Hole in block of 1951 8N

jaybuck1 · Aug 7, 2014

A friend was out mowing with my bush hog on the back of my 1951 8N yesterday, when I heard him returning the tractor was a making a great racket. He said there is a 3" hole in the side of the block and a piston had broke. My question is - is this repariable in any way, where do I go from here? can the hole be welded up? Looking for help and advise on this one. I am new to this forum but have been looking at it for years. There seems to be an awful lot of good help available here so I thought it was a good place to start looking for my answers.
thanks for any help you can offer. Jim F.

oldtanker · Aug 7, 2014

Block repairs have been common in larger engines because of the cost of a new block for years. I don't know if the 8N block would be worth repairing. Also internal damage to support bearing webbing may make the block unrepairable. I did do a quick search and for a place that sells remanufactured 8N blocks. Requires your head, timing cover and oil pan be reused for about $2300. Now that's most likely more than you 8N is worth but it would repair yours and give you a fresh engine. Another option is craigslist. Find a parts tractor and replace the engine.

Rick

oldtanker · Aug 7, 2014

Sorry, double post.

Rick

Ultradog MN · Aug 7, 2014

Good advice Rick.
I would find a parts tractor and take the best of
both to build one. Sell off what you don't need to
help defray some of the cost.
Oh, and I wouldn't loan my tractor to that friend
any more. If it had been shut down at the first
sound of a rattle you might have have saved it.

rd 2N in mo · Aug 7, 2014

what did you tell your friend?

new tractor...no rebuilding

Tall T · Aug 7, 2014

I'm just guessing but you probably had a serious rod knock long before your friend had the embarrassment of feeling responsible for a thrown rod.

So don't use that crankshaft without grinding it.

Fuddy Duddy · Aug 7, 2014

How bad you needing to get it back running? I would keep an eye
on CL. I have a guy south of me that parts them out. He ask $100
for a block. $250 for a rebuildable engine. $500 for one that was
running but smokes a little. And $600 for one that doesn't smoke.
Course he don't always have one. Longer you can wait, the better
deal you can find. If your luck is like mine, you'll find one and get it.
Then the next day you'll see one for half the price. Good luck with
it. Keep us posted.

Dean · Aug 7, 2014

Are you saying that your "friend" was driving the tractor back to the barn with a broken connecting rod?

Search for a used engine or parts tractor.

Dean

Doctor Rick · Aug 7, 2014

jaybuck1,
Here's one that might be a donor that is not too far from you.
http://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/4583390754.html

Kirk-NJ · Aug 7, 2014

I have a couple of blocks and cranks if you need
them. Must be close by cause shipping's a killer. As
others have stated If it was driven after the rod
went thru the side of the block you are probably
looking at more damage then just a block.
Zip 07838

Kirk

L.C.Gray · Aug 7, 2014

Like my old boss used to say.... Never loan your wife or your tractor to a buddy.... Sure as heck they'll throw a rod in both of them...

jaybuck1 · Aug 7, 2014

My friend was a farm hand when he was much younger and
did maintain the equipment they used every day. they were using John Deere's. He was mowing my property, and he comes up often as he likes we are old hunting partners from 40 years ago. I live on a hill with lots of hunting opportunities.
I told him stuff happens, I know it was not intentional and not his fault. He felt really bad about it. It is just something that happened. I have a couple other 8n's that I am going to restore, as in fixing any known problems and then painting them up and selling them. This is my 1st 8n and has the side mount distributor I would like to fix it if I can. It seems in really good shape and was owned by a grape farmer for many years before I got it.

I appreciate everyones advise so far, keep the comments and ideas coming. I am leaning on fixing it, but the jury is still out. I would like one tractor to drive in the local parade and if I put a lot of work into this one that could be its future.

oldtanker · Aug 7, 2014

(quoted from post at 10:25:24 08/07/14)
My friend was a farm hand when he was much younger and
did maintain the equipment they used every day. they were using John Deere's. He was mowing my property, and he comes up often as he likes we are old hunting partners from 40 years ago. I live on a hill with lots of hunting opportunities.
I told him stuff happens, I know it was not intentional and not his fault. He felt really bad about it. It is just something that happened. I have a couple other 8n's that I am going to restore, as in fixing any known problems and then painting them up and selling them. This is my 1st 8n and has the side mount distributor I would like to fix it if I can. It seems in really good shape and was owned by a grape farmer for many years before I got it.

I appreciate everyones advise so far, keep the comments and ideas coming. I am leaning on fixing it, but the jury is still out. I would like one tractor to drive in the local parade and if I put a lot of work into this one that could be its future.

I think all the options have been discussed with the exception of the V6 conversion kits. So I wouldn't be surprised if you don't get anymore suggestions. Not sure I'd spend 2300 to replace the block with a reman. Not when I could buy a whole tractor for that.

So the ball is in your court so to speak. It's your tractor. You have to make it.

I will point out that if you try to fix the block and fail it's just going to cost more money when you finally get it fixed. I know that I would never try to fix that block if I was hired to repair the tractor. I would insist on a rebuildable block, reman or if the customer insisted on a used engine they would sign a work order that clearly stated that there is no warranty and why.

Rick

NNP · Aug 8, 2014

been faced with this situation lots of times with the old junk I work on.
I don't like to waste anything, and I never junk anything.

So, good tractor with a badly broken engine.
I'd buy another side mount 8N that runs ok, but is truly ugly(cheap).
Yank the ugly ones motor, freshen it up if need be and put it in the good tractor.
Then take the broken engine and do my best to fix it. Used parts wherever possible. Put it in the ugly one, get everything working, leave it ugly, and sell it as a decent work tractor.

Finding just a used engine will get you back in the game,
BUT, after fixing it, you will have that broken engine in the shop......'ya know, I bet I could fix that'....
You will, and then you will need a tractor to put it in anyway...
That's why I just buy just another tractor.(cheaper too, in the long run)
(if the tractor is special to you, just hold out til you find another 'donor' that is the same years serial number range)

oldtanker · Aug 8, 2014

(quoted from post at 17:39:17 08/08/14) been faced with this situation lots of times with the old junk I work on.
I don't like to waste anything, and I never junk anything.

So, good tractor with a badly broken engine.
I'd buy another side mount 8N that runs ok, but is truly ugly(cheap).
Yank the ugly ones motor, freshen it up if need be and put it in the good tractor.
Then take the broken engine and do my best to fix it. Used parts wherever possible. Put it in the ugly one, get everything working, leave it ugly, and sell it as a decent work tractor.

Finding just a used engine will get you back in the game,
BUT, after fixing it, you will have that broken engine in the shop......'ya know, I bet I could fix that'....
You will, and then you will need a tractor to put it in anyway...
That's why I just buy just another tractor.(cheaper too, in the long run)
(if the tractor is special to you, just hold out til you find another 'donor' that is the same years serial number range)

LOL not everyone thinks like that. If I were in that situation once the holed block was out I'd pull all of the good parts off of it and send the rest to a scrapper and never give it another thought. I got too much other stuff to do to worry about a holed block.

Rick

Hole in block of 1951 8N

jaybuck1

New User

oldtanker

Well-known Member

oldtanker

Well-known Member

Ultradog MN

Well-known Member

rd 2N in mo

Member

Tall T

Well-known Member

Fuddy Duddy

Well-known Member

Dean

Well-known Member

Doctor Rick

Member

Kirk-NJ

Well-known Member

L.C.Gray

Member

jaybuck1

New User

oldtanker

Well-known Member

NNP

Member

oldtanker

Well-known Member

Similar threads