1955 or 1956 International 300 Utilty

[Zane S.]

Hello all,

My wife and I recently bought a house with 5 acres of fairly flat ground which we are hoping to get some grass started in and also cut an arena. Of course to maintain this size place, I decided I needed a small tractor and some implements. So I can down the road and found an International 300 Utility for $800.00 that runs like a champ but I can tell has been a bit neglected when it comes maintenance. However, upon starting to look at everything that needs done, I have come to realize I have VERY limited knowledge of tractors.
I have greased every cert I can find and replaced those which wouldn't take grease but now I'm on to fluids. Unfortunately, I don't know which pan or filler goes to which fluid. I also don't know what systems run off the same reservoir. I was hoping someone might be able to get me pointed in the right direction.
I have shop manual for it but it is for several models and a most of the pictures don't reference the 300 so I'm kind of lost trying to follow it. I'm sure it will make more sense as I become more familiar with the tractor.

Any help related to the topic of fluids or any other topics is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Charlie M]

I've got a 300U and its a pretty good tractor. Engine oil should be pretty straight forward with dipstick, drain plug and filter. You can get a filter at NAPA. Can't remember but I think oil is 5 quarts. Use like a 10W40 detergent oil. If you have hydraulics its the metal reservoir under the seat. Use hydraulic oil in that as that is all it runs is the hydraulic and power steering if you have it. Transmission should use Hytran oil or equivalent which is hi quality hydraulic oil. If you have an independent PTO then it has is own oil supply and the fill pipe is on top of the PTO. I think that will take Hytran also. I seem to recall its 2 quarts. That's it for fluids. You can buy manuals for the tractor from many places - Binderbooks has the best quality.

 

[Rustmonger]

Just to tag on to Charlie's post- If you have power steering, there is an often neglected plug on the upper part of the gearbox that needs to be filled. The hydraulic fluid doesn't actually lubricate the entire PS gearbox. A real IH owners manual is an excellent purchase, it shows several well hidden zerks, such as the front axle pivot and the water pump. Some aren't even zerks but need attention none the less, such as the distributor drive and the pivot at the rear of the front axle wishbone. If you have specific questions, post them here and folks will jump in to help. Welcome to the country life. jeff

 

[Zane S.]

Hi Charlie,

Thanks for the help! Maybe you can help me with one more question? I went out last night to lube the throttle linkage as I was getting very little range of motion from it and noticed what I believe to be a plug missing. Unfortunately, I don't know which reservoir this is (again, forgive my ignorance) to search for the proper part online. Maybe you would be able to identify it by the image I have attached?

Thanks!

 

[Rustmonger]

I'm not Charlie, but,...If you are talking about the hole which I pointed at with a yellow arrow, you can stop worrying. That is actually a threaded hole into the flywheel housing. You will notice that adjacent holes have little plugs in them, they often fall out which provides access to a PERFECT habitat for wasps. It can be very interesting when they get annoyed while you are mowing,....jeff

 

[Zane S.]

Thanks Jeff! That gives me a point of reference to search from for a new plug. Definitely don't want to upset any critters, mostly for my sake but we can pretend it's for theirs too.

 

[Rustmonger]

hmmm, photo didn't stick first time, maybe I can use extra glue this time.

 

[Zane S.]

That's the one! So that's a dry housing then? No need to refill with any fluid once the plug has been replaced?

 

[Rustmonger]

Yes, It is dry. No fluid required at that location. Looks like the exhaust has been converted to vertical, as these were almost all equipped with underslung exhaust originally. Vertical works great, but it is good to get in the habit of tossing a can or a bucket over the pipe when you end the day, EVEN IF IT HAS A RAIN CAP ON IT. This is probably the #1 ruination of old tractors, and while rain caps can keep out most water, they aren't perfect. Hard to see, but it appears that you have power steering. jeff

 

[Zane S.]

That's good to know. It does have a rain cap and is parked under an rv storage but I'll throw something over it to be safe. As for power steering, I assumed it didn't have it. It definitely doesn't act like it does if so. Is there a better angled picture I could get you to confirm if it does or not?

 

[dhermesc]

This will help a lot!


https://www.link_disallowed/REP116-operators-manual-ih-300-utility

Or you can download and print for free if you have a good printer:


https://groups.diigo.com/group/primapisma39/content/download-international-300-utility-tractor-manual-6720904

 

[Rustmonger]

Here are three pictures. One each of a manual and a power gear, both from the RH side of tractor. Also, a picture from the LH side of the infamous hidden fill plug, just in case some other folks are watching. Left and Right are always called out as viewed by an operator in the drivers seat. Keep well, jeff

 

[Charlie M]

I didn't know that about the power steering as mine steers the hard way.

 

[Zane S.]

Ok, so I got home and checked into the steering (see image) the wiring to the general area leads me to believe that it is probably power steering? If that's the case, it certainly doesn't turn like it has power steering (I'm not sure how primitive the system is but it is nearly impossible to turn the wheels without some type of movement forward or reverse) any ideas on why this may be? Lack of fluid?

 

[Zane S.]

Forgot the picture, sorry.

 

[Zane S.]

Hi!

I tried both links and couldn't get either to work... The first one said the page doesn't exist and the second took me to what looks like where it was posted but when I clicked the download link it took me to what looked like a domain redirect?

 

[Zane S.]

Also, here are some wider shots just to give you an idea of the shape of the tractor.

 

[Rustmonger]

You have a Manual gear. The tractor looks pretty honest to me, fairly unmolested. As far forward as the pipe is, the exhaust manifold is probably original, they just put it up instead of down and cut a hole in the hood. I have seen that quite a few times, and assumed it was where guys did a lot of mowing and were tired of stomping out grass fires.

For the steering, Check the following;

Both front spindles taking grease? There should be two zerks on each of the spindles. If possible, pump until you have grease coming out of both top and bottom of spindle.

Tires fully inflated? This makes a tremendous amount of difference. Your wheels are dished in (good)so that is great.

All four tie rod ends taking grease?

According to the Operators manual, Your gear should have a plug on the left side to add oil. It calls out 80w gear oil, but really any gear oil would work, just make sure that it is full. Does it steer okay with that brush hog up off the ground? If not, you probably need to find the answer, as it should be fairly easy with it off the ground.

 

[Zane S.]

Check, check and check. I have grease in everything, though the previous owner didn't... The only grease that came out was mine, no old grease... As for steering, it steers as I feel it should for lack of power steering so that's good I think. I'm getting a list ready for a full fluid flush so I'll make sure to take care of the steering gearbox then. New problem though, on checking hydraulic fluid levels I have determined something is definitely wrong there. Opened the top plug and it looks like coffee creamer... My first guess is water in the fluid? I am attaching a picture for reference. I also pulled the dipstick on the oil and it is pretty over full, not sure if the previous owner just added some with each run or if there is possibly fuel in it, is that a thing?

 

[Rustmonger]

Yeah, looks like water to me.

Good idea to change that out anyway. The Factory fluid is Hytran, but you will find lots of opinions on this board as to the appropriate replacement. For my hydraulics, I use the slightly better grade of cheap 5 gallon yellow bucket fluid available at your local tractor or farm store. It seems to be perennially on sale, usually emerging form dormant non-sale status two to three days after I stock up. I am of the opinion that changing fluids regularly is easily as important as brand, but that is just me. The hydraulic system has a bronze/ brass strainer inside the casting reservoir that you pulled the plug on. That is it, no filter, so clean fluid is your only defense.

On top of the casting, under the seat, is a breather for the hydraulic reservoir. Some of the breathers I have seen had holes in the TOP. Beats me why, but there you go- perfect rainwater collection system. I cut out a little "hat" from a plastic bottle maybe 1" or so tall, then cut slots around the perimeter.Placed upside down over the breather, it keeps the rainwater out but allows free flow of air.

I went outside and looked at my manual gear, the fill plug is in the same place as on a ps unit.

Fuel in the engine oil is not a thing on these, since it has an updraft carburetor and no fuel pump. Manual says six quarts of motor oil. I like Rotella, been running it for many years with no issue. Since I am trying to keep so many things running I just can't stock a different oil for every engine.

When you drain the transmission/ rear end, take care that you hit ALL of the drain plugs, and be prepared for water. Standard procedure is to carefully back out the plug till it is almost out of threads, let the water (if any) out, then tighten the plug slightly. Go deal with the water then you actually drain the fluid. Even if not in the rain, they make water from condensation inside the transmission.I like the same ubiquitous yellow bucket fluid for the rear, but again personal preference. You aren't running a Torque amplifier so you can run gear oil in the transmission if you prefer. When filling, most folks pull the level plug then actually fill through the large plug adjacent to the shifter on top of the transmission, requires a 3/4" drive ratchet or breaker. When fluid comes out the level plug, well, that's enough already! jeff

 

[Zane S.]

Wow, great information! So glad I decided to post here!

So when changing the hydraulic fluid, I assume I need to clean any debris from the bronze mesh you mentioned in the box under the seat? Does this mean I will need to replace a gasket or seal there? Want to make sure I have one in hand before I start if so. Also, I believe my manual says 28 quarts of transmission fluid, 2 quarts of fluid for the PTO (is this hydraulic fluid?), 3 quarts for the final drive (not sure what this is referring to) and 4 3/8 gallons of coolant. I wanted to make sure I am reading this correctly and also see if there is any specific coolant type which is best to run in these tractors. I know cars and trucks can be pretty particular about brands so better safe than sorry.

 

[Rustmonger]

I wouldn't pull the reservoir casting YET if I didn't have a hydraulic issue. The strainers can be found, but they are fairly scarce. They can usually be cleaned and re-installed. Since you will have quite a bit of fluid that will be trapped in the lines, the pump, and the cylinder, I would personally recommend changing the fluid a time or two, THEN pull the top and clean the strainer. There are lots of pictures on the net of them so clogged up with goobery gobs of glockengunk that they collapsed from the suction. Changing the fluid at least once allows you to get most of that out before you pull the top. VERY HEAVY.

Regular old antifreeze, there is a block drain, and a drain in the lower radiator hose, and here is where things can get a bit dicey,....

The manual recommends pulling the side water jacket cover occasionally to clean all of the rust and detritus from the water jacket. Undoubtedly a fine idea, but chances are really good that by the time you get that cover peeled off you will be ordering a new one. New ones are readily available off of ebay, around $50 for a metal cover and gasket. Not to mention all of the twisted and rusted bolts involved. Many here recommend a vinegar tonic treatment to loosen scale and rust. If you are going to do that, I would do the vinegar, then the cover, then a really good flush. THEN put in the new antifreeze. Proceed at your own risk,...jeff

 

[Zane S.]

Running a fresh batch of hydraulic through it first sounds like a good plan. Should I plan to use this as almost a flush? I.e. drain the old
fluid, refill, run for a while, repeat? I'd like to run HyTran but that sounds like it's a pretty expensive ordeal. Or did you mean to run a new
batch for a while but probably shorter than a normal change interval?

As for the cleaning procedure you mentioned involving the cover, I am not sure I am ready to tackle that just yet. Would a several back-to-back
flushings eliminate most of the debris which could collect here?

I just hate to tear up a $50.00 part when I already have to convince the wife that I need to buy a bunch of fluid and filters. I don't see that
being a fun conversation. In her mind we paid $800 for the tractor and we should treat it that way ha ha. I'm more in the mindset of: It's an
antique, there will eventually be less and less of them and it won't take much to get more than we paid for it back out of it, on top of some
use. But that's just me.

 

[dhermesc]

I wish I could find stuff like that for $800. A 300 Utility is many times more useful than an 9N/2N/8N Ford.

Sorry my links didn't work - they didn't work me either when I checked them. They were both to manuals. Getting a reproduction of the original owners manual will be helpful as you do 20 years of catch up maintenance in the next month or so.

 

[Zane S.]

I believe it. The one I have now is a shop manual for I believe International 300-450. Something like that anyway. That manual seems to be more driven towards larger maintenance such as overhauls and rebuilds but I also haven't gotten to spend a lot of time with it yet. Are there better options?

 

[Rustmonger]

I would simply drain the Hydraulics and fill with fresh. Cycle the hitch up and down a few times, then keep an eye on the fluid. If it gets ugly quick then repeat the process a time or two, then when it stays clean pull the casting and clean the screen. If it doesn't get ugly, then I would probably buy a gasket and pull the top when convenient. The strainers (IH#364687r91) are available (a mere $242.40) both new and used. The first used one that popped up for me was about $110, but there is really no reason to buy one if yours is intact. There IS, however, a good incentive to clean it before it collapses. The gaskets are available for around $33.00(IH#361875r1) As example, Bates has them both, but I always check this site first. I figure as long as they are hosting this forum it is the least we can do.

As to the side cover, I agree with your spouse and recommend against pulling it unnecessarily, but my policy is to agree with any spouse who would let me buy a tractor. Flushing cooling system with your favorite auto parts store chemical remedy or the vinegar tonic are both good, but be aware that sometimes the flush process exposes leaks.

As to the manuals, they are available from this site, from Binders books, and of course ebay. Be aware that there are different manuals for the Farmall vs International lines. You have an International. Operators manual would definitely be my first purchase. There is no one manual that will answer all of your questions, though the operators manual gives most mileage per dollar. IH had a real funny way of publishing manuals, they published a separate manual for each of the groups (i.e. engine, transmission, brakes, hitch, hydraulics,...). A complete suite of manuals will set you back around $200.00. This would consist of the operators manual plus all of the the individual service manuals, then the I&T IH 10 shop manual. The IH-10 manual is a very condensed and concise aftermarket service manual, but it is geared towards the mechanic who is looking for reference data. I would start with an operators manual ($25, includes the safety cartoons at the left of this page!), and save up the cash for when you get really serious. jeff

 

[Zane S.]

Sounds like a plan. I guess I have an approach established there.

One further question. The starter usually takes a few hits to engage. The first hit or two it makes a whirring sound like it is spinning freely. Following that I normally get a hit or two where it grinds. Once it actually engaged though the tractor starts immediately. My father-in-law suggested replacing it or having it rebuilt but that puts me back at having another conversation with the wife. Is there any way to get a better idea of what is causing this? I don't know if maybe there is something there which should be lubricated that has been neglected, perhaps? It would definitely be ideal to fix the problem with maintenance over an overhaul.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Yes, the "shop manual" is for major repair of the tractor.

What you absolutely *need* is the OWNER'S MANUAL. This will give you instructions on the basic operation of the tractor, the basic maintenance of the tractor, what fluids to use, where to put them, and how much you need.

You can get originals and reprints of the manual from dozens of sources online such as this site, or ebay. It will be the best $20 you've spent on this tractor.

The only caveat to the owner's manual is that it was written 60 years ago and oil technology has changed. The Hytran brand hadn't been invented yet, and IH called their hydraulic oil "touch control fluid" or recommended straight engine oil with a bottle of special additive they sold.

 

[hd6gtom]

Congratulation you have one on the best tractors IHC made at a very good price. I don't have an owners Manuel for
you, but a word of advice, go on EBay and find an original book. I purchased a reprint from one of the larger
places that sell reprints. It was for my 10-20. It was useless- the pictures were black, there were pages left
out of the book. Some of the pages were completely out of order. Have fun with your purchase.

 

[Rustmonger]

Well, the likeliest correct answer is also the least pleasant.

If you are lucky, there is a remote possibility that the starter drive is sluggish on the armature of the starter, in which case you just pull the starter, clean the shaft and spray with aerosol spray graphite, re-assemble and life goes on. This make of Delco starter had problematic starter drives and there is a new cushion drive which would also solve the same issue. Your local starter and alternator shop can help you with that, or you can order online and diy.

On the other hand, it is also possible that the starter ring gear on the flywheel has a worn spot. This can be a relatively cheap fix, but it requires splitting the tractor and you might not be psyched up to tackle that just yet. You can (after splitting the engine from the transmission and removing the flywheel)mark the orientation of the ring gear, knock it off, then re-install a few degrees from original. This works because the engine most often stops in the same place, and therefore the starter drive meshes at the same place when starting. I personally recommend against all of the "Totally brand new / No core required/ Better than ever!" starters that are all over ebay. They are made offshore, and I have been hearing lots of bad comments about them. Other guys here on the board will have better data from first hand experience.

Pulling the starter is cheap and easy, probably takes me ten minutes to R&R, splitting the tractor is a major chore that is pretty intimidating for first timers. good luck, jeff

 

[Jim Becker]

(quoted from post at 15:02:29 07/20/17)I purchased a reprint from one of the larger
places that sell reprints. It was for my 10-20. It was useless- the pictures were black, . . .

I have seen some low quality "reprints" from several sources that were useless or close to it. Reprints from Binder Books seem to be consistently the highest quality available.

 

[Zane S.]

The fly wheel option does sound a but intimidating but I guess I'll have to nut up or shut up if it comes to that. Upon removing the starter, is there a way to tell if the teeth are damaged from that point? It sounds like my first step is to clean and spray the starter as you said but if there is a check I can do at that point then I'd feel more comfortable than pulling the starter again to check. Not sure if that makes sense?

 

[Rustmonger]

Pull the coil wire, then after you pull the starter just look in the hole at the ring gear. Mark it with a piece of chalk so you know when you have gone a revolution, then use a large flat blade screwdriver or tire tool, inch the engine for a revolution looking at the teeth. You may need a little inspection mirror to get a good view. If there are any really bad spots it will be obvious. You can also pull the plugs, put the transmission in 5th, and rock the tractor back and forth to accomplish the same result. good luck, jeff