1943 Farmall H transmission project and mouse problem

[ksdaddy]

I've owned a 1943 H for 20 years. It was in rough shape when I got it and I haven't done anything as far as restoration, just fixing things as I'm able or if the need arises. It has been in my mother's barn for the past three years (until recently). I need to state that the transmission is in need a lot of repair. It is extremely noisy, even just in neutral with the clutch out. It sounds like bearings. It has 90 weight in it but the transmission sounds dry. There is no 4th gear whatsoever, at least to say the lever won't go into 4th. In second, if I coast or otherwise don't have a load on it, it sounds like someone dropped a handful of marbles inside the transmission. I do plan to go inside the transmission next summer sometime. I was fortunate enough to crack the transmission cover bolts loose without incident. I do realize I don't know what I'm doing but I will take my time and lean on youtube heavily. Earlier this year I started it and let it run a while. As soon as I started it, I saw what looked like spray foam insulation coming out the bottom of the clutch housing, except it was black. It reminded me of goose poop. I scratched my head and told people about it but I think they thought I was losing my mind. A month or so ago I decided to bring the H to my house, 1-1/2 miles away. I went to start it and the starter did not work. I removed it and the bendix was packed with black gunk. I had to clean it out with a screwdriver to free it up. I then reinstalled it, started it, and as soon as I stepped on the clutch pedal I knew something was wrong. It felt like I was stepping on a half deflated ball. I managed to get it into gear and drive it out into the daylight. I removed the inspection cover from the clutch, laid a towel on the ground, and proceeded to pull approximately 5 lbs of black gunk out of the clutch housing. It looked like what would come out from under a lawn mower except black. As I dug it out I saw more evidence that it was likely a massive mouse nest. There were seed hulls, mouse poop, etc. I got what I could out and drove it home. The clutch didn't feel right but I made it home. I don't know if this was stupid or not, but I cleaned out the clutch housing as best I could with a pressure washer. More pounds of stuff came out. I started the engine and sprayed up into the housing with the pressure washer while it was running. More gunk. Once I was happy that I got as much as I could, I stopped. I've driven the tractor around the yard a couple times since then, and the clutch was "grabby" a couple times, and very slow to engage a couple times. Today I started it just to move it so I could mow under it, and it won't move at all. Nothing. I will say I have not smelled burning clutch at any time. I don't know if the mouse gunk glazed the disc or if I destroyed something in my effort to de-mousify it. Immediately I had visions of trying to split a tractor when I've never done it. I've since read that the H's clutch can be replaced without splitting it. I've also read some steps can be frustrating. Does anyone have a guess as to why the clutch would just go from good to bad in a matter of days, while spending most of it's time sitting on the lawn not even running? And as to replacing the clutch without splitting the tractor, what's your thoughts on that? Thanks for your time. I know I can be long winded.

 

[used red MN]

What does the clutch pedal feel like now? It there a lot
of travel when you push it down that seems to have no
resistance? I think maybe a few things need some lube
to help them move as they may be holding the clutch in the released position. In the link to the manufacturers
online parts catalog look in the Chassis Section and
subsection 107. Parts 35 and 36 should be a tube with
a grease fitting, give that a couple strokes with a gun. I
am not sure if that only lubes the bearing or if it also
lubes the ID of the Release Sleeve 25 to allow it to
slide on 32 the sleeve carrier. If those are not sliding
get some penetrating oil that is better than WD-40 and
spray it down. Also picking out one of the clutch types
it could have I will direct you to subsection 106 all of
the clutch types have basically the same configuration,
look at parts 2 the clutch release fingers. Those need
to pivot on the pins number 4, apply your lube to the
pivot areas of those 3. Try not to get any lube on the
lined plate that sets against the flywheel. Work the
clutch back and forth to see if it will start gaining a
normal feel as it is moved back and forth. You should
have a 3/4 inch of free play or easy movement when
first pushing the clutch. Yes, the clutch can be
changed without splitting the tractor but I believe the
hydraulic belly pump has to be removed so that it can
be done. Just FYI, it sounds like most of your bad
bearings are in the transmission section below the
back of the gas tank. If bearings in the rear end
section get worn enough and the ball cages come
apart the individual balls can fall out of the bearings. In
their wisdom IH did not allow enough clearance under
the bull gears for such items. See part 23 In
subsection 144. When this happens the ball gets under
the gear and cracks or breaks the cast case and the
gear oil will leak out. So just a warning of the possible
implications if you get it working and continue to use
it.
CNHI Farmall H online part catalog

 

[caterpillar guy]

Sounds like the throwout bearing could be stuck like used red says though since that sleeve is aluminum I believe it should not ruse though lack of lubricant would let it drag more on it. But I think you have a stuck clutch disc from all the soaking with the power washer in there. I would drop the belly pump a resonable heavy item so with 2 people and a bar through the hole in the bottom it can be done reasonably easy. The side pipes need to be inscrewd first along with the cap on top. There are a couple drive couplers up inside to get out also. The one is a wavy piec with 4 bolts through it and will be tight so leave it in gear with brakes set to help hold it while loosening them. The other will need to be algined so the pump can slide off it when you let the pump down. Once pump is out then loosen the presure plate and slide it back if your disc will slide freely then it is obviously not stuck if not then you found the problem. pry tap or whatever to get it loose and do it as soon as possible so it will free up easier. then oil that spline lightly and work the disc back and forth to work it in under the clutch hub. reassemble and good to go. you can try it without the pump in if you want to test it before putting it back up in.

 

[Jim Becker]

If it won't move at all, you may have a broken clutch disk. The hub could be broken loose from the outer portion of the disk. The long-time use of the area by mice could have gone a long way towards rusting it apart.

 

[ksdaddy]

Thanks for the replies! This morning I sprayed a little
PB Blaster on the pivot points of the clutch fingers. I
then worked the clutch pedal what seemed like 50
times with no change. I then pushed in on the pedal
and let my toe slip off the side, allowing the pedal to
slap back. I did that 10 times or so, and suddenly the
clutch works again. Thats the good news. I may end
up splitting it anyway, because as I was using a long
screwdriver to roll the engine to gain access to each
clutch finger, I saw some flywheel teeth in really bad
shape.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Nothing you did could have made things any worse than they were with the mouse nest in there.

Maybe I missed the detail but the "black gunk" was likely just oil-soaked mouse nest material. There's the rear main engine oil seal, the front transmission seals, and the hydraulic system in that cavity. Lots of oil sources, and they are probably ALL contributing to some degree.

It is possible to change the clutch and pressure plate on an H through the belly pump hole. You're going to have to split the tractor to replace the bearings in the transmission anyway, so if the clutch is working now I would not worry about any of it until you're ready to do the transmission.

An H is a good tractor to do your first split. Hopefully you can do it in the garage on a concrete floor. The splitting stand doesn't have to be anything fancy. It can even be a wooden cradle for the front end. All you need is a simple floor jack for the rear end. Normally I would say roll the front end away but here with a wood cradle on the front half I'd roll the rear end away.