Another Project - H Engine Stuck

Evening All.

Havent posted in a while, since its been several months since I got a chance to get close to any of the Farmalls.

Got a chance this weekend, and was hoping to fire up my H and do a little mowing with my #5 around some of the fields.

I put the battery I had pulled last December or so out back in, and tried to turn it over. Click Click Click. I figured my battery was bad, so I grabbed the new one I bought at the same time, put it in. Click Click Click. I tried to turn the fan to see if it would spin. The fan would, but was slipping the belt on the crank pulley. Not good.

Tried to jump it with a 12v booster pack. Louder click. Nothing. I pulled the starter, and tried to pry some on the flywheel, no go. I pulled the plugs, and #3 looked pretty rusty, and had a few green spots on it. Also not good. Loosened up the drain plug, and got a few pints of water out. Very not good.

I purchased the tractor about a year and a half ago, and have been meaning to change out the coolant. Looks like I waited WAY too long. My thought is that over the winter something froze, and now I have water leaking through my #3 cylinder into the pan, and it rusted up that cylinder. (The cylinder isnt full of water)

I poured ATF in all four cylinders, and am letting it soak. Its not easy to move the tractor at all because it has the #5 on the back of it still. Im guessing I should jack it up and try to move the wheel to break it loose, but any other good ideas? She ran like a top when she was parked, and had a can over the exhaust, and was tarped, so I know its not rainwater.

Any other good ideas? I really didnt want to have to pull the head on this one if I could help it (already have two BN's that get that honor when I get a chance)

Thanks for letting me rant a little....it made for a disappointing weekend.

Pull the head and find out what"s going on in there. You will probably want to pull the pan as well.

If it is as simple as that one cylinder being rusted, then the ATF will eventually do the trick but you'll need to rock the engine a bit as well.

If the anti-freeze was too weak, and actually froze in the water jacket, then you've got major serious problems 'cause you probably are dealing with busted cylinder walls, and while that CAN be fixed, it would be easier to just find another engine or at least a different block.

ATF should do the trick unless something major happened like Rusty talked about. My self I always use the starter to pop them free and believe it or not a starter will not brake parts other then bending push rods that is. I also always use a 12 volt battery with short fast taps of the starter button to pop them free. So far I'm 20 plus for 3 that did not pop free and still working on 2 of them

> My thought is that over the winter something
> froze, and now I have water leaking through my
> #3 cylinder into the pan, and it rusted up that
> cylinder.

Check the specific gravity of the coolant. It generally has to be nearly pure water to break things. If there is much antifreeze in it it gels rather than freezes.

Well unfortunately Im back in VA for now, and the tractors are up in NY....

Ill have to check the coolant thats left in the tractor to see whats up with it, and if its actually still coolant. Its never been apart before, so it wouldnt surprise me if something finally let go inside, but I was hoping to keep her running for a few more years for just some light mowing and whatnot.

Ill let it soak and try the 12 volt battery idea. If that doesnt work its time to pull her all apart and go from there I suppose.

Im sure you will hear more about it with questions and so on as I tear into it. Thanks again!