1520 serial ID

[BillWinn]

Good evening. This is a picture of my JD 1520 serial number (best I could manage before the cold motivated me to go back in by the fire). Am I correct in reading this as a ‘71? Also what does M4MTR indicate?

 

[Jim.ME]

Good evening. This is a picture of my JD 1520 serial number (best I could manage before the cold motivated me to go back in by the fire). Am I correct in reading this as a ‘71? Also what does M4MTR indicate?

You need to return to the cold and try again. This appears to be the engine serial number, not the tractor serial number. The tractor serial number is located on the right side of the transmission case about 4-5 inches above the footrest and towards the rear, above the dipstick for the transmission.

The correct service/technical manual should tell what the M4MTR means. I am guessing the first M is for Motor and the 4 is for 3 cylinders. The M may be for Diesel. The T likely stands for Dubuque (using factory), and the R could be for the R-RU model. 118564 is the sequential unit number and the T at the end is for Dubuque where the engine was built. This info is pieced to together from early service manuals for tractors having engines with similar designations, However the actual use of the letters is specific to the model in many cases.

I do not have access to, or know of, any published list of engine numbers relating the engine number to the build year of the engine, such as the lists available for tractor serial numbers.

 

[Tx Jim]

I agree with Jim tractor serial # location is shown in photo with a chart for identifying year built. I also am unaware of a chart designating year engine was built

 

[BillWinn]

Ok I’ll look again

 

[BillWinn]

Here’s the number above the transmission dip stick 077131T I think. This makes it a ‘68 or ‘69?

 

[Jim.ME]

T = Tractor
4 = 1520
R = Row Crop Utility
M = Gasoline
C = Collar shift transmission
077131= individual unit number (077131 is a 1968 built unit)
Y = Dubuque built

Edited to correct engine type.

 

[BillWinn]

Thank you for that. That all checks out except the diesel. Mine’s gas. Nice to know it’s a 68. My first car was a ‘68 Camaro. So that’s sort of rad.

 

[Jim.ME]

Thank you for that. That all checks out except the diesel. Mine’s gas. Nice to know it’s a 68. My first car was a ‘68 Camaro. So that’s sort of rad.M is gas

My error, I jumped a line copying the description. M is for the gasoline engine, I will edit my post to correct that.

 

[J.Wondergem]

Here’s the number above the transmission dip stick 077131T I think. This makes it a ‘68 or ‘69?

Tractor data says 68.

 

[Jim.ME]

T = Tractor
4 = 1520
R = Row Crop Utility
M = Gasoline
C = Collar shift transmission
077131= individual unit number (077131 is a 1968 built unit)
Y = Dubuque built

Edited to correct engine type.

I can't edit the post at this time but the Y at the end should have been a T for Dubuque built. Sorry for the typo.