farmall 756 advice

[jubileefarmer]

Needed a tractor and ended up with a 1967 Farmall 756. Been a great tractor so far. In a search for a thermostat (which is ongoing, btw) I have come to realize that I really don't know how to care for this 55 year old tractor. What type of antifreeze, how often to change out hydro fluid, other common failures I should keep an I out for. Thanks for any input ya'll have.

 

[DeltaRed]

First thing... Buy an owners manual! ASAP!I use the 'cheap' green antufreeze. If hydro oil is mirky,you might change it. But onec every 3-5 years. You wont be putting very many hours on. The biggest issue will be water(condensation),and 'dirt'.Change engine oil every 100 hrs,or yearly. Change all filters at that time.If a diesel engine,15/40 'fleet diesel' is the prefered oil. Any brand will be adequet.If gas,it uses a different oil. Someone here can tell which type.You have an exceptional tractor. I have one. Diesel(310 german),over 12,000 hrs.Love it,and it will never leave the place.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Just the old green antifreeze is good for it. Hydraulic oil about every 500 hours or more often if it sets alot with little use as the water will condense in the case anyway. Engine every 100 hours with filter unless you are running extreme dirt conditions. Air filter should be blown out about each season if in moderate dirt change by inspection. Dirty air filters use more fuel be it gas or diesel. Filter on hydraulic yearly helps keep water caught in it removed. Grease each season complete tractor except for the throw out bearing and rear axles shafts they are about once a year or occasionally as use demands. Throw out bearing is inside the bottom cover under the clutch. 2 bolts and look up in there .DO NOT do while running. I have added a short grease hose with a bulkhead fitting for a grease zerk to grease it without removing the cover. Just needs a couple squirts about 2 twice per year unless you are using the clutch excessively. If a diesel check SCA level with a test strip each year or more often in the antifreeze. This keeps the antifreeze from having air bubble attacking the sleeves and putting pin holes through them and cavitation of the block. IF the stems go to leaking in the cores on the rear wheels and loaded change the stem at the pipe through the rim they just screw out and screw a new one in.Do it with stem up on a jack so the liquid is down from the stem hole have the new one right there to swap quick. Pretty much covers the most important things. You also need a service and operators manuals for it.

 

[used red MN]

Hello jub farmer welcome to YT! Gas or Diesel they made both?

 

[the tractor vet]

Well i must assume it's diesel if your looking . GOOD LUCK with that as they have been off the market for years . Many times i have pondered on how to make a replacement . You were Advised to get and owner's manual and i might add and I T manual , this will save you asking lots of questions on HOW TO . Just finished up working on a 756 last week . That tractor is on it's second owner now and i have worked on that tractor for 20 plus years when the org. owner started having me do his work as he had a pair of 756's , when he bought a new tractor he bought in pairs, 2 856'ws 2 1066's 2 1466's 2 -1086's and 2 1486's ,. he said it stopped the fighting with his kids , i had one other customer that the battle over who was going to drive the S/MTA between the two boys could get nasty , so to solve the problem i found him a second S/MTA , Yea he farmed with old stuff and milked cows . He is a little shell we say strange .

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Must've been some kind of farmer to be able to buy two new tractors at a time, over and over.

 

[the tractor vet]

Yea , he was a work of art . And worked hard . When most around were milking 25to 40 cows he was milking 80-100 , He started farming just after the second world war with a H then and m on one 160 acre farm then bought the farm next to him for another 160 , And just kept adding . and when he passed the first tractor was still on the farm and still running . The two tractor buying started as his two oldest Boys came of age . while i was doing his work they were up to a 300 cow herd milking . His money was good , when done with the job he wanted the bill now and his wife brought the check out . If one of his tractors went down an i had one setting i would loan it to him . He owned everything they farmed .

 

[jubileefarmer]

Ya'll have to forgive me if I break some rules of etiquette...don't do forums much.

Thanks for the replies. D310 engine. I needed a tractor to pull logs for a house I was building and to move about 40 bales of hay a year. Bought all the manuals, did the basic changing fluids and filters, greased and went to work - maybe 200 hours over the last 3 years.

This week it started blowing radiator fluid out so I parked it and started reading.... lots of stories about cracked sleeves and blown head gaskets etc and their causes. Realized there is a whole body of knowledge for caring for these old things I wasn't aware of. Was impressive to read but overwhelming too.

All that said, definitely got some pressure in the cooling system not enough to cause a miss. No oil in water and no water in oil. So I'm hoping for a blown head gasket. Will pull the head and take look.

 

[jubileefarmer]

Thanks for the comments. I totally missed the grease point for the throw out bearing. Had no idea you could get to it. Also, I want to pay more attention to the issues with the sleeves.

I really wanted a simple tractor, but this was the only one I could afford. Only tractor I was around was a'68 Massey 175. All the adjustments on the TA, transmission break (when you press the clutch), the break pawl (keeps slipping) are about to wear me out. BUT I love the tractor.
Since I'm pulling the head I've decided to really read the manual and try to educate myself and make sure I'm not missing things that are obvious to you guys.

This post was edited by jubileefarmer on 08/04/2023 at 01:15 pm.