts when the battery is charged...
 trying to time that thing properly is a royal P.I.T.A.  ! so I just fiddle with the points till it starts easy ! LOL .....( Mickey mouse !)

....

 I tell ya when it rains it pours !  LOL
...this is more like a MONDAY than a Tuesday ! HAHAHHAHAHA!
...
Bob....

[Bob]

Boy this just doesn't end.... I charged the battery , and reset the points tried to start it and it fired and died, tried to start it a few more times and then the starter sounded funny... slow turning and metal to metal sound.... I stopped!  glad I stopped when I did because on pulling off the starter I found that the starter housing broke ! a hunk of metal on the Snout of the starter that holds the bearing/bushing had broken off completely !
... I cleaned it all up and found some cast iron welding rod so tomorrow I will attempt to weld it back on  and hope that holds !
....
 I chamfered the crack with the grinder so the weld will penitrate good... but I know welding cast makes it brittle.   the welding instructions on the rod said to peen it right after welding to relieve stress..... something I've never done before... so it might be a good thing to do ! lol I dunno!
...has anyone ever welded cast before ? I have and I've found that it usually breaks again about 1" from the weld..... evidently due to the "stresses" made by welding.... I'm wondering if "Peening" the weld after welding while its still hot will cure that ? 
...
 I'm going to have to weld it in 3 stages.... top & bottom tacks, then short 1/2" long beads till its all welded up....
   anyone got any better ideas ? my "Cast Iron welding skills" are Very limited! LOL
...
Bob....

[randy]

a little at a time is what I've found welding cast, little bitty spot welds, wire brush, more little bitty spot welds, wire brush, continue. Check that condenser, if it's leaking it'll burn up your points.

[Bob]

thanks Randy !
... I got it all welded up now ...just waiting for it to cool so I can put the starter back together!
... I found at least 5~6 condencers in the shed so yah its a good idea to test the one in that tractor !
 it may well indeed go through them fast as old as it is ! LOL
...
I don't think that starter housing nose will break again.... its welded on there real good... but then again it shouldn't have broke in the first place !
hard to say. lot's of torque on that puppy !
...
Bob....

[Bob]

well... the weld seams to be holding... I have cranked the Fire out of that thing trying to get it to start.... seams I have spark but its not getting to the plugs all the time ... weird !
.... maybe I have water in the gas... it has been setting a while ....all summer !
.... I'll drain the fuel bowl just in case....
 the spark plug lead coming out of the coil was about 3/4 the way out I noticed.... pushed it back in but no change.... time to try the quick start I guess  all it needs to do it hit on more than one cylinder for a second or two and it will take off ! LOL 
....
grumble fuss !
...
Bob....

[Bob]

aurgh ! starter broke again... same crack  my weld wasn't good enough <blush>
so I re welded it ... laid some extra metal down over the crack... re assembled the starter and tried to test it... just arching and no turning.. loosened it up and tried it , same shit...
 I think that the snorkel that I welded has warped far enough off to one side that the armature is now grounding on the field coils ! .... so now I am trying to figure out a way to get around that problem so the starter will work again ! ....
...
 its not like I can run down to the parts place and get a new starter because this is a 1953 or earlier Henery fergison tractor...TO-20...  I think I might be able to Order a starter from tractor supply but I'm not positive...then it will probably cost a fortune!
...
its either the thing warped or the armature is shorted out ... dunno which... but the armature will not turn freely when its all tight... so I think something is amiss ! <GRIN>
...
we had some rain here this morning... not much but enough to dampen my enthusiasm for going outside !
hehehhe
...
Bob....

[Bob]

LOL  Ok guys get this !
I tried everything to get the snout back on the starter for the tractor.... it would indeed go on but it bound the armiture every time.... so it could not spin.
so I resigned to buy another starter at a whopping $167.00 ...well.... the tractor is useless without it!
....
 anyway, I let it set in the shed till I could think of something....
I was burning brush piles today and thought what if I tossed the snout of that starter in the fire and got it red hot ? perhaps that would take the Tension out of the thing and alow it to straighten back up
... I thought "what the hell.... what have I got to loose?" 
so I took the snout off the starter again.... put it in the fire where there was big hot coals... and left it for about 3 hrs.... I went back to check on my fires and chuck in more brush and prodded the starter snout a few times and made sure it was getting hot....
darkness fell and I could see that the starter snout was glowing Red hot to almost pink! I thought great ! if that's going to do it  then that's hot enough! .... I tok the part out of the fire and left it sit next to the hot coals to cool down slowly.... later I took it down to the shop and set it on a cinder block to cool.
 about an hour ago I went out and cleaned it up with a rag and put it back on the starter, took it over to the big charger and hit it with power and it spun like it was new again !
... LOL
 so let that be a lesson to you ...if you weld cast iron  if you can get it all completely red hot it will un-stress it for you !
....
HAHAHAHAHA

Bob....

[Manta]

Bob,

When you did the original weld,  did you heat up the snout to pretty much red heat before you welded it ?

Dave
(Manta)

[Bob]

NO.... and I think that is what caused the warpage.... the center babit bearing/bushing was at least 1/8" off to the back side in stead of being in the center.... it really warped a long way!
....
now after heating it cherry red in the brush fire it spins great... I'm headded out to put the starter back in ....AGAIN !
...
Bob....

[Bob]

well, so far so good the starter has held up for a GILLION trys to start the tractor...
finally I pulled the plugs and cleaned them ...boy were they a MESS!  full of carbon !
...finally I pulled the hose to the air cleaner and gas ran out....
 it has an up draft carburetor on it  an old Stormburg if I remember correctly...
so something is amiss with the carb too so I'll pull it tomorrow and see whats what....
I emptied the sediment bowl under the gas tank and got a bunch of red paint flakes in it...so I expect the carb is all plugged up...
the tractor smokes allot dunno if its oil or fuel but its been doing that for ages... I expect its burning oil...
...
anyway I'm getting closer to getting it running again....I think !
...
Bob...

[Bob]

Boy I tell ya that tractor is trying it's Darnedest to get the better of me !
I got the idea that it could be the fuel sense it's been in there sense spring, so I added about 3 gallons of fresh fuel to it and tried it again.... nothing, no firing at all !
 I checked the spark on No#1 again and it is  intermittent again ! and I thought I fixed that about 3 times already !.... it seams that something is amiss with the points that allows it to work a few times then starts going intermittent again... the points are firing great.... no problem there at all but it isn't getting to the plugs.... I had the coil off already and tested it for shorts with the VTOM and it SEAMS OK... hard to say with a coil after all. there is continuity between B+ and ground terminal like there should be and no continuity between the High tension and ground ...as it should be...I think.
...
 it looks to me to be the COIL but I dunno... I think I'll see if I can scrounge up another coil to swap it out and see if that makes any difference, or pick one up at tractor supply next time I'm in town
....
Usually Intermittent spark can be traced back to the points... almost every time... but in this case I don't think it is the points because they fire perfectly all the time...its quite ODD!
...
 You guys have any suggestions  on what I might check to fix the intermittent spark ?
....
Bob...

[Manta]

Bob,

Check for a crack in the coil,  at the top where the HT head plugs in.

Dave
(Manta)

[Bob]

ok did that already...it looked fine.
anything else ?
...
your right that is usually real hard to find.... usually at night though you can find leaks... and I can see NO electrical leaks at all ....ANYWHERE

...
and thanks ! <GRIN> I need all the help I can get because this o'l Henery Ferguson is giving me hell !
(TO-20, 4spd, 4 cyl)

...
Bob

[randy]

might be them plugs, sometimes they just don't work even though they look good, especially the resisted ones. If the porcelain surrounding the electrode is caked with carbon and oil the spark will travel down this "crud" when under compression instead of jumping the gap, I've had many a spark plug fire just fine outside the cylinder but not run the engine when installed, after hours of fooling around with everything else break down and get new plugs and it fires right up.

[Bob]

yah that is a possibility ! they were FULL of carbon on the inside I cleaned them out with a ice pick
and re set them they SEAM to fire ok now though... it SHOULD be good enough to run on 3 or 4 I think!
...I did notice when I pulled No# 1 again it was black with soot again from just trying to start it
the engine tried to run a few times belched smoke staggered and died like the choke was on  but it wasn't.... I reset the float level 3 times trying to get the carb to STOP LEAKING but even now after the last re setting of the float it still leaks after cranking it over for a second or two...
... I have the main jet adjusted to 2 turns out but I have tried from 1 turn all the way out to 2 turns
... it was at 2 turns before all this took place..... the main jet adjustment has always been touche on this tractor.... with the float re adjustment the main jet setting is sure to be off but it needs to RUN before I can adjust it properly ! 
  I'll dig out the book on it in a bit and see what the initial setting is supposed to be and set it at that ....
it acts like its flooded BUT the plugs are dry as a bone  and giving it full throttle does Not clear it up and make it try harder to start... that's why I am thinking it must be spark.
...
its quite possible that there is only one spark plug that's worth a damm in it now !
 I think I'll go to tractor supply and buy 4 new plugs , points, condenser and a coil and see if that helps any!
   .... I bet it don't ! its just too contrary.... ornery thing wants attention is all !
LOL
Bob....

[Bob]

OOOOk I came home with 4 new plugs, Points ,condencer and an new coil and clean rags ! 
 if that don't make her go then its gott'a be out'a time er something like that !
....and I am going to put all the new parts on before I try it again in the Hopes that one of the things will make it RUN ! I'm too tired of messing with it to care at this point HAHAHAHAH!
...
Bob....

[Bob]

YAHOOO ~!
 it's Alive !
it runs once more !  lol
...
I put in the new plugs, points and condenser and new rotor button, and the new coil...
checked spark in the plug and I'm still seeing stars... it zapped the heck out of me!
.... put the plug back in and cranked it over.... nothing, kept cranking it and choked it and it fired up like it was meant to be !.... running on all 4 purring like a kitten like it was doing just before it stopped ! LOL
....
I'm almost positive it was the coil because the old coil never bit me like the new one did ! man what a Jolt !  and I wasn't just holding the wire I was holding the plug to the block and looking for spark..... YES it has spark ! WOOOOO WEEEEE ! Lots'a SPARK !
.... I replaced a short piece of spark plug lead wire that was iffy and the only thing I could find was a piece of carbon resistance type lead wire.... I put it on anyway because I suspected that short piece was causing problems....
 it runs now ...so in the morning when I can see I'll drive it up and park it by the welder so I can re-weld that pump drive shaft ....the key way busted out years ago and I've had it tacked for the last 5 years... time to re-tack it  ! LOL
....
boy was I glad to hear that thing fire up !  
....
thanks for the help guys !
...
Bob...

... I decided to move the tractor in the dark anyway.... got it where I can reach it with the welder now....  it started just fine ....like it's o'l reliable self !  LOL
Bob......

[Bob]

I welded the Hydrolic drive shaft to the coupling again....  in 2 spots  I don't want to get carried away welding that because it has to come apart to get it out of there ! LOL
I adjusted the main jet on the carb and had to go a LONG way before it leaned out so I'm sure that was the Soot problem on the other plugs.... with the float level adjusted where its not flooding out anymore the adjustments actually WORK LOL !
anyway, got the air cleaner tube back on it , that was a fight ! had to trim the rubber hose down and move it all around to finally get it on there right!
 but now the tractor is back in service.... although I was thinking of attacking the attachment points of the loader because its quite loose and floppy.... the pins that hold it on look about 1/2 wore out
I think.... the bucket can twist from straight and flat to about 30 degrees... and that makes using it a pain... because  trying to dig with it it will inevitably tip to one side and miss half of what your after.... because of this its not a very good Hole digger even with allot of time...
I'd like to be able to take the loader OFF at times and it originally WAS a quick release loader...
so I am contemplating  returning it to that way of life.... if its possible !
 I think if I made a Pin arrangement in the front and put a quick disconnect on the hydrolic pump hose
all I'd have to do is block it up, pull the pins  disconnect the hose and back away.... no doubt putting it back on will be a pain to align everything just right but that should be possible with my long pry bars.....
  I could use the bush hog much easier that way, and all the attachments for the 3 point hitch.
and with it OFF I could effect repair on the Pin holes that are all worbled out in the rear...<Grin>
... so I think that should be my next big project around here HAHAHAHHAHA
...
Bob....

I think I would need a BY-Pass hose back to the hydrolic tank in order to shut off that pump hose or it will bust the pump... (too much pressure)  I dunno I'll have to look into it to make sure
...
LOL  I just looked under the tractor to see what kind of hookup it has in the front.... 3 bolts is all that holds the front.... 2 of which are missing their nuts so its only held on by one bolt and it looks quite loose.... maybe that's the reason for the flopping around ! LOL
.... I'd need  some serious hose changing if I were to take the loader off and make it a quick disconnect... the feed line to the pump is routed through the frame in a few places and it looks like the easiest way to do it is remove the Hydrolic pump WITH the loader but the Hydrolic pump isn't attached to the loader at all, its attached to the tractor only and the flexible lines allow movement
... sense I just welded the drive line again I don't think I'm getting the pump off without a hassle!
... it should un button from the pump side ... if there is room to get in there and do that....
I think its just a splined line into the pump so it should just slide off the shaft.
... I think ...not real sure but I think I can weld a Pipe to the loader frame and use 2 90 deg 1/2" pieces of angle iron to make a PIN~rod arrangement for a 1" solid steel rod and have that be my "PIN"
with a handle on one end and cotter pin or bolt on the other end it would be good and strong.
... but that means pull the pins and take off the pump to remove it... which isn't as bad as it is now by a long shot, although now its only held on by one nut ! HAHAHAHHAHA! gott'a fix that!
...
   hummm  I'm thinkin' on it !
...
Bob...

[Bob]

I fired up the o'l furggy this morning, it ran like a top the entire time, (smoked much less than it had been doing...) I spread a few bucket loads of gravel out on the dirt road in the spots that were getting bad... and then drug the blade on the center hump between the tire tracks to level it out a bit more....  she worked fantastically !  best the o'l tractor has ran in years...I guess it needed the attention !  LOL
...
Bob...

[Bob]

I took O'l furggy out and did some log stacking today in the pasture...
worked it purdy hard... and on the last bit the hydrolic pump stopped working...AGAIN...
so I brought it back down by the welder...only to discover my weld held just fine....
so the pump had to come off...
I spent all morning on it and got the front all appart , radiator off and grill out of the way
and I'm to the point of having to grind off the welds I put on a week ago....
"I just knew that would happen !"
... I cleaned up the pump drive shaft and it sheared about 1" up the shaft from the weld.
...the silly drive shaft is only about 5/8"  and I think it should be 3/4" at least
so I may see if I can buy a bigger diam. shaft at tractor supply, when I get the other piece off and out of there......
...
right now I have the front of the loader frame supported by 2 handy-man jacks...I think I'll see if I can find a better way to block it up before I get in there with my grinder !....just in case!
...
so the tractor is down again.... that will never do !   I don't like to see it not working...or at least ABLE to work !  LOL...
...
Bob.....

[Bob]

well... I finally got the rest of the Hydrolic pump's drive shaft out !  ...that'll teach me to jerry rig that UH ! LOL
...
I went by tractor supply and had a guy call to see if he could get the parts I need and the guy said no so its either 2nd hand parts or make my own and I perfure the latter !
...
the problem is I have to be able to take it apart again. so I'm not going to just weld the shaft to the flange and call it good.... although that would work there would be no way to repair it if it broke again without going through what I just did.... and I'ed rather not have to do that again ! LOL
...
I think I'll make a 3/4" drive shaft on the lathe from some 1" round stock I have and then probably
use a rolled dowel pin on the end to hold it on the engine side.... the pump end I will have to cut off the splines on the old drive shaft and weld that to the new drive shaft.... and Hope I measure correctly!   LOL
 both ends could flex a bit in the splines and that makes me worry a bit... if I pin one end that will not allow much flexing on that end unless I elongate the holes so it can flex....
and maybe it would be better to put a 1/4" case hardened bolt through that hole instead of a dowel pin .... better for flexing because it has a head and nut on each end and it won't fall out!
...
I think that will work.... if I can weld the splines on there good enough and keep them straight too!
... it still supprizes me that the drive shaft is only about 5/8" in diam....no wonder it broke!
lol
...
...
 I think I'll try that and if that fails I may have to get a pare of coupling fittings and a rubber thingie for them to make it removable....

there's very little room for error on this thing  I'm scared that if I try to weld the splines on to a larger shaft that they'll not be perfectly square and that will mess up the pump ...eventually
...and that's not good at all.
...
i'm still thinking on it...
anyone got any bright ideas ?
...
Bob...

[Bob]

Ok ... almost done !
 I made up a new drive shaft and  welded the old splined fitting from the old drive shaft on to the new one... bored out about 3/4 of the splines on the motor end coupler so my new LARGER shaft would go into it... then drilled 2 1/4" holes through the couplier... for my pin/bolt put it all on there and measured it and marked where the pin hole will be...
 ... I'll drill out that hole in the drive shaft and worble out the hole longitudely and then assemble it all ....
 I THINK 1/4" case hardened bolt will be enough if not I can go with a 3/8"  ...I'll try the 1/4" and see how that goes ... I have no doubt it will slowly ware out the way I have it but its better than nothing....<GRIN>
...
we shall see what it does when I lift the tractor with the hydrolics again  LOL !
...
Bob....
 

[Bob]

ok now all that's left is assembly of the tractor !
the new drive line is all done for the hydrolic pump ! it should be about 2 times stronger than it was...   but then again that 1/4" shear-bolt may cause me more headaches than I want ! LOL
...
 if'n it don't work I'll always think it should have ! HA !
...
Bob...

[Bob]

one thing about an old tractor there is alwayse something that needs to be done to it to keep it going!
...
 So far it looks like my Hydrolic drive line is working great ! I took the tractor out and did some hard digging with it and the pin held .... so that's good news
...
got back to the parking spot for the tractor and I let it idle for a bit while I checked for water leaks
... all was fine in that department , but I noticed the back half of the water pump pulley was off the pulley and dangling around.... the belt was still on what was left of the pulley, but i dunno why ! LOL
... I did tighten the belt the other day a bit... guess it was too much for the pulley to take !
now I have to take the pulley off and that is a royal pain in the butt !
I just about have to remove the entire front end ...just like I had it 2 days ago to get to it !
the radiator shroud covers the front of the fan so ya can't get to it and ya can't get that off without taking the radiator off...
...
I might try just removing the radiator to get to the pulley and leave the hydrolic pump and front of the loader frame where its at.
...I just put fresh antifreeze in it  so I'm going to try and catch it when I drain it ... that should be a challenge !
....
it seams like when ever ya think your done with something ...something else always pops up ! LOL
...
oh well at least the tractor works !
...
Bob...