FARMALL MD

[Farmall M 248]

I’m starting new thread to post some pictures of my new project, and to post the progress till I get it running!

 

[Farmall M 248]

Here are the first pictures.

 

[Farmall M 248]

The serial number on it is #18259.
So 1940.

 

[3LFarms]

I hope your wallet is prepared for what’s about to happen to it. When you need engine parts, give Carr’s Repair a call. Gerald will get you what you need.
Good luck.

 

[Farmall M 248]

Ok, the sleeves seem excellent,and no ridges or pits so I’m hoping with good hone job they’ll be fine , as for the pistons I’m going to have to find decent ones .

 

[rustred]

Ok, the sleeves seem excellent,and no ridges or pits so I’m hoping with good hone job they’ll be fine , as for the pistons I’m going to have to find decent ones .

In the real world these sleeves are junk. You will not know if there is pits in them Till you get them honed. And to hone that much rust out is iffy. It’s a diesel engine not gas that a person can get away with. I basically see a 10 k work order. Plus don’t see the rest of the parts. Better check the head very closely. Then inj pump and injectors are big big money , not like a carburator. Sounds crazy but that’s the reality of rebuilding one of them diesels.

 

[Farmall M 248]

I’m looking at Bates Corp for parts and I’m thinking about going with a flush sleeve.
Any thoughts?

 

[Powered By IH]

I gather that there are 2 types of sleeves. You have to get the correct head gasket for your sleeves.
You have to match the correct sleeves to your block, and the correct head gasket for the sleeves you order.
Maybe @rustred knows more about that?
Here's a thread about that.
Also, you are doing the right thing by buying new sleeves. The old ones look pretty worn.
I would also recommend sending the block out to get it checked/magnafluxed/surfaced, and finding better head studs to replace the ones that are pitted.

 

[Farmall M 248]

That sounds like pretty good advice,and lots valuable of information.
Thank you!

 

[560Dennis]

As always press ahead with your project!
Suggest this ,one photo studs are very rusty ,replace them. Don’t want to have issue with that .

 

[rustred]

That sounds like pretty good advice,and lots valuable of information.
Thank you!

And your first step is to strip the block bare , then get it to a machine shop and have it hot tanked then checked for cracks before even rounding up parts. And I am wondering why it has been sitting outside like that deteriorating. It might be cracked and you won’t be seeing a crack with that much rust. Plus sleeves must be out.

 

[Farmall M 248]

I took those pictures right after we got it home,it was sitting at a parts yard for decades. The pistons or stuck good,and I’ve got the crank unbolted and it out of the block and the rods just hanging there. I’ll try to post some more pictures of the progress .

 

[Farmall M 248]

 

[Farmall M 248]

You have to skip some of it to get the part about the sleeves.

 

[560Dennis]

Forgot to mention this, if have the block cleans remove the soft plugs to get the mud and rust out. Soft plugs are 75 years old , install new ones .made that mistake , won’t forget it again.

 

[Powered By IH]

Oh, and make sure you get the right pistons for your sleeves. Both 3 7/8" and 4 inch sleeves are common so make sure they match the pistons.
Wrist pins may be slightly different also, check that too.
Holler if you want tips for getting stuck pistons/sleeves out, just went through that on a Perkins engine.

Just curious where approx. are you located?

 

[rustred]

I took those pictures right after we got it home,it was sitting at a parts yard for decades. The pistons or stuck good,and I’ve got the crank unbolted and it out of the block and the rods just hanging there. I’ll try to post some more pictures of the progress .

The best bet is to have the sleeves pushed out with a press at the machine shop 3 7/8 pistons are the actual originals. Very unlikely it will still have them. On overhauls the 4” got put in. I think you’re getting the idea now this will not be a cheap rebuild. It’s not like tearing down a running engine. Where is the rest of this tractor ?

 

[JOCCO]

All i am going to say on this is (love him or hate him) LISTEN TO WHAT RUSTED RED SAYS REGUARDING THIS! the others have good points too. This is not the easiest engine to deal with

 

[Farmall M 248]

The best bet is to have the sleeves pushed out with a press at the machine shop 3 7/8 pistons are the actual originals. Very unlikely it will still have them. On overhauls the 4” got put in. I think you’re getting the idea now this will not be a cheap rebuild. It’s not like tearing down a running engine. Where is the rest of this tractor ?

Yes, it has 4” pistons in it and I come of figured out before I bought it that it would be expensive but I don’t mind because I like the challenge and the project . As far as the other part of the tractor goes I haven’t got it yet.
At are local parts yard the block was sitting in the weeds that’s been there for over a decade and all you saw in the pictures is all I have I tried to find most of the parts but I’m still missing the head,intake, front cover, fuel lines,and that shaft that goes thru the block for the starting mechanism and all the linkage, and injection pump gear and pointer if anyone knows where some of those parts are I would appreciate it.

 

[Powered By IH]

if anyone knows where some of those parts are I would appreciate it.

Where approx. are you located?
Maybe we can help you out by finding some nearby salvage yards.