International 300u...back at it.

[Dave H (MI)]

I don't know how many Octobers I have spent working on this tractor but I have posted about it each year if you are interested and want to look back. This is the one time of the year where I can do it and I can never seem to get it done. One year it sat because of health problems. A brief history...

I used this tractor a lot around my smallish farm. Then the rear main seal went out and it was not useable. I had just been using it and had parked it outside to find a lot of oil on the ground. So I covered the exhaust, etc and left it where it was for the winter. In the Spring I pulled it in, split it, had the seal retainer resurfaced and put it all back together with a new seal only to discover the engine was stuck and there was no getting this tractor back together. Finally ended up pulling the pan and the head and found the tractor had some water in the pan but otherwise looked fine. Soaked the cylinders and was able to get it loose. Cylinder nearest the operator had a small amount of rust so pulled that piston. Cleaned it and the cylinder wall. One ring broke in this process so I replaced the set. Put it back together and all seemed good. It turned freely when I left it last fall, so I squirted some oil in each plug hole and left it. It was not going to start and I was out of time for the year. For whatever reason I had not looked at the carb and it turned out that it was a mess, so I ordered a kit and rebuilt it over the winter. Because of my memory issues I had a carb guy look over my work and he felt it was good. That brings us to 2024.

Put the carb on the tractor in early Summer. Made sure it had fresh gas and that it was running out the drain in the carb. Hit the starter and it cranked it around a couple of times, slowed and there was a whiff of smoke, so I stopped. My sense is that the engine is stuck again but not real sure how to tell. Not understanding how this could be either with it sitting in the dry shop all winter. I am about worn down as I can get on this project. Looking for advice on what to do next? Any advice on what direction to go?

 

[used red MN]

Thanks for the back story, now to the current problem. You state no condition of the battery, 6V or 12V, when was it last charged? Sounds like you may have experienced a “smoke puff” from a battery post loosing connection. Have you checked, cleaned tightened them? Farmalls of that era like to lock/jam their starter drive into the flywheel. Put the tractor in 5th TA forward, brakes released shove on back on the top of the tires and watch the fan. If it turns backwards and you hear a dull clunk by the starter this was your problem. Continue back to attempting to restart it after you take it out of gear.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Like used red said or the stuck starter or loosen the bolts if you can't get it unstuck by his method. For the rest I would pull the plugs and see if you can turn the engine a complete revolution if so a squirt of oil in each cylinder before or after turning by hand spin it with the starter to rub oil on the cylinders plugs back in see if it will start. If engine will not turn the complete revolution then it is more involved. Need to check if lifters are stuck valves stuck or even something like water or liquid fuel is in the cylinder which should have made a mess when turned by hand and with the starter with the plugs out.

 

[Janicholson]

The puff of smoke points to electrical issues, not the engine. There is a crank hole on that tractor, if it hasn't got a add on hydraulic pump mounted there. Cranking it from there can be informative for the issue if the starter is not stuck. Jim

 

[used red MN]

The puff of smoke points to electrical issues, not the engine. There is a crank hole on that tractor, if it hasn't got an add on hydraulic pump mounted there. Cranking it from there can be informative for the issue if the starter is not stuck. Jim

That works if he has a crank!

 

[Dave H (MI)]

That works if he has a crank!

Which I do not. I have a shelf full of cranks but none for this tractor. Weather is very bad here at the moment. I'm not allowed out in it so I will try the rocking method as soon as it stops raining.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

I don't know how many Octobers I have spent working on this tractor but I have posted about it each year if you are interested and want to look back. This is the one time of the year where I can do it and I can never seem to get it done. One year it sat because of health problems. A brief history...

I used this tractor a lot around my smallish farm. Then the rear main seal went out and it was not useable. I had just been using it and had parked it outside to find a lot of oil on the ground. So I covered the exhaust, etc and left it where it was for the winter. In the Spring I pulled it in, split it, had the seal retainer resurfaced and put it all back together with a new seal only to discover the engine was stuck and there was no getting this tractor back together. Finally ended up pulling the pan and the head and found the tractor had some water in the pan but otherwise looked fine. Soaked the cylinders and was able to get it loose. Cylinder nearest the operator had a small amount of rust so pulled that piston. Cleaned it and the cylinder wall. One ring broke in this process so I replaced the set. Put it back together and all seemed good. It turned freely when I left it last fall, so I squirted some oil in each plug hole and left it. It was not going to start and I was out of time for the year. For whatever reason I had not looked at the carb and it turned out that it was a mess, so I ordered a kit and rebuilt it over the winter. Because of my memory issues I had a carb guy look over my work and he felt it was good. That brings us to 2024.

Put the carb on the tractor in early Summer. Made sure it had fresh gas and that it was running out the drain in the carb. Hit the starter and it cranked it around a couple of times, slowed and there was a whiff of smoke, so I stopped. My sense is that the engine is stuck again but not real sure how to tell. Not understanding how this could be either with it sitting in the dry shop all winter. I am about worn down as I can get on this project. Looking for advice on what to do next? Any advice on what direction to go?

I own a 300u and have had the starter bendix lock in the fly wheel a few times. (I probably should lube it). Anyway, I just loosen the starter mounting bolts and the bendix retracts out of the flywheel ring gear. After retightening, the starter will work fine. I think my problem occurs when I go to start it and slightly let off the key, unintentionally, and it stops cranking momentarily, but not enough speed yet to kick out. Anyway- when this happens it can seem as if the engine is locked up. Tractor won't roll even in high gear when this happens.
Where did you see the smoke come from? Starter motor or it's connections? Mark.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

I own a 300u and have had the starter bendix lock in the fly wheel a few times. (I probably should lube it). Anyway, I just loosen the starter mounting bolts and the bendix retracts out of the flywheel ring gear. After retightening, the starter will work fine. I think my problem occurs when I go to start it and slightly let off the key, unintentionally, and it stops cranking momentarily, but not enough speed yet to kick out. Anyway- when this happens it can seem as if the engine is locked up. Tractor won't roll even in high gear when this happens.
Where did you see the smoke come from? Starter motor or it's connections? Mark.

Yes, somewhere in the area of the starter connections. Didn't seem real serious, like something got a little warm and maybe there was a little something dripped on a connection...just speculating.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

Yes, somewhere in the area of the starter connections. Didn't seem real serious, like something got a little warm and maybe there was a little something dripped on a connection...just speculating.

I grew up on my 300u, and inherited it from my Dad. After I got it, I made new battery cables and have put a new end on one a second time. I believe the starter, still 6v, is original, (8000 hrs). For an old, well used tractor it starts very well. I got lucky- the last battery I put in: the engine cranks the best it ever did. But, I digress. If your starter has indeed locked into the flywheel, it will be an easy fix. You probably should go thru your cables and terminals before anything else (after checking the starter). Good luck, Mark.