Adam - NC

Ha, Brody thinks the next step is to overhaul the engine. I hope y'all are prepared to answer a BUNCH of questions. Testing out the lights tonight.. Not the greatest pic, but I'm standing on the drawbar while Brody drives around the back yard.

Been a while, better catch ya'll up.... Brody couldn't stand not working on it, so he did the hood and the rest of the sheet metal bit by bit, cleaned and repainted the badges as well. And most recently we installed the rare factory optional cheap LED lights so he could see to run a hay ride at our fall festival at church.

It was spread over several weeks, and I have a pistol grip that snaps on to the cans that works pretty well.

We are this far into painting! ?

Kevin - Ours had a flexible cable choke on it when we got it, which was rusted tight. We replaced it with a 48" (I think) choke cable from Steiner. Can't imagine how a solid rod would be routed around the breather, hydraulics, and gas tank. Part number 25 on the CaseIH online parts manual shows a choke cable. https://partstore.caseih.com/us/parts-search.html?csid=92c31c366dfcf8248a4d5803819994b4&sl=EN&currency=&csid=da05e4dcda1588931a4db5d372ebbfc7&sl=EN&currency=#epc::mr56560ar720787

Updated pics -

Question - I have the lift assembly laying in the corner waiting for cleaning and paint, so I plugged the two ports under the seat for the rear lift cylinder. I can't find a spot where the hydraulic pump isn't loaded all the time - if I move the lift lever for the rear lift it will briefly quiet down, then load again. Is there a bypass built into the cylinder that prevents this? We dove it for 20-30 minutes last night and the hydraulic pump was very hot. I don't remember it acting this way before we took it apart, but that was Christmas. I can put a hose between the two ports to let the oil flow freely if i need to - I need to be able to drive it for an hour or so next week for the July 4th parade. I really don't want to bolt all the crudy rusty parts back on for the parda and have to take them back off later to paint.

Decided to go with a one wire alternator instead of fixing the gennie. Got everything wired tonight and had to pour a little gas in and see what happened. Not sure if this will work, but here is a video. https://www.facebook.com/1225474159/posts/10210802863127402/

This thing is like Johnny Cash’s Cadillac- one piece at a time! We’ve been plugging along cleaning and painting a few parts at the time. I wish I could find an affordable sand blaster to clean parts for me, but I haven’t yet. We realized today was the day to start putting the dash and wiring on, so things seems to move along pretty quickly for a change.

Once you get the sheet metal off the gas tank sits in a square frame, two bolts hold the front of the frame to the back of the engine block and a couple hold the frame to the steering column. There is a bolt at each corner of the gas tank that attaches it to the support frame.

A few more parts cleaned up, painted, and installed this weekend. It sure is nice to see parts go back on, even if it is just a few. I was cleaning the brake latch rod, and the wire wheel in the grinder are it. Anybody gat one on a parts tractor for sale?

Been a while since I posted an update - have made a little progress. Axles and PTO are black, bellhousing to rear is mostly red, off of the bolt on legs and onto jack stands so I clean those little areas and catch them up. Platforms, pedals, and brake housings are next.

I made some stands to bolt on while pulling the right rear axle. It felt stable enough pulling the left axle with the right rear wheel and tire still attached and blocking under the rear housing, but without the tire and wheel it looked sketchy to me.

Brief update... The steering column is stripped down as far as I want to go. Needs a little more wire brushing to be ready for primer. Tonight we got the right axle on a stand and hit the wheel and center off of the axle. I hope to get a local sandblasted to clean up the wheel centers, weights, hitch parts, and some of the sheet metal, and hand clean the chassis from the tail end to the bell housing. We will get that primed and painted, then address the engine and front pedestal.

More parts... had a pretty bad hydraulic leak, so we pulled the valve bodies off to clean them and replace the o-rings between each block.

New bearings and seals installed and the axle is back on the tractor. Seems like this is getting out of hand, I had to pull the gas tank to disconnect the hydraulic lines to get the cover off of the transmission.

Significant destruction has occurred today. Inner bearing is in perfect condition, axle may have SLIGHT wear at outer bearing. Outer bearing has a lot of play in the balls. I’ll mike the axle after lunch and decide if any machine work is in order or not.

We started taking parts off to work on the leaking axle seals today. I found OLD stock bearings at a local parts place, got the bearings and seals for $80. I hope I can get the set for the other axle for the same price - I wasn't sure I had the right parts so I just bought enough for one side today. Paint question - while I am this far in, I am thinking about having the wheel centers, fenders, hitch pieces, weights, and whatever else I can sand blasted by a local guy. I primed my last 'restoration' piece by piece with Rustoleum professional primer in spray cans, and painted with machinery enamel I bought from the local ACGO place - Persion Orange #1. I know cheap IH red paint turns pink pretty quick, and I don't want that. Is there a decent quality IH red in spray cans that will hold up halfway decent? The tractor will live in a shed, not sit out all the time. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rust-oleum-specialty-farm-implement-gloss-international-harvester-red-12-oz-spray?cm_vc=-10005 Is this close to the right shade of red? That's what the valve cover was painted with, but I doubt you can really tell by the picture below what it looks like.

Good point on the heat input - thank you. I sure hope so - I've been reluctant to tear into the axles because of the money involved. The way the oil pours out I'm going to have to do something about it.

I have a good relationship with a local motor shop that I know can weld and turn shafts, and I think if the wear is small enough they can do hard chrome or send it out for hard chrome. I just didn't know about the weld heating the axle and changing the hardness / strength at a critical point.

So.... Back to the 240 project. Both rear axles leak, and when I jack up either side I get a few thousandths movement of the axle at the seal housing. IF the axles are worn, can they be welded and turned back to size?

Yep... like spoiled molasses or something. Now that it has clean oil in it, both axles leak.

Thanks Mark! This thing is not a family tractor, so no sentimental attachment, but it is starting to grow on me. I think I'll focus on the oil leaks and put the blow by issue on the back burner. I had several good ideas suggested in another thread I put on the general forum regarding the blow by, so we'll see what time and patience will do for it.

What’s causing the excessive smoke coming up the push rod passage?