Dearborn Woods Bros. combine

Du Farmsabit · Feb 26, 2015

It's a model 16-23, with a 8N motor, and it was
given to me last fall. It looks as though it spent
most of these years just sitting. I am thinking
about trying to get it to work again. I just
wanted to say thanks for all the posts here. I've
been reading them all winter, and i have learned a
great deal! The balloon method for finding TDC
worked great!

although i used a glove. It looks
funny in the video i made.
Here's a link to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPpG8jPxbYM

Thanks again!

Royse · Feb 26, 2015

Looks like a very interesting machine!
Here's a link to your video
I would use ATF in the cylinders instead of diesel.

I only watched the first two videos (Pt 3 and 4) so far, but the
thermostat is needed to get the engine UP to a temperature
high enough to keep moisture out of the oil.

The little stripped out part in your carburetor is the idle jet.
I have a bucket full of those and the idle mix screws if you need
one. Send me an email and mail them to you. No charge.

Welcome to the forum!

Du Farmsabit · Feb 26, 2015

Thanks! I just got a new carb, so i won't be
needing that, but the problem i'm having is i
still can't seem to get the fuel to go up into the
cylinders yet. After the diesel, i cycled it over
and over, then added 30 weight. My compression is
up to 70,70,70, 100. So, i'm stumped there, maybe
a leaky manifold gasket? I just got new plugs, but
haven't tried it yet because i am still sore from
the last round of cranking. All i'm trying to do
is to just get it to run so i can justify fixing
all the rest of it. I did get it to run for a
couple minutes on starting fluid, but i didn't
want to push it. Still, i was encouraged, and i
feel i'm close. But i will put the thermostat back
in then, i wasn't going to because i thought i'd
just be running this in the middle of August here,
but it sounds like it's important so i'll put it
back. Thanks.

Royse · Feb 26, 2015

When they are run infrequently, or for shorter periods that
thermostat becomes even more important, but obviously it
has nothing to do with your current starting problems.

Ford specified a minimum of 90 psi on the compression, so
it is low. I have seen them run that low, but usually with an
electric starter to spin them faster or a pull start. Neither are
a real option for you at this point it seems. Soaking it longer
in ATF or 50/50 ATF and acetone may help it come up some.
Could be a leaky manifold gasket, but the low compression
doesn't help, that's for sure.

The plugs should not get wet. If they do it's flooded.
I did watch the later video and saw that you bought a new carb.
If you don't need the old carb, I might be willing to buy it.

Your video shows you pulling up on the hand crank. Good.
Still, be careful with ether and/or choke.
When they kick back it's not fun!

Keep us posted, I'd love to see that old combine run.

Jason S. · Feb 27, 2015

(quoted from post at 22:58:54 02/26/15) It's a model 16-23, with a 8N motor, and it was
given to me last fall. It looks as though it spent
most of these years just sitting. I am thinking
about trying to get it to work again. I just
wanted to say thanks for all the posts here. I've
been reading them all winter, and i have learned a
great deal! The balloon method for finding TDC
worked great! although i used a glove. It looks
funny in the video i made.
Here's a link to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPpG8jPxbYM

Thanks again!

Keep us posted on your progress. I have a 16-47 combine myself that I am trying to get in running shape again. Although yours is in far better shape than mine is...and parts are few and far between on these machines.

Du Farmsabit · Feb 28, 2015

Thanks again. Yeah, i see they have new
thermostats her so i put one on the list. I was
told in a comment on one of my videos that the new
carbs are "crap" I don't know. So i'm keeping the
old one just in case. Thanks for the tips, i will
look into that. I'm half tempted to just pull the
motor and do an overhaul, and while i'm at it,
install a ring gear and starter

Along with the
thermostat, and an after market temp. guage. It
looks like i can still get all the parts for that.
This project is going to take some time, i'm
barely a farmer, and even less a mechanic. Once i
get this motor going, then i can go to work on the
rest of the machine. But thanks to you guys, it
encourages me that i can do this, i guess i need
to decide how much money i want to spend.

Du Farmsabit · Feb 28, 2015

There is a local guy that restores old machines
and he told me they brought these out here to
eastern Washington to die,, i thought, how sad.
All this knowledge is getting lost along with the
parts. I don't think i can make it stock unless i
can come across another machine, so i think i'm
going to modify it a little to make it work a
little easier then. The sickle bar looks good, but
the rubber is all rotted, and the wood pitman arm,
bats, and other links, and guides made out of wood
all need to be re made but that looks pretty
simple. But, along with that, all the bolts i will
try to loosen, i'm pretty sure will break, so
those will have to be replaced as well. There's
even a local place that can duplicate the decals
if i ever get that far

Thanks, I'll post an
update when i got something.

Du Farmsabit · Feb 28, 2015

Oh yeah, on the hand cranking, i was pretty nervous,
still am, but when i was trying to set the timing i
got to experience the kick back, and the blisters.
But when i got it right, all it needs is one pop,
and it starts. She'd tease me so bad, so i'd just
keep cranking,, popopop, popopopopopopopo,,,, lol I
try to work the choke, throttle, and spray the
starting fluid at the same time,,, if i could video
that, i'm sure it'd look pretty funny.

cleddy · Feb 28, 2015

I had a 2N tractor with a cracked block and we found a 8-N Ford Industrial engine off a Woods Combine in NW Iowa. This one had been saved since the 1970's stored in a crib all this time and was the complete engine only with the hood,radiator,gas tank,ect everything engine related but missing the Mag which we wouldn't have used anyway. It still needed a overhaul but was a low hour -unmolested engine to start with and it turned out fine. Being hand crank and seasonal use the engine most likely never had antifreeze in it.
This Forum is fine and I now know more about Wood's Combines than I ever imagined I would. My impression is they were made with in association with Dearborn-Ford for the smaller horsepower tractor or smaller farmer. Is this correct??Cleddy

Du Farmsabit · Mar 1, 2015

Nice pics! wow!
I think you're right, i have heard that they only made them for a couple years, which, would explain why they are so rare, especially here in eastern WA. Then Ford started making them. I made a few Utube vids on my machine,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK96_6gNZEw

and so far, i can get it to run, but only for a couple minutes on starting fluid. I am contemplating a over haul, and it's nice to know i can still get parts for the motor.

I'd like to find one that was PTO powered and do away with the motor all together. I also am looking for the hand crank assembly to lift the header, someone took it off and replaced it with a hydraulic cylinder

Tall T · Mar 1, 2015

Cleddy,

Nice masterpiece!
Featuring the unpainted bolt head look.
As a beautifully spirited young British woman I met yesterday said of my Ford, "It looks very elegant!"

I see you have a concrete block shop like mine. Very cool in the summer!

Is that the ocean in the background?
what a view!

Cheers,
T

Jason S. · Mar 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 12:13:31 02/28/15) There is a local guy that restores old machines
and he told me they brought these out here to
eastern Washington to die,, i thought, how sad.
All this knowledge is getting lost along with the
parts. I don't think i can make it stock unless i
can come across another machine, so i think i'm
going to modify it a little to make it work a
little easier then. The sickle bar looks good, but
the rubber is all rotted, and the wood pitman arm,
bats, and other links, and guides made out of wood
all need to be re made but that looks pretty
simple. But, along with that, all the bolts i will
try to loosen, i'm pretty sure will break, so
those will have to be replaced as well. There's
even a local place that can duplicate the decals
if i ever get that far Thanks, I'll post an
update when i got something.

Here's what I'm working with

Du Farmsabit · Mar 1, 2015

WoW!!! Nice! You're way ahead of me without a motor
ha! Looks like someone changed the header lift on
yours too. Did you find a operator's manual? I'm
going to have to change the v-belt that drives the
reel, and looking at it, it's quite the puzzle as to
how they get that thing on. I found a place to get
decals...
http://www.georgebradishtractorparts.com/implementDe
cals.jsp

Du Farmsabit · Mar 2, 2015

Make sure you get over in the combine room as you
go, i'll be waiting to see what you do... thanks
again.

cleddy · Mar 2, 2015

No- not the ocean. That is the Missouri River valley looking west into Nebraska and east to the Iowa landscape. The fellow that had the tractor lived right on top the bluffs and negotiated the hill with a tractor without brakes. It took one time trying to grade the drive on a hilly road to decide that was not for me. Heading into the ditch or down the hill backwards between gear shifts is not fun.cleddy

Dearborn Woods Bros. combine

Du Farmsabit

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Royse

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Jason S.

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Du Farmsabit

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Du Farmsabit

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cleddy

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Tall T

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Jason S.

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