About to start F-20 after "storage"

[Mel in KS]

My dad's F-20 sat in a barn under cover for about 30 years. Turns over freely. Checked all, replaced fluids, and had radiator cleaned and checked and is back on. Valve cover off and all there looks great! My Instruction Book says "before starting engines that have been in storage, remove spark plugs and pour a mixture of one-half gasoline and one-half light lubricating oil into each cylinder (one-half U.S. pint per cylinder is enough). Remove valve housing cover and flush - with same mixture. Crank engine rapidly until excess oil has been blown out of spark plug holes."
Before it sat and hardly used thereafter, my dad overhauled it in 1986. When I crank it over I don't see the pistons coming up high enough to blow the excess oil out very well. I worry about excess oil and too much pressure in the cylinders if not enough oil has been blown out. Is this a worry? How can I get all the excess oil out?

 

[J.Wondergem]

I see it has a pulley. If you have another tractor or motor with a pulley, belt the two together with the belt twisted in the middle and spin it over with the plug out. It'll blow the oil out.

 

[Willow Lane]

Note that it says "crank engine rapidly, If the tractor has electric start, the starter should spin it fast enough to blow all of the oil mixture out. If you only have a hand crank, you will need to figure out some way to spin it faster, perhaps belting another tractor to the belt pulley.

 

[rustred]

My dad's F-20 sat in a barn under cover for about 30 years. Turns over freely. Checked all, replaced fluids, and had radiator cleaned and checked and is back on. Valve cover off and all there looks great! My Instruction Book says "before starting engines that have been in storage, remove spark plugs and pour a mixture of one-half gasoline and one-half light lubricating oil into each cylinder (one-half U.S. pint per cylinder is enough). Remove valve housing cover and flush - with same mixture. Crank engine rapidly until excess oil has been blown out of spark plug holes."
Before it sat and hardly used thereafter, my dad overhauled it in 1986. When I crank it over I don't see the pistons coming up high enough to blow the excess oil out very well. I worry about excess oil and too much pressure in the cylinders if not enough oil has been blown out. Is this a worry? How can I get all the excess oil out?

never mind that much mixture in each cylinder. totally not necessary. just pump in about 6 shots of engine oil with a squirt can and your good. turn it over to lube the walls and rings. oil the top rocker felt good to lube the valve train. change the oil. put in fresh gas . confirm u have spark and start it. it will smoke blue for a minute after starting which is good then go to normal. then give it a job to do to clean the plugs up.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

Latch onto it with another tractor and have your wife pull it around the yard in gear with spark plugs out. That'll get it out.

 

[Buffalo Pete]

I agree with Rustred. Follow his instructions. Not all instructions from the 1930s make sense today.

 

[bc]

If you can crank it over fast then watch the oil pressure gauge for pressure. When you start it keep an eye on the oil gauge and if it doesn't come up fairly quick then shut it down. Don't ask why I'm giving you this warning.

I would just squirt or pour some oil as rustred said or get a spray can of fogging oil at the auto parts store and spray some in each cylinder. Crank on it a little bit to lube the cylinders and hopefully crank it enough to get some oil pumped into the cam and crank bearings.

 

[used red MN]

There is plenty of room in the combustion chamber to hold the extra liquid you are concerned with. Once cranked through a turn of the crankshaft the remaining oil will just displace some of the air in the cylinder and compress the remaining air tighter. Bottom line is no worry. A diesel engine is more particular about this because it squeezes the air in to a much smaller space due to them having a higher compression ratio.

 

[560Dennis]

Consider using pre mix 50:1 chain saw fuel for starting. higher octane and lube
i see the valve cover is off , lube the valves with 30 weight and work them up and down . If you haven’t already.
try some see foam in the crankcase .
what I was thinking you probably already .

 

[504]

We all should know what the oil is for, the gas is to have something in the combustion chamber that will kinda burn. I just use a shot of starting fluid in each spark plug hole and screw the plugs back in .

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I agree with Rustred. Follow his instructions. Not all instructions from the 1930s make sense today.

Seconded. Or is it thirded?

Though, if you've turned it over several times already, pumping oil into the cylinders is a waste of oil, and effort. That should have been done BEFORE you started cranking on it. If there was any damage to be done, it's done.

After everything the OP has done so far, I'd check the oil, check for spark, kick the tires, and light the fires.

 

[flying belgian]

After you have done the lube in the cylinders blow the access out with the air compressor. Warning,,,stand back!!

 

[rustred]

Seconded. Or is it thirded?

Though, if you've turned it over several times already, pumping oil into the cylinders is a waste of oil, and effort. That should have been done BEFORE you started cranking on it. If there was any damage to be done, it's done.

After everything the OP has done so far, I'd check the oil, check for spark, kick the tires, and light the fires.

Exactly , the oil has to be added before the piston moves. If there is any rust from condensation and stuck to the rings it’s going to raise heck with the rings and piston and cyl. Wall. The one thing them old manuals are correct on is to add the oil to each cylinder When u know the tractor will not be used for long periods at a time. That is the best thing anyone can do but who thinks of that. I am guilty also. Time gets away on a person.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Exactly , the oil has to be added before the piston moves. If there is any rust from condensation and stuck to the rings it’s going to raise heck with the rings and piston and cyl. Wall. The one thing them old manuals are correct on is to add the oil to each cylinder When u know the tractor will not be used for long periods at a time. That is the best thing anyone can do but who thinks of that. I am guilty also. Time gets away on a person.

You say "raise heck." I say "reseat."