Bob

[Robert Almstrom]

☺️Hi,

I was given a 1948 Farmall H from my nephew, and the tractor was in the woods for over 20 years. He had a plastic cover over the exhaust, but a rodent ate around the top so it fell off. After getting it back home driving some 484 miles and half of it was with a U-Haul trailer and 1000 pounds over, weight because I didn't realize the rear tires were filled with sodium chloride. Removed head, oil pan, and what a mess of rust, the oil pan was filled with water, cam gear and oil pump gears rust frozen together, rear two engine sleeves broken. I am trying to save cam, crank, and rods, but it seems doubtful. Have transmission fluid in top of the cylinders now for about a week. Is there anyone there that can give me help please and thank you.

Bob

[vtfireman85]

The H was about the most popular tractor made, I would bet with that level of water infiltration you also have freezing damage, unless it was where it doesn’t get cold. Your best, and probably cheapest option is to find a donor or just an engine, i am not intimately familiar with the H, but it’s big brother the M would readily accept engines from about a 30 year span. Once you start looking on marketplace more and more will appear, don’t forget Craigslist, it is on life support, but not dead. 

[vtfireman85]

@FARMALL51could you move this to the general IH page? This poor guy posted a month ago in the wrong spot. 

[Powered by IH]

On 10/3/2025 at 8:48 PM, Robert Almstrom said:

☺️Hi,

I was given a 1948 Farmall H from my nephew, and the tractor was in the woods for over 20 years. He had a plastic cover over the exhaust, but a rodent ate around the top so it fell off. After getting it back home driving some 484 miles and half of it was with a U-Haul trailer and 1000 pounds over, weight because I didn't realize the rear tires were filled with sodium chloride. Removed head, oil pan, and what a mess of rust, the oil pan was filled with water, cam gear and oil pump gears rust frozen together, rear two engine sleeves broken. I am trying to save cam, crank, and rods, but it seems doubtful. Have transmission fluid in top of the cylinders now for about a week. Is there anyone there that can give me help please and thank you.

Bob

Where are you located?

[FARMALL51]

6 hours ago, vtfireman85 said:

@FARMALL51could you move this to the general IH page? This poor guy posted a month ago in the wrong spot. 

Ok I think I got it put in the General talk page

[TN Hillbilly]

There is a complete H engine, loose, supposed to run, listed near me for $700 or $800. You probably couldn't get yours straightened out for that, as bad as your water damage sounds.

Pictures of what you have would help us give you our opinions.