Continental engine dependability

[stevieb49829]

I have a Continental 162 in my '46 101 Jr. I plan on doing a bunch of modifying to get the tractor to what I need, cheaper than new, and maybe better. When I got the tractor the oil pan was black (which I cleaned up), but the center main was pristine when I pulled the cap to check crank condition. It produces 25 psi oil pressure without fail, and no valve train rattling. Do I have to worry about putting money and time into this tractor where the engine might fail, or are these engines pretty bomb-proof if taken care of?

 

[rustred]

they are an ok engine. look how many were on those SA 200 welders. check the compression, read the spark pugs and you get your answer.

 

[stevieb49829]

I know these are mild-compression engines. What's a good or bad PSI range to look for?

 

[rustred]

check it and post results. thinking 100-120 range. but they must be within 10 percent of each other. have you done a compression checking? make sure carb throttle is not closed and give it 5 puff's for each cyl. record results in order.

 

[stevieb49829]

It'll be a while before I get to the tractor. The shop builder is showing up next week, and until the shop is up, and warm inside, the 101 will remain sitting in the snow in N. Idaho

 

[cdhunter]

(quoted from post at 00:04:44 02/17/21) It'll be a while before I get to the tractor. The shop builder is showing up next week, and until the shop is up, and warm inside, the 101 will remain sitting in the snow in N. Idaho

What a coincidence....My shop in N. Idaho is currently going up.
What size shop are you going with?
Here is a pic of the progress.

 

[Mike in Mn.]

The F162 was a tuff old engine, oil pressure was 10 to 14 lbs. or so when new so someone really stretched the spring on yours, and that's ok. Compression ratio was 6.25 to one on the gasoline model so a comp. reading over 100 PSI or so is good. You should be hearing a little tappet or valve noise if the clearance is correct, you should check the clearance. They were fairly easy to grind the valves on and needed that done as regular maintenance. They liked to leak around the rear main seal which was a rope seal, even if the main bearings were good, One in good shape will start in any weather and run and run, they had good power for what they were and the fuel economy was great.

 

[stevieb49829]

Man, that looks a lot like the plans I just sent into Bonner County for the building permit. 32 wide, 40 deep with twin 12' open sheds down the sides. A subdivision just north of
Spirit Lake

 

[stevieb49829]

Thanks, Mike. That's the info I needed to keep on working on it. Last winter, in my HEATED shop, I melted the 6 gallons of ice out of the tranny/diff, rebuilt the clutch and tranny and got it running. Don't know how long it sat after the clutch shaft stripped out in the disc, but long enough to fill it up with rain and snowmelt. The clutch shaft was because of a gone pilot bushing making everything worse. Had to create a bushing to take up the slop in the crankshaft hole, and weld up and remodel the clutch shaft for the destroyed splines. I'm watching for another shaft that's still in good shape, don't know how long my "machine work" will hold out. Pulled a few stumps with it last month without problems.

 

[stevieb49829]

Mike, where in MN? I grew up in the corn and beans just south of Mankato, but have been in the west since the early 70's. Had to be in the conifer forests of the west. Go figure. Steve