manual doesn't help, HG OC3 differences?

ObsoElitist · May 3, 2015

Someone said my crawler may have HG tracks, they are not the same as in my new OC3 manual for serials 3500000 and 1W000 and up. There is no tag on the starterless bellhousing, and I have an engine that is marked as both 4 cyl gas, waterpumpless Hercules Engines. Does this show HG parts, or just 1939 Oc3, as the engine indicates?

My issues are
1, instead of having on the final drive cover an iron bearing cover with a fill plug as on page 41, there is only a stamped bump on one side and a flat surface on the other. Did they make one with no outer axle bearing, and should I find plugs on the main cast iron housing when I crawl under it?

2, I have no waterpump, is there a thermostat?

3, since the seat and gas tank block the transmission fill plug, there is a1/2 inch bolt I can access on the top rear of the differential housing in the center, pointing down. If I pull it, will something let go inside? I may just have to fill through the level plug, sure to be a very slow process.

oliver90owner · May 4, 2015

Well it won't be a OC3 in 1939, will it? (Your OC3 manual will have a publication date on it)

Get a (later) manual for the Cletrac. That will answer your questions.

J. Schwiebert · May 4, 2015

Go over to the Cletrac website. I placed some service bulletins on there years ago. I don't think you have an OC-3. Look on the left side of the engine block for a flat milled surface near the top of the block. The engine model and engine serial number will be stamped there. Tell us what that is. You have e-mail. or a phone number? J.

ObsoElitist · May 4, 2015

I did post it there, and while make specific, that site has far less traffic than this one
There is no doubt that this is a weird little tractor made from parts by someone with skill, which is why I call it "Johnny Cash". While I am new to Oliver-Cletrac machines, I am an experience mechanic, machinist, and welder with knowledge of many different types of vehicles, equipment, and machinery.
The engine is marked on the tag as an IXA3, and stamped at the deck as an IXB3. As it runs, I have not had to pull the head and measure a piston.The engine number was identified by Zimmerman as 1939.
it has no eletric starter, or chassis tag. The hand starter using a toothed belt is even more strange and I will post a new thread with pictures just for laughs when I take it apart.
People on both forums have identified parts as being HG, OC3, and OC4, and who knows what else is there.
I have a gallery of photos here,
http://s221.photobucket.com/user/arborigine/library/Oliver OC46?sort=6&page=1

I'll crawl under it later today and look for filler and level plugs, but would like to know what I have in case I need parts.

ObsoElitist · May 4, 2015

Confirmed today there is a fill plug inboard of the tracks on top of the axle housing, an overfill plug and a drain plug on the same casting at the bottom. The outboard coveres are a single stamped piece. Is this how an HG is built?
Also, it appears the bolt on the diff housing is for a seat and should work as a filler.

Married2Allis · May 4, 2015

Really nice crawler project. Reminds me of a dog I had once, a combination of pretty much everything. Best rabbit dog I ever saw. One night I had to go out and find her about 1/2 mile from the house, she was digging under a tree to get to Bugs Bunny -- the only thing I could see was the tip of her tail and dirt flying. She was chewing roots in half, unbelievable.

J. Schwiebert · May 4, 2015

When the Hg was introduced in 1939 they also introduced the little General wheel tractor. They share a lot of parts. Now I have seen several General tractors with NO place for a starter. This is all on very early models. Between the IXA engine there was an IXK for most of the production. Also I have a friend and they were a dealer for the little crawlers. He said most of the time when an older model needed to be overhauled they would bore the block to make it an IXB, but if you worked it hard a water pump had to be added. HG and OC-3 tracks interchange.Do you have a parts book? Does your craler have 3 or 4 forward speeds? Look behind the magneto and see what date in cast in the block. That will tell you when the casting was poured.

ObsoElitist · May 4, 2015

I received my parts manual today. This is not the final drive unit in the book but is very similar, and like I said, no castings for an outer axle bearing. This has a 3 speed and 10 inch grousers with no holes for pads like in the manual. Another difference is the front wheels, riveted to the hub with no outer ring of bolts.
Fortunately, it all works properly based on a 100 yard test drive limited by the fact I had not checked the drivetrain fluids. I let the engine for 20 minutes, no problems there either.

ObsoElitist · May 5, 2015

I got some info from the Cletrac forum. It appears that I am dealing with a base 1939 Cletrac HG with many add-ons. The final drive outer axle bearing was produced from 1941 up.
I will buy another set of manuals. Good thing reprints are cheap.

manual doesn't help, HG OC3 differences?

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