Farmall H Water Jacket Questions

[Mnethercutt]

Howdy folks,

I have a new-to-me Farmall H I acquired in a deal with 2 other tractors. It was inoperable when I purchased it (and looks like it's sat for at least 5 years) but I got it fired up today and quickly discovered that the left hand water jacket cover had several cracks in it that leaked water. Obviously I'll have to get it replaced before I can try running the tractor for longer periods. I have a few questions regarding the water jacket cover and the inside of the engine. I've only worked on Deere's and Fords so IH is new to me...

1. Is the water jacket cover supposed to have some sort of fins on the back? In the pictures of new ones I've found, they have 2 fins/vanes on the back (see the attached picture). When I pulled mine off it was literally just a flat cover. Have the vanes rusted away completely?

2. Assuming the vanes aren't required, can I just make a new cover at home out of spare sheet metal, match drill, and install it?

3. While I have the cover off, I'd like to clean out as much of the cooling system as possible. When I stick my finger down inside the engine, there is a considerable amount of material at the bottom of the sleeves/cylinders. What is the best way to get all this out? Can I vacuum it? Or should I try and use water pressure from the lower radiator hose to push it up and out the side?

Again, new to IH/Farmall so any tips here would be appreciated.

 

[Dave S.]

The fins or whatever you want to call them are there to distribute the cooler water coming from the radiator through the engine more evenly for better cooling. Could use a screwdriver to loosen the rust and sediment then use a vacuum or anything to drag it out. I think the cover only goes on one way but can't remember for sure.

 

[used red MN]

You must consider your time is not worth squat, you will easily have 2 hours in making that plate and then it won’t have the correct coolant distribution boxes on the inside. For $45 you could have one at your door in a few days and you can put it on and it will look like the original part and won’t look like a hack job.

 

[caterpillar guy]

If it is dry you could try a vacuum on it. IF it is damp to wet it will probably not get it out very well since it will want to stick together. A well made plate would not look like a hack job as some will say. I have seen some covers made for jobs other than this that when done looked as good as a store bought one just were heavier material so worked just fine. I would worry more about the cooling if you were going to go out and plow with it all day in a warm to hot spring afternoon. Just driving around in parades and such things it would be fine.

 

[Longknife]

Take it outside and use a pressure washer to get the sludge out of the block!

 

[rcmedic]

I purchased replacement covers for mine as a part of complete overhaul/rebuild of my engine on my 1940 H. I came across the same as that which you describe. Initially I used my power washer to clean out as much as I could and then left a wet/dry vacuum running overnight too with the exhaust piped into the interior of the engine to dry it out and then vacuumed out the remainder that the power washer did not get. In the end I would have to say that I also had the entire block "hot tanked" as a part of the complete rebuild. Kind of a PITA but the end product was well worth it to me. She runs like a top and looks like new as well.