1943 Farmall H

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So, here it goes.

 

 Been thinking about starting a thread here for a long time but just never seemed to get the project started because of work, kids, home life, funds and the usual; " Things that Kill my Cub time".  Pardon me but I just had to add that quote as an inside joke for the benefit of those who recognize me screen name from another site and/or know me in person. Seems like you just never get enough time on your projects and I think that's why we tend to marvel at other peoples tractors......there complete.  But I digress.

My Grandparents were married in the Spring of 1942 if I remember the story correctly.  They bought there Farmall H in new or nearly new condition, though I'm am unclear how this could have happened with a two year old machine but that just really isn't important so I'll move on.  They operated a custom ground fitting service in there community for several years in addition to holding other jobs before actually moving to there own farm.  After raising a family with the help of the H there boys decided to get in on the deal and also raised crops and farmed before and after school with my dad coming home from college to farm and work on the side.  By this point my grandparents had stopped farming and had other jobs so my dad used the H for several years until purchasing an M.  The H had originally been purchased on steel with a distillate motor, the steel had been cut off when rubber credits were made available and VW rim were welded in place on the front.  

At this point I've elected to make the tractor as close to original as I can and still keep it fun for the family to show and use.  The plan is to use high dome aluminum pistons and retain the distillate head, not real sure what compression ratio that's going to give me but we'll find out. I've also found a good distillate manifold and plan on installing it so as to have the right 'look' and also managed to find a manifold cover, not that it will ever need it but I would at least like to have most of its original parts.  The mag has been sent out for professional repair and came back looking beautiful, can't wait to see some spark!  The original motor was cracked and welded several times so all of this work is being done to a donor motor, my plan is to hang on to the old block and do what with it, I do not know, glass top coffee table maybe?  The crank has been ground, the rods have been sized and the bearings have been installed, plenty of assembly lube has been sufficently spread over every manual and article of clothing and some even made it on to the bearings!  Even though just the motor work has been started, I can't help but think about the wheels.  A good member of Michigan Red Power Chapter 11 sold me an older style clamp on hub where as my donor tractor had one of each.  I think the old three spoke has an older feel to them so that's why I went with that.  

OK, ok, ok.  I'm rambling just a bit here so from here on out I'll keep it to short notes and pictures.  Some of you folks may have seen these in other places so if you get the feeling that this is a repeat, well.....it is.   Thanks so much for all of you that have taken the time to read this and those who welcomed me at Red Power this summer in Union Grove.  Hope to flood this with as many good pictures as possible.  Thanks again to all those who make this hobby possible!  God Bless.

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Donor motor being torn down.

Edited August 20, 2016 by fbh31118
Forgot to add text

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Block stripped for hot tank, pistons and rods separated, crank out.

 

Crank looks a little rough but was still within limits after turning.

 

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Block, crank, rods all loaded up to go to the machine shop.  Block had to be done twice due to the build up in the water jackets, the detail of the casting is amazing once you get all the stuff off.  Feels better knowing that its starting off with a good clean block and no cracks!

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Some missing pieces of the puzzle find there way home.

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Sleeves installed, cam bearings installed (by the machine shop), crank bearings installed and piston assemblies being put together.  Hopefully it will start to look like a motor again soon.  I don't know a whole lot about building motors so I'm just using the factory service manuals and reading them carefully.  Rebuilt a small engine but that is a long way from this.  So far, so good.

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Carb rebuild in process.  I wasn't happy with the basic rebuild kit.  The idle jet was spread open at the top, the dust seal around the choke shaft was loose, and the detent location on the throttle plate was worn and the part that really gets under my skin.......the fillister head 12-24 pitch screws were all beat up from screw drivers slipping out of the slots.  Also had to replace the packing which died a horrible death in the carb clean bucket...rest in peace my friend.  

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Got the brass polished in the middle photo.  Don't ask why, I really don't know why I did that.  LOL!

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Just a few miscellaneous pictures

 

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Wow!  This build must be a snoozer, no bumps at all over the weekend.  Guess I need to work on a more interesting tractor, .

Here's a few shots from the weekend.

 

 

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Ran into a snag on the rear main seal.  I'm guessing that the felt needs to be trimmed accordingly to obtain a fit that is tight but not damaging to the casting that holds the seal.  We ended up cracking the lower portion of the rear main housing and after looking things over figured that there should only be about a 1/16 or less material sticking out to compress against the other seal half.  Please feel free to chime in on this as I would like to make sure that it goes back in correctly.

 

[FarmallFan 687]

I was busy this weekend and didn't see your thread. I also have a '41 H. When mine was rebuilt, I was told that the high dome pistons were the only ones available anymore. That was 4 years ago.

[bitty 4,304]

Is the left rear wheel filled with concrete?  Kinda looks like that,  maybe homemade weights?

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On 8/22/2016 at 8:04 PM, bitty said:

Is the left rear wheel filled with concrete?  Kinda looks like that,  maybe homemade weights?

Yes.  It was a concrete wheel weight.  

[Sledgehammer 4,954]

Looks like good progress. Are you going to restore the concrete weight also? 

[fbh31118 50]

Na, I think I'll donate it the scrap pile on this one.    

[MTO 8,874]

Now THAT my friend is a project! Hats off to you!

[SMOKER 1 491]

DO NOT trim that seal felt.  Take it out and soak it overnight in light weight oil then put it in and press it on the block and force it to go together.  If you trim it, it will shrink and leak over time.  There is a reason it is made too long!  Be careful not to strip or break the holder when forcing it together.  Take your time and do it right.

 

jerry

[fbh31118 50]

Thank You MTO!

 

Smoker 1:  I hear what your saying but too late I've already broken the original holder.  I have one on order and should be here by Thursday to try again.  We oiled the felt right off the bat but clearly could not get it all squeezed in there resulting in the broken holder.  I really have no idea how to get all that extra felt crammed into holder so if you or any one else has tips or suggestions please let me know.  Thanks for your help!  Will try again.

 

[CIHTECH 300]

7 hours ago, SMOKER 1 said:

DO NOT trim that seal felt.  Take it out and soak it overnight in light weight oil then put it in and press it on the block and force it to go together.  If you trim it, it will shrink and leak over time.  There is a reason it is made too long!  Be careful not to strip or break the holder when forcing it together.  Take your time and do it right.

 

jerry

2X on this roll it in with a socket or something of that nature. You have to soak them in oil or they will glaze / harden on initial start up and never seal.

[Tonyinca 1,460]

Great project , I Enjoy watching the progress.

        Tony

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CIHTech-  Copy that.  We're working on a plan to make that happen.  We had soaked the felts in assembly lube to begin with but I think we just ran into some bad luck with the seal holder.  We plan on finding a way to get help hold the assembly together while bolting back into place because the aluminum/zinc or what ever its made out of, is not meant to be drawn up on, by the two bolts.  We had the seal completely seated in the bottom of the holder but it looks like it needs to be compressed a little bit to fit around the crank.  

 

tony in ca-  Thank you!

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I'm looking for valves for a distillate head.  Any suggestions on where to go?  I'm not finding my old valves as of yet and was beginning to wonder if I should start looking for replacements.  

[TomH 1,362]

3 hours ago, fbh31118 said:

I'm looking for valves for a distillate head.  Any suggestions on where to go?  I'm not finding my old valves as of yet and was beginning to wonder if I should start looking for replacements.

Try Bates Corp.   Example :

 

57697D Exhaust Valve

  $22.50

New Parts

 

***NEW*** 5.08" long, 1.38" head diameter Exhaust Valve. 4 used per engine. For distillate engines on H, Super H, O4, W4.

 

 

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