This is fun....

[Lanse]

I tried about a dozen different things to get that file handle out of there. nothing. It has now gone deeper into the passage and now wont even budge. I cant get anything around it, and dont see if i can poke it or something.

Cramming a wire into other oil passages doesnt work so good with 90 degree angles.

This tractor came with another head. The previous owner said it wasnt that good, and this one was better.

Im really thinking about swapping heads and shipping the old one to Bob Farral as a thank you for his file advice.

What would i need to switch between the heads??? How easy is it??? What else could possibly eat more money on this tractor????

 

[Jerry Coulter]

If you remove the head, could you shake it out by gravity? Does this feed oil to the rockers? Could you remove the rocker shaft and back feed some air, oil, or other fluid and wash/wiggle the piece out?

 

[Lanse]

Nope, its really in there this time. I tried to widen the hole with a drill about 1/100 of an inch. The drill pushed it in there.

Ive tried air in all the passages i could think of.

 

[trucker40]

Well its kinda like this,are you gonna be whipped by a file handle?If ya are,well in a way I dont blame you.That file handle trick only works about half the time.A trick that works good for removing broke off stuff is left handed drill bits.Personally I would try and blast it out with a torch,but thats just me,a little bit on the crazy side,but it always worked for me.If you cant get a pick in there and get it out,I would change the head.Its probably just the head gasket you are talking about for expense,but you would want your head to be in good shape that you change it to.I dont know if Maybe,I wouldnt try it like it is,but thats up to you.It would sure be bad if it plugged a vital gallery.Your only hope may be an alternative head.

 

[Lanse]

I think thats my only way out now.

Ive never seen anything that can eat money like both of the tractors ive worked on. The B had a page and a half of expences when my computor crashed. Was something like $800 in march, i'd guess about $1200 now. It isnt that bad since im doing it $20-$50 at a time. Still very aggrivating. The C is at $835 right now. I guess it was good it was a very cheap tractor.

I havent even figured in the wire, magnet, and easy out. Shoulda just bought the thing since i woulda had to anyway.

 

[IndianaRed]

If you're really at your wits end, take it to a machine shop, they'll get it out. Probably charge you an hour of labor, around $65, then you're good to go. If the other head isn't good you don't want to open that can of worms, could get more costly, and more frustrating than this.

Just my unqualified 2 cents worth.

Best of luck.

Bri

 

[Lanse]

$65 buys a valve spring compressor and some time to spare.

Im trying to figure out what would be involved in switching the valves, springs, and whatever else is involved in this stupid head.

 

[TripleRange]

Can you can drill out the hole a little bit to get at the file piece better, then install a bushing?

 

[ScottyHOMeY]

Since it's soundin' like you're gonna have to pull this head one way or the other . . .

Turn it upside down or on its side or end, whichever way gravity will make the pesky scrap fall when it comes loose and tap GENTLY around the top and sides and see if that will jolt it loose. Please, don't be whalin' on it.

With the head off, blow some air at low pressure in the hole where the file tip is. Duct tape over any hole you can find where the air is coming out (bubble soap is good for finding those holes) except for the one closest to the hole in question. Then drive some air at higher pressure through that hole to try to blow it back.

And if that fails as long as you've identified the holes it connects to, I'm gonna suggest the wire again. Stranded and insulated, fairly heavy gauge. I don't know the diameter of the holes you'll be dealing with, but if you can get 12 or even 10 gauge in there, try it. As far as getting it around corners, use a pair of needle-nose to bend the very tip of the wire to somehere between 45 and 90 degrees. Start it in from the bottom with that bent tip facing toward the first corner, and by twisting it while pushing, the wire, the bent end will get itself around the corner and work its way up through.

I can feel for ya. We've all chased around some oddball thing like this, but it ain't worth scrappin' a head over. Just be patient with any of the various methods that have been suggested. Any one of them could do the trick.

 

[Anonymous-0]

We will meet in the poorhouse Lanse, gave $8400 at a sale for a one owner 2090case cab powershift. I now have it working daly on the mowing jobs,with over $25000 spent.

 

[Lanse]

Nope. I dont even know how i got it in there, i diddnt even force the drill.

Plan is to bolt the head to the wall as a reminder to look at next time i think about buying a non-running tractor.

I allready have another head, so i'll let this one take a turn sitting on a shelf.

 

[Lanse]

NICE!!!

This C has a short list:

Late model AC C 5.26.08 $400
Hauling 6. 20.08 $100
15/16 wrench 6.24.08 $16.99
Bearings, rod 7.15.08 $90
Bearings, main 7.15.08 $90
Gaskets 7.20.08 $40
gasket material 7.20.08 $4
oil, filters 7.22.08 $24
paint sometime $60

easy out who cares $4
wire for damn file ?? $5
magnet for damn file ?? $3

 

[Anonymous-0]

What did you have done that cost $25K?

 

[Lanse]

its 25k minus 8k to buy it. $17k left.

If he is like me, he had to buy about $100 in parts and the $16,900 were spent fixing things broken in the process, and getting the parts in there.

Seriously, i think he had tires put on it. I wouldnt want to be told that one of them monster tires is $1300 and i need 8 of them.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You think that is bad! Try maintaining a fleet of tractors, combines, hay equipment, trucks and semi tractors!

Latest project: New Holland TR86 Combine
Some how got a rock the size of my fist past the stone door and into the rotors. Rock actually didn't do as much damage as first thought but found many other things that needed attention while I have it all apart.

1 rock- free!
set of round bar concave- $550
set of rotor covers- $1940
set of rasp bars and elephant ears- $2250
rotor coupler sprockets- $250
rotor infeed plate- $250
seals and bearings for rotor gearboxes- $350
oil pan gasket- $50
30.5x32 drive tires- $2600
other misc. parts about- $200
neighbor hired to help straighten and weld- $300
many hours of labor unpaid for- $priceless!

Not fully done yet but should be close with the money spending part. Now just have to put the machine all back together. If I remember I will take the camera to take pictures.

 

[Lanse]

I'd love to see pictures. The difference is, your machine will eventually pay for itself. Mine wont, but it will be worth it anyway.

 

[Hoss In ME]

Whats it gonna hurt to leave it in there? Hoss

 

[jared in wi]

lanse,

I may have an idea that may get the file out of the passage, but i would like to see a picture of the file in the head.

jared

 

[Anonymous-0]

Lanse, Sounds like it's time to take a break, walk away for a while. Step back and put things into perspective. Your doing this because you enjoy it, learning new mechanical techniques, learning not everything in life comes without struggle and even how to manage money. But waaaay more important than having a neat little tractor when your done, your earning the respect of every one of us "old coots" on this forum that watch kids your age sit on their butts all day, doing nothing but watch TV and play gameboy. Half the kids your age don't know how to get the lid off the garbage can.
So don't get discouraged, You probably haven't even started dating yet, so you don't even have a clue what a money pit can be. LOL
What does that oil line feed anyway?

 

[Anonymous-0]

Man I gotta hand it to ya. I do not have as much patience as you. I would have had to get that thing out right away even if I ruined the head. I don't know what I would have done, maybe drilled a great big hole down to it or something else stupid like that but I would have to get it out right now. Then I would worry about how to repair the damage I did. Every body else has better sugestions.

 

[old]

Take the head off and lay it so the file piece will just plain fall out. Gravity is hard to beat on things like that. Then you can also blow air in behind to give gravity a helping hand or you can also spray carb cleaner etc in to help it fall out.
Hobby farm

 

[trucker40]

Aw to hell with it.Just change heads.Get it runnin,and then think about it.Maybe you can find a way to fix it.

 

[dlplost]

"Ive never seen anything that can eat money like both of the tractors ive worked on. "

Never owned a big Boat and a slip at the lake have you?......now there's a hole in the water you just throw money into.

 

[Patsdeere]

I don't know where it is, but would it be possible to drill a hole through the side or bottom and then braze/weld it back up once you push that little dastardly thing out?

It may have been mentioned, but have you tried some jb weld on the end of a stick and stick it to it?

Or maybe some one you know has a stick welder and can get the electrode real close, turn the juice on and then melt the electrode to the end of the file. Then at least you would have a nice long handle to pull on. A little penetrating oil and a little tug and you just might be lucky enough to have it come out (but I have learned not to hold my breath - I would have been dead a long time ago).

Don't feel bad about getting a tractor that doesn't run. I picked up a JD BN that looked pretty sad, but at $450 it was priced nicely. After I got into it I realized why it was so cheap. The engine was shot, the head was shot, pistons and rings were shot, 4 gallons of water in the engine, and I forget what else. By the time I was all down I had plunked down a boat load of change (more than I thought I had) and then some. I added it all up and didn't realize I had ever had that much money just sitting around to be spent on stupid tractor parts. Finally tally the other day was nearly $6k (thank goodness I hadn't figured out anything else to buy in the last 6 years).

I was in your place 11 years ago. Got my first one and it was a learning curve that would have cleared the moon. I found there is nothing better than ask questions, even if they sound dumb since somebody else has either done the same thing you want to do, or gotten themselves into the same pickle you have. I find it is easier (and usually cheaper) to find out what doesn't work and then go from there. When you are finished you will be able to sit back and say that you screwed it up, broke it, disassembled it, cleaned it, painted it, prayed for it to run and finally finished it. Most kids your age (and mine when I started) don't have a clue how an engine even works, let alone have the guts to jump in the with both feet. Good luck.

 

[IndianaRed]

Well, I'm just thinking the guy told you one head was better than the other for a reason. Perhaps it's warped or cracked, or the guides are bad, or the valve seats are bad? That's what I meant by more/worse problems. I understand wanting to do it yourself, but you can't magnaflux that new head yourself, or grind it. Unless you're sure it's good, stick with the one you have. But again, most people here know more than me.

 

[IndianaRed]

Well, I'm just thinking the guy told you one head was better than the other for a reason. Perhaps it's warped or cracked, or the guides are bad, or the valve seats are bad? That's what I meant by more/worse problems. I understand wanting to do it yourself, but you can't magnaflux that new head yourself, or grind it. Unless you're sure it's good, stick with the one you have. But again, most people here know more than me.

 

[IndianaRed]

Well, I'm just thinking the guy told you one head was better than the other for a reason. Perhaps it's warped or cracked, or the guides are bad, or the valve seats are bad? That's what I meant by more/worse problems. I understand wanting to do it yourself, but you can't magnaflux that new head yourself, or grind it. Unless you're sure it's good, stick with the one you have. But again, most people here know more than me.

 

[jose bagge]

lanse, this passage is in the HEAD? I thought it was in the BLOCK! what does that fitting connect to? Are you SURE that's an oil passage, and not a water passage?
If that's a water passage, it's not nearly as critical as an oil passage. Let that rascal eat right where it is, and see what happens!

 

[jimva]

That brass valve that he broke off sure looks like the coolant drain valve on the side of the block. I dont think its the oil passage that file is in but the water passage in the block.

 

[Kent in NB]

lIQUID NITROGEN? I live not far from a big dam. They are repair/replacing the flood gates all the time. When parts are stuck, they get the AI guy to bring them some LN2 to shrink these big pins enough to get them out. Might do the trick for you.

 

[bob farrell]

Lance - Sorry you have had this problem by using the file handle tip I suggested to you. I tried to find my original post to no avail. In my defense I recall telling you to be careful because the file is very brittle and would snap. I"m sure there are many on this board that have used a file end to extract brass fittings as I have many times over the last sixty years - and you will remember and probably use the technique in the future.

If you want to blame me that"s fine with me - but I"m not the person that got a little too agressive.

If it"s in the water jacket - I"d just leave it there - won"t hurt a thing. But, don"t take my advice. bob farrell

 

[Anonymous-0]

Dont feel bad about the cash flow lanse. You can always make more money. I had $800 in my engine block for an old massey before I even started buying parts.

 

[Anonymous-0]

That's pocket change! Get a crawler tractor if you really want to see your money disappear. $7000+ for a rebuilt engine because a branch poked a hole in the oil pan, $1000 for a new radiator, $8000 for new undercarriage etc. That's not even counting all the bolts and little parts needed. The bottom rubber rad mounts were $115 a piece just by themselfs. If you get your tractor fixed up real nice for a couple thousand, will be pretty reasonable in my opinion. Dave

 

[Roy in georgia]

I have asked for one of those also good luck

 

[Chris in SK]

Lanse,
Use the gravity method mentioned in the other posts, but add some vibration. You can do this by strapping the head tight to something that vibrates, like a mower, or garden tractor. Vibrations shakes and breaks a lot of stuff it’s not supposed to, so it may just shake this piece loose. Just don’t damage the face.
Chris