John Deere A disassembly

[montidale]

I have a 1946 A slant dash all fuel I've had for about ten years that I am working on. I got it running a while back and used it for cultivating sweet corn and puttsing around the yard. It never ran the
best. I rebuilt the carb and that helped considerably. I retired in September so I have time to get it running right. I pulled the head and crank case cover. Lots of milky oil and sludge in the crank case. I
don't think it's coolant in the oil but water. In any rate I've decided to pull the block also. To see if it's leaking coolant. Does anyone have any advice on removing the block? The I&T manual says I can
pull the block with out splitting the tractor. Do I need to crib up the tractor or will the four bolts on the frame hold it together? I have some more questions, but I'll save them for another post.

 

[Dan in Ohio]

Start by getting a John Deere service manual for the B(SM 2004)and a IT manual for the letter series tractors. Service information for the A and B are nearly the same so John Deere made one manual (200 pages long) which is very detailed. They both are inexpensive and would be money well spent.

 

[Mike M]

You can leave the frame bolted to the main case. Just make sure you remove ALL the bolts from the block. Some go into the main case and some go up in from the bottom through the frame. There may even be a few going into the side of the block through the frame. Been a long time since I had one apart. Also IIRC on that model you have to reach into the crankcase and unhook the oil line off the back of the block before you start to remove it.

 

[Resting Relics 1]

It'll come out without splitting it. You have to work at it a bit but it will. There are a couple bolts up through the frame on that version of the A and the rest go through the block into the main case. Good Luck!
John

 

[jacksun65]

If it has not been run in a while it might just be condensation. I would change the oil and run it again before I pulled it apart. Many get pulled apart and never run again

 

[Richard G.]

I agree.
Change the oil and run it a while and get it warmed up good.

 

[oldcartech]

I'm finishing up a complete restoration of a 1943 "A" slant dash that I bought partially apart 6 years ago. I've literally have had every bolt out of the tractor until there was nothing but a empty cast iron case (see pictures; the governor was removed later and had new bearings installed). I would have never got the tractor apart, OR back together, without a "B" shop manual and a "A" parts manual. I can't recommend strongly enough that you acquire both of these manuals to save yourself from having lots of unanswered questions. Even with the manuals I've had to ask for help from this forum multiple times, especially when it came to assembling parts that I did not remove or did not come with the tractor! >

 

[montidale]

I already have the tractor apart to far to change the oil and see how it runs. I hope at some time in the future to repaint the tractor. I have about three ahead of this one for painting. I want to get it mechanically sound before I paint it. I'm pulling the block so I can have a better look at it. One of my granddaughters already has dibs on this one. Where would I find a copy of the B repair manual? And a A parts manual. The cylinders look pretty good. Just a slight ridge. Hopefully next week I'll get the time to pull the block and get a good look at the crank.

 

[James Howell]

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]Where would I find a copy of the B repair manual[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]"

There are several copies at various prices on eBay.

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]And a A parts manual[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]"

I can send you a PDF of the Model A parts catalog.

My E-Mail is open if interested.

 

[Patsdeere]

I have a b that I pulled the oil line off the block. Oops. Ended up replacing the block, so no foul. But don't forget that oil line. I didn't look at a manual and it could have easily cost me.