Farmall M engine rebuild

DBond12 · Oct 22, 2018

New fellow here...

I've been watching this forum for a long time and have picked up a lot of info from everybody on here...now I'm here with a question of my own.

I've just bought a Farmall M which needs an engine rebuild. I'm looking online and seeing that stock bore diameter is 3 7/8" but all of the rebuild kits that I'm seeing out there are for a 4" overbore. My question is - do I have to bore the block out to put in the new pistons or do they use a thin wall sleeve and fit inside the same bore?

Also any recommendations on a good quality kit? The tractor's engine seized due to water getting in the exhaust many years ago. The previous owner tore the engine down and then it got put in the back corner of the shop and forgotten.

Fast forward to today, and I've got myself a winter project.

fastfarmall · Oct 23, 2018

No boring necessary, the sleeves are just thinner, in fact i don't thin they even make the 3 7/8 anymore. this site has good piston kits, but when u do get it running, have something lined up to work it, don't rake hay with it, is what i am saying, have you got a 3-14 plow?

jim warehime · Oct 23, 2018

Look for a good NOS ih kit or a good US
made kit, stay away from the Tisco and
Chinese or Taiwan kits alot of sites sell.
Make sure you check the line bore on the
main saddles and bearings. Dont be cheap
like most people and not clean the oil
galleys and rebuild the oil pump. Wouldn't
hurt to take block and major components
into machine shop and have hot tanked. You
should be able to do a good complete
overhaul for under 3k on a gas engine,
thats parts and machine shop cost. Good
luck.

DBond12 · Oct 23, 2018

Perfect. Thanks very much for the help.

Jim, I don't have a plow (yet!) but I hear you on working it. How long should I expect to have to work it to get the rings to seat?

glennster · Oct 23, 2018

i bought several kits from this site and had no problems. i would, however, recommend if there is machining done to the crankshaft, let the machine shop get the bearings.

fastfarmall · Oct 23, 2018

For a break in period,i would work it for at least a 1/2 day !

IA Roy · Oct 23, 2018

For the cost to rebuild the engine, You
could buy a really nice M!

DBond12 · Oct 23, 2018

Thanks very much for all the help folks!

This is going to be just a slow steady work in progress over the next few months. I wanted a winter project and now I've got it

.

Believe it or not, up here in Saskatchewan M's seem to be somewhat few and far between and people are asking upwards of $2000 - $2500 (CAD, of course) for them.

And it's always easier to sneak several purchases past the CFO than one big one

.

I'm sure I'll be back with questions as I go. First step is loading it and bringing it home this weekend, and then the fun begins.

Ellis Kinney · Oct 24, 2018

I would strongly suggest having the engine tanked. I did this and got back an engine that looked shiny silver with all port holes cleaned. No rust or
obstructions to worry about. It takes a lot nicer looking paint job also. I know this is not your original question. Ellis

charlieu · Oct 24, 2018

Looking at the part numbers that this site uses for the overhaul kits for a Farmall M I noticed that they are exactly the same as the numbers that Tisco uses. Just saying they seem to be the same parts. If I'm wrong please correct me. I just saying what I see. So are the parts junk or not?

rfridy73 · Oct 26, 2018

It?s very expensive to rebuild and M.I know back in the 80?s a friend wanted me to rebuild his Super M. I bought a factory remand engine cheaper than I Could do it myself, plus a good warranty with it.

Farmall M engine rebuild

DBond12

New User

fastfarmall

Well-known Member

jim warehime

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DBond12

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glennster

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fastfarmall

Well-known Member

IA Roy

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DBond12

New User

Ellis Kinney

Well-known Member

charlieu

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rfridy73

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