FARMALL MD

[Farmall M 248]

Not sure if I can but I will try to explain your casting codes:

The “T” at the end of the engine casting code confirms the engine was cast in 1950, so that part is correct.

The confusion comes from comparing two different numbering systems. The charts you’re looking at are for tractor/chassis serial numbers, not engine serial numbers. International Harvester grouped the M, MD, MDV, and MV tractor serial numbers together to track overall tractor production.

Engine serial numbers were tracked separately by engine type. Gasoline Model M engines used the prefix FBKM, while diesel engines used FDBKM. IH did this so they could keep separate production records for gas and diesel engines. Because of that, the engine serial numbers will not match or closely follow the tractor serial numbers.

So if your tractor serial number indicates a 1950 production year, that would correctly match both the engine casting code and the engine serial number. Since only about 18,000 MD tractors were produced, the diesel engine serial numbers fall into a much smaller range than the overall tractor serial numbers, which is why you were getting 1940. BTW, MD's weren't in production until 1941.

I don't really know how to explain it otherwise, the internet helped me word this stuff above. It's just hard for me to explain over the internet, sorry. Maybe send me more messages if you don't understand.

Also FWIW casting codes on Farmall tractors weren't used extensively until 1942ish.

Thank you so much for taking the time to type that all out and it really makes sense now.

 

[rustred]

The only reason I would have it hot tanked would be to expose any cracks if any and the rust remover that we use does just that.
The cam was stuck pretty good in there and to remove it I had to take out the cam plug and use a big punch to get the cam out and that’s why the bearing came with it and yes I know that the holes are supposed to line up and that’s why they make cam bearing tools. I’ll try to take a picture of the crank,cam,tappets and bearings tomorrow if I have time.

Better figure out a way to clean them oil galleries as that is one reason blocks get soaked before rebuilding. Least get it to a car wash with hot water and soap. And make sure it’s blown dry as to not rust. Kinda nice to work on a nice clean block.

 

[560Dennis]

When you get your bearing rods,mains and cam bearings make sure you measure or verify that they are correct size ordered.
Because the wrong parts can be put into the wrongs box. Don’t trust the supplier.

 

[Farmall M 248]

Better figure out a way to clean them oil galleries as that is one reason blocks get soaked before rebuilding. Least get it to a car wash with hot water and soap. And make sure it’s blown dry as to not rust. Kinda nice to work on a nice clean block.

Parts cleaning gas and air hose works pretty well and there was no rust in the oil galleries .

 

[Farmall M 248]

When you get your bearing rods,mains and cam bearings make sure you measure or verify that they are correct size ordered.
Because the wrong parts can be put into the wrongs box. Don’t trust the supplier.

Good advice!

 

[Farmall M 248]

Here’s some pictures.

 

[Farmall M 248]

Some more.

 

[560Dennis]

From photos cannot see surface of rocker arm radius contact to valve to stem , suggest resurfacing.
The Three and four journals from photos look like bearing surfaces are not real good .
I also suggest ring the crank with brass hammer for solid ring tone . This will tell if it is cracked
I also suggest the same ring test for the camshaft . Care, do not drop the camshaft it will shatter.
The crank can be welded and resurfacing to perform.
Cam can be resurfaced . https://www.camcraftcams.com/contact/ possibly
Don’t know how far you want to take this projects just some ideas to be looked at.
Press ahead with you project .

 

[MeanGene1]

I had two SMDs for a while, first one came from Brentwood and had just been rebuilt by the local MD guru. The other one came from Stockton, original and untouched but still ran great. But the fresh one made twice the engine- not exhaust- noise as the original one- man, would that thing rattle with combustion noise

 

[560Dennis]

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[NDIHC]

Wasn't there a post on this thread yesterday saying this engine was junk, the crankshaft was junk, the camshaft was junk etc.? Or am I imagining things?

 

[used red MN]

Wasn't there a post on this thread yesterday saying this engine was junk, the crankshaft was junk, the camshaft was junk etc.? Or am I imagining things?

You are correct, seems like there is some selective moderating going on here recently. There was a lot of “insinuated.. you are an idiot” for doing x y z on this tractor because that engine is a heap of junk in his reply. Even though the poster may not have realized it was implied that way; to the average reader it could have very well been taken as offensive. It was a lot of blatant this forsure is wrong and that for sure is wrong, rather than applying a little “niceness” to finesse the reply. Such as “it is my opinion, I would suggest, this may be a better way to approach this, it has been my experience that.., these are the type of things that are a bit more kind and mellow when attempting to steer others down a better path on a forum like this.

 

[NDIHC]

You are correct, seems like there is some selective moderating going on here recently. There was a lot of “insinuated.. you are an idiot” for doing x y z on this tractor because that engine is a heap of junk in his reply. Even though the poster may not have realized it was implied that way; to the average reader it could have very well been taken as offensive. It was a lot of blatant this forsure is wrong and that for sure is wrong, rather than applying a little “niceness” to finesse the reply. Such as “it is my opinion, I would suggest, this may be a better way to approach this, it has been my experience that.., these are the type of things that are a bit more kind and mellow when attempting to steer others down a better path on a forum like this.

I thought I was losing it! I had noticed before that some posts were missing when I was sure they were there a day before. They used to just poof a whole thread, not individual post.

 

[MM-TX]

I thought I was losing it! I had noticed before that some posts were missing when I was sure they were there a day before. They used to just poof a whole thread, not individual post.

Poofing this young man’s thread wouldn’t encourage good use of this forum. I appreciate the selective approach.

 

[NDIHC]

I've always disliked the notion that if you aren't going to make an engine the same as factory new there's no sense in doing anything with it. Many think that unless you bore, deck, line hone, regrind, resize, replace everything the job wasn't worth doing. I can see if you are going to use your M to pull a 3 bottom plow, packer and drill 10 or 12 hours a day for a living you would want it in tip top shape. For something you are going to use for amusement, yard work, parades, and just general chore work I don't see the need to have it perfect. The 283 in my 56 Chevy 3/4 ton came from a 62 Biscayne. It should have been bored, had new pistons, had the crank ground etc. But I cleaned it up, cut the ridge, honed it, installed new rings, bearings, timing chain set and oil pump. It ran fine, didn't use oil, pulled a trailer and hauled loads for several years. I had a couple hundred bucks in the whole thing. That was in the later 90s.

 

[Farmall M 248]

From photos cannot see surface of rocker arm radius contact to valve to stem , suggest resurfacing.
The Three and four journals from photos look like bearing surfaces are not real good .
I also suggest ring the crank with brass hammer for solid ring tone . This will tell if it is cracked
I also suggest the same ring test for the camshaft . Care, do not drop the camshaft it will shatter.
The crank can be welded and resurfacing to perform.
Cam can be resurfaced . https://www.camcraftcams.com/contact/ possibly
Don’t know how far you want to take this projects just some ideas to be looked at.
Press ahead with you project .

Thanks for all the information I think you some good ideas, and I saw those spots on the crank to so l was thinking there was a couple more cranks at the parts yard where I got the block and I thinking of getting one of those and same with cam.

 

[Farmall M 248]

Wasn't there a post on this thread yesterday saying this engine was junk, the crankshaft was junk, the camshaft was junk etc.? Or am I imagining things?

No, rust red was just saying how he needed to see pictures of the stuff to see if it was good or junk.

 

[Farmall M 248]

I've always disliked the notion that if you aren't going to make an engine the same as factory new there's no sense in doing anything with it. Many think that unless you bore, deck, line hone, regrind, resize, replace everything the job wasn't worth doing. I can see if you are going to use your M to pull a 3 bottom plow, packer and drill 10 or 12 hours a day for a living you would want it in tip top shape. For something you are going to use for amusement, yard work, parades, and just general chore work I don't see the need to have it perfect. The 283 in my 56 Chevy 3/4 ton came from a 62 Biscayne. It should have been bored, had new pistons, had the crank ground etc. But I cleaned it up, cut the ridge, honed it, installed new rings, bearings, timing chain set and oil pump. It ran fine, didn't use oil, pulled a trailer and hauled loads for several years. I had a couple hundred bucks in the whole thing. That was in the later 90s.

I’m planning on doing more than a little bit of work with it so I going have “as good” or “better than new” because I know what I have in it then.

 

[Farmall M 248]

I've always disliked the notion that if you aren't going to make an engine the same as factory new there's no sense in doing anything with it. Many think that unless you bore, deck, line hone, regrind, resize, replace everything the job wasn't worth doing. I can see if you are going to use your M to pull a 3 bottom plow, packer and drill 10 or 12 hours a day for a living you would want it in tip top shape. For something you are going to use for amusement, yard work, parades, and just general chore work I don't see the need to have it perfect. The 283 in my 56 Chevy 3/4 ton came from a 62 Biscayne. It should have been bored, had new pistons, had the crank ground etc. But I cleaned it up, cut the ridge, honed it, installed new rings, bearings, timing chain set and oil pump. It ran fine, didn't use oil, pulled a trailer and hauled loads for several years. I had a couple hundred bucks in the whole thing. That was in the later 90s.

I’m planning on doing more than a little bit of work with it so I going have “as good” or “better than new” because I know what I have in it then

I had two SMDs for a while, first one came from Brentwood and had just been rebuilt by the local MD guru. The other one came from Stockton, original and untouched but still ran great. But the fresh one made twice the engine- not exhaust- noise as the original one- man, would that thing rattle with combustion noise

The injection pump timing was probably off a little bit.

 

[Powered By IH]

The injection pump timing was probably off a little bit.

That and/or it had the later style injectors.