Farmall BN problem today

[grandpa Love]

We use 15-w40 diesel engine oil in all our Farmalls. $15 a gallon at Walmart or Napa. I personally wouldn't fool with the oil pump based on the oil pressure information you provided. "If it ain't broke......".

 

[kshansen]

We use 15-w40 diesel engine oil in all our Farmalls. $15 a gallon at Walmart or Napa. I personally wouldn't fool with the oil pump based on the oil pressure information you provided. "If it ain't broke......".

Well I did buy some straight 30 weight oil but might just use that in lawn mower and such. More I think of it the 15W-40 sounds better. Do not often use the Farmall in cold weather, but having said that there will be some reason I need to this winter when it's in the single digets!

I did get a little work done today. Cleaned the head sprayed the head gasket and when second side was close to dry installed the head and rocker arms. Next step will be adjusting valves then either oil pan or front cover or both if I get a surge of ambition!

One thing that had me confused for a while was trying to find the torque pattern for the head. I have an official IH service manual and I was looking for a picture showing the head with numbers for the pattern. Well I just happened to turn the page and see the directions to start in in middle and work out from that!

You would think I would remember that from 35+ years ago when I did it last! Then again these days some times remembering what I had for breakfast at lunch time can take some work!

 

[kshansen]

Did not work on tractor today, lawn needed mowing, plus had PT for the Parkinson's crap!!

But just one question about the valve setting, as I recall only spec is for setting hot, believe it is .014 inch. Anyone who has done some of these recently would you suggest setting them a little looser cold? I'm thinking as valves get hot the clearance might go down a little.

 

[grandpa Love]

Did not work on tractor today, lawn needed mowing, plus had PT for the Parkinson's crap!!

But just one question about the valve setting, as I recall only spec is for setting hot, believe it is .014 inch. Anyone who has done some of these recently would you suggest setting them a little looser cold? I'm thinking as valves get hot the clearance might go down a little.

We set at .014 cold. Run it up to temperature, remove the valve train,retorque the head, reinstall the valve train, adjust to.014 cold. Run up to temperature again and check the valves hot. Usually not much difference. But definitely worth checking hot.

 

[kshansen]

We set at .014 cold. Run it up to temperature, remove the valve train,retorque the head, reinstall the valve train, adjust to.014 cold. Run up to temperature again and check the valves hot. Usually not much difference. But definitely worth checking hot.

Sounds like a plan!

Got valves set to .014 in., installed valve cover, front cover, magneto, crank pulley and oil pan. Then it was time for lunch, can't seem to get guy (wait that's me!} to work after lunch some days! Probably next steps will be manifolds and governor control.

After that looks like steering assembly would be going on. Have to get wife to help with that, getting a couple bolts poked in while I hold it up!

 

[grandpa Love]

Sounds like a plan!

Got valves set to .014 in., installed valve cover, front cover, magneto, crank pulley and oil pan. Then it was time for lunch, can't seem to get guy (wait that's me!} to work after lunch some days! Probably next steps will be manifolds and governor control.

After that looks like steering assembly would be going on. Have to get wife to help with that, getting a couple bolts poked in while I hold it up!

I enjoy the updates!

 

[kshansen]

A little more done on BN. Tighten the pan bolts I put in the other day then installed oil filter, exhaust/intake manifold, air filter, governor assembly and the biggest part was hung on but not tightened yet, the steering assembly. Had a little problem with that as for some reason could not find all bolts! Had help from wife and was not understanding how some of those bolts were not to be found. Then just happened to look at the alternator(yes this BN has one of those!) turns out the two steering assembly bolts were holding the alternator bracket on. That steering assembly is heavy and wife was again very helpful in suggesting using the floor jack to hold it up while I started the bolts. Like I said those bolts are just snug for now, will tighten them all once alternator brackets are installed.

By now it was noon and I need a shower and some food.

 

[kshansen]

Not a lot of stuff done today, my energy level is a bit low!

Did put front wheels under frame and installed the radiator, got to remember the hose clamps need to go on before adding coolant! Right now other than hose clamps and mounting the alternator and adding oil and coolant then try hitting the starter to see if it will make the right kinds of noises!

Tomorrow is PT day for the Parkinson's BS so might not do anything to BN till Wednesday.

If it fires up and sounds ok might try mowing a couple laps in back yard to warm it up then do the retorque of head nuts. What are the thoughts on doing it while hot from working or let it cool down and do it when cooled down. Any thoughts welcome.

 

[grandpa Love]

Not a lot of stuff done today, my energy level is a bit low!

Did put front wheels under frame and installed the radiator, got to remember the hose clamps need to go on before adding coolant! Right now other than hose clamps and mounting the alternator and adding oil and coolant then try hitting the starter to see if it will make the right kinds of noises!

Tomorrow is PT day for the Parkinson's BS so might not do anything to BN till Wednesday.

If it fires up and sounds ok might try mowing a couple laps in back yard to warm it up then do the retorque of head nuts. What are the thoughts on doing it while hot from working or let it cool down and do it when cooled down. Any thoughts welcome.

We retorque it hot. It cools fairly quick anyway. Looking forward to the next update.

 

[kshansen]

We retorque it hot. It cools fairly quick anyway. Looking forward to the next update.

Well time for an update I guess!

I got a bit more done before lunch today. Installed hose clamps and alternator added oil, for now decided to go with the 30w oil I had bought the other day. Put the old coolant back in, might change it later this year before freezing temps as I have added a little water to make up for what comes out of radiator cap when running down hill in back yard.

Well guess no time like the present to spin it over with the plugs out, no bad sounds or puddles of fluids! Put the plugs back in and again cranked it over a bit, well no time like now to turn on the fuel valve on the tank and see what happens. A few seconds later there was sound coming out of the muffler, good sound! Shut it down to go have lunch, was half way to house and realized I forgot to look at oil pressure gauge when it was running. Went back and restarted and this time did look at the oil pressure gauge, it went about 3/4 of the way to the top actually maybe a touch higher than it usually did on first start.

To be honest I'm drawing a blank on what oil it had in it or last time I had changed it! I'll have to write it down some place like on the oil filter can, I might have done that but forgot to check today.

After a quick lunch went back out and fired it up again and then took a couple laps around the back field with mower running. Seems to run good and no strange noises. Don't want to push "Mr. Parkinson's" to much so will call it a day and probably run it some tomorrow and do the hot retorque and reset the valves then.

 

[grandpa Love]

Well time for an update I guess!

I got a bit more done before lunch today. Installed hose clamps and alternator added oil, for now decided to go with the 30w oil I had bought the other day. Put the old coolant back in, might change it later this year before freezing temps as I have added a little water to make up for what comes out of radiator cap when running down hill in back yard.

Well guess no time like the present to spin it over with the plugs out, no bad sounds or puddles of fluids! Put the plugs back in and again cranked it over a bit, well no time like now to turn on the fuel valve on the tank and see what happens. A few seconds later there was sound coming out of the muffler, good sound! Shut it down to go have lunch, was half way to house and realized I forgot to look at oil pressure gauge when it was running. Went back and restarted and this time did look at the oil pressure gauge, it went about 3/4 of the way to the top actually maybe a touch higher than it usually did on first start.

To be honest I'm drawing a blank on what oil it had in it or last time I had changed it! I'll have to write it down some place like on the oil filter can, I might have done that but forgot to check today.

After a quick lunch went back out and fired it up again and then took a couple laps around the back field with mower running. Seems to run good and no strange noises. Don't want to push "Mr. Parkinson's" to much so will call it a day and probably run it some tomorrow and do the hot retorque and reset the valves then.

Great news! I bet you were tickled pink to hear it running!

 

[kshansen]

Great news! I bet you were tickled pink to hear it running!

Forgot to mention that I had cranked it over the first time before I put the water in radiator and it fired up but would not shut off. Seems I had somehow forgot to connect the kill switch wire to the magneto, only ran at idle for a few seconds before I realized the mistake!

 

[grandpa Love]

Forgot to mention that I had cranked it over the first time before I put the water in radiator and it fired up but would not shut off. Seems I had somehow forgot to connect the kill switch wire to the magneto, only ran at idle for a few seconds before I realized the mistake!

Didn't hurt a thing!

 

[kshansen]

Didn't hurt a thing!

Well unless the Parkinson's acts up I plan on mowing a few laps to warm it up then pull valve cover and rockers to do a retorque of the head nuts and recheck/adj. the valves tomorrow and put hood and rad. cover on and maybe finish the mowing of back three+ acres. Might even find time to post a picture or two of the parts I did replace, one gear(governor/pump drive) is the worst!

 

[kshansen]

Well this morning I did mow a couple laps around the 3 acre back yard then went in the shed for the retorque/valve adj. For the retorque I backed off each nut, one at a time, maybe 1/4 turn then tightened to 65ft.lb. All the nuts turned maybe a little less than 15 degrees more than they were from original torque position. Reset valves to 0.014 inch most were a little tight which I expected with them hot and the retorque of the nuts.

Put sheet metal back on tractor and finished mowing the back yard. As always it handles the 6 foot Woods mower deck in third gear good except when I'm in parts of lawn where it grows a bit longer, those areas can be five inches or more deeper than the rest of the yard. Even in them it just clumps up some!

 

[grandpa Love]

Well this morning I did mow a couple laps around the 3 acre back yard then went in the shed for the retorque/valve adj. For the retorque I backed off each nut, one at a time, maybe 1/4 turn then tightened to 65ft.lb. All the nuts turned maybe a little less than 15 degrees more than they were from original torque position. Reset valves to 0.014 inch most were a little tight which I expected with them hot and the retorque of the nuts.

Put sheet metal back on tractor and finished mowing the back yard. As always it handles the 6 foot Woods mower deck in third gear good except when I'm in parts of lawn where it grows a bit longer, those areas can be five inches or more deeper than the rest of the yard. Even in them it just clumps up some!

I have enjoyed this post and the detailed updates. Happy to hear you got it up and going. We love our A ,B and BN....fun little machines

 

[kshansen]

Just thought I should post a picture of the gears out of my BN:

Anyone have info on the year this BN might be? No tags on tractor but t he engine block has this numer near the magneto:
FABN 107333

 

[Jim Becker]

1944, or at least the engine is. At that time, the A/AV/B/BN models left the factory with matching engine and serial numbers.

 

[kshansen]

1944, or at least the engine is. At that time, the A/AV/B/BN models left the factory with matching engine and serial numbers.

Then I better treat it right as it's 6 years older than me!

 

[kshansen]

1944, or at least the engine is. At that time, the A/AV/B/BN models left the factory with matching engine and serial numbers.

Just wondering if there is some place on the tractor where they would put that s/n? Mine does not have the tag that I see most pictures show, not even sure if there are holes where the rivets might have been.