966 - what to watch for

What"s a good price for these tractors.

How can I check to see if there"s been any cavitation damage to the engine? Is it just a water-in-oil thing?

Anything else to watch out for on these?

Cavitation can not be seen until the day it happens. It could have 99% damage to those sleeve walls, yet until it springs a hole the tractor works and runs great. The fact that you think that is the prominant problem, tells me you should spend the next 3 months reading the archives just to see all the items that can go wrong with a 66 series tractor. Not just the 966, but all 66 series.

Everyone of those problems you find in the archives could happen to you with the tractor you buy, in the next 12 months. I think if you ask Allan he is well over $15,000 on his 966. Even someone with his experience, was not able to pick it all before he bought. Anyone who tries to tell you he could do better is just lucky.

They are 40 years old now, and in my opinion there is a way to do serious farming with these old tractors. You go into it on large enough scale that you have at least 5 tractors all in the same hp class and make, then you can count on 20% of the fleet being down for repairs at any given time. What happens when 20% of a single 966, goes down. The little tractors are no different, just costs less to keep that parts tractor around.

You take me for example, and this is quite minor compared to a 966. Around Christmas time the distributor gears stripped in my Farmall 130. New drive gears were $165. On that day I was able to take complete distributor from my SA. I have since found a complete distributor drive for 20% of $165. Plain and simple, if your going to run old tractors, you first must put yourself in the position, it doesn't have to be going tomorrow.

One of these days when I"m bored, I might just start dredging the archives and create a buyer"s guide to IH tractors, complete with known problems. Perhaps Kim could add that to the site.

Here is my advice based on this new info, and remember I had at least one new tractor from every series letter throught to 66 series. Go with 06 or 56, they have proven to be iron clad. Besides they were bought new by guys quite healthy finincially, they were serviced and looked after better. A lot of those 66 and 86 were bought by guys that didn't have them paid for by the 80s down turn. Many were reposessed, even the farmers that survived did so by the skin of their teeth. That doesn't make for good maintenence. An interesting item I notice is a lot of those 06 and 56 are still in the hands of the folks who bought them new. They are starting to retire, and they are having dispersal auctions.

There will of course be exceptions, and if you've had that 806 long, you should be able to spot all the good exceptions, except lack of cavitation. There is no warning, and no way to see how much cavitation damage has been done to sleeves. Anti freeze in coolant will tell you it's too late. Look for a water filter and observe whether it has been serviced. Remember however, water filter does no stop cavitation, it only slows it down.

An old farmer once said to me, back when I was a young fellow, "go with the tractor you know, you already know what to watch for, and you know how to fix it."

I dont envy any of you guys with these big monsters. I'm too cheap to own those sorts of things...

Today and since 1990, I've heard countless stories of farmers being without their $100,000. plus tractor during the entire seeding season. I'm damn sure I'd be doing a lot of crying if I were the one without my $100,000. tractor, during a busy time. In fact I expect it would be a bit more vicious than crying.

Keeping old tractors up to snuff is not for the "faint-of-heart". :>(

My first 966 cost right at $10K brand spankin' new. I've got twice that in this used one. :>(

Allan

Then in 1980 I sent it off to the IH dealer for a complete power train rebuild; engine, clutch, TA, IPTO and brakes. As I recall that was on the plus side of $9,000. Then consider what went after that; power steering, radiator, 3 point hitch, front end, Who knows, I expect someone has been into the transmission and rear end by now.

My friend, there is a more expensive way to buy a new tractor than going to dealer and buying it in one piece. That being, buying in one or two pieces at a time.

Be forewarned. Big tractors take a lot of money to make 'em right and these old heifers are 40 years old now. :>(

Allan