New JD A, and New Tractor Owner, Introduction

Howdy, I've been lurking for quite awhile and figured I should introduce myself.

I bought my first ever tractor, a '46 (I believe) John Deere A, SN 574050. I plan to use it for some field work on a farm I don't have, and simply to have a tractor, because hey, tractors are awesome. It might not make much sense, I know...

So far the most important job it's done is decorate my house for a neighborhood lantern festival. Next year I hope to use it to plant some popcorn, feed corn (corn maze), and pumpkins, and cultivation of the same.

I've been having a blast working on, and learning about, the tractor. I killed it as soon as I got home and the neighbors came out to take a look, and of course I killed the battery trying to start it again. Popped off the cover to jump it and a birds next including eggs was there to welcome me to tractor ownership! The next weekend another neighbor wanted to hear it run, and embarrassingly I flooded the bejesus out of it and never got it started. Found an operators manual and I'm good now. Yeah, I'm more green than the tractor!

I've changed the crankcase oil, which was well over a gallon overfilled, and stank of gasoline. The wife did not appreciate that chemical aroma wafting into the house. Changed the tranny oil (took a long time to find GL4 fluid, ended up ordering online) and it had some water in it. Drained the radiator fluid to find rust chunks and quite oddly what looked like clumps of grass. Added oil to the steering pedestal and it immediately leaked out, so I packed it with some grease. Put probably a total of hundreds of squirts of grease in all the zerks. And I put a new seat spring on it which I want to take right back off because man is that stiff compared to what I assume was the custom job spring that was on it.

I still need to figure out how to clock the rockshafts as one is about an hour higher than the other. Not a big deal but would like them equal all the same (if possible). It has a 3-point and the power-trol. I'd like to hook up a 12v generator or alternator for the 12v battery, or I might simply put a solar panel on it. And I still have to find a trailer and move it to the farm.

I'd like to get a planter and an ABG front mounted cultivator, as my zero experience farming tells me a front mounted cultivator would be easier to use and not decimate a variety crops if I can see what I'm doing.

Sorry if this is a long intro, but I'm excited to have this, and excited to share with those having a similar interest.

It is all about fun, and it certainly sounds like you have the correct attitude! Welcome to this wonderful and fun discussion
site. You will enjoy your tractor and this site.

Well, I don't know how to add photo links, or how to edit posts, so I'll see about attaching some.

Oh man, sorry for the newbie posting issues.

Welcome, and enjoy your A. I'd say get a manual, or manuals, and pay attention to all the safety issues. These old girls will tip over sideways, will roll over, and if you hitch on wrong on the back will flip over backwards. Fatal. My father in law rolled a good old John Deere, and it flipped him off before it crushed him. Have a blast.

Welcome, the longer you own your JD the more it will grow on you. Your doing the right thing starting out with fresh fluids. Once you learn the starting procedure and how to tune her up you will enjoy it even more these A's are hard workers.

I like your A. Around my area, you don't see many with a single front wheel, or three point
hitch. The custom air pre cleaner looks good. I'm curious about the seat spring, that you
took off. Could it have been a Knoedler, or some other aftermarket setup? I've adapted a
later, battery box seat, to my 1941 A. It gave me more room for a larger 12 volt battery,
and I like the seat much better. You may want to get into the practice of turning the fuel
off, at the sediment bowl, since you found a lot of gas in your oil. Don't worry much about
keeping it origional. Make it "user friendly".You'll find a lot of knowledge and advice, on
this site. Keep us posted.

Where are you located? I'm a geography nut and always like to know but very few people say where they are. I'm in southern MN.

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]<font color="#6699ff">bought my first ever tractor, a '46 (I believe) John Deere A, SN 574050.[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

Correct; a late 1946.

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]<font color="#6699ff">Found an operators manual[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

You might consider reading the [b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]TO START THE ENGINE[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0] section on page 16.

Step 6 is important to open the compression relief cocks.

Take a look at the open compression relief cock on "Easy" our 46 Model A.





"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]<font color="#6699ff">need to figure out how to clock the rockshafts as one is about an hour higher than the other.[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

Take a look at the [b:654c4848f0]BASIC LIFT[/b:654c4848f0] diagram below.



Note the rock shaft with dowel pin (Key 28) and crank arm (Key 36).

Pure speculation on my part, but the square end of the rock shaft that fits inside the crank arm could be worn.

Welcome to the John Deere forum and hope that you continue to enjoy your nice looking 1946 Model A tractor.

I've been looking for the original seat spring but can't find it. I hope it didn't make its way into the scrap bin. I'll keep looking.

I'm in Colorado outside of Boulder.

I've been shutting it down at the sediment bowl since getting the operators manual, but I hadn't really be starting it with the compression relief valves open, figuring that was for hand starting. Anyway, i did that today and boy did it start quickly!

I can't get the temp to get over 160, and this is on a new temp gauge as the other wasn't working. Photo below, my bad on the faces, I ordered the wrong ones. Anyway, is this going to be a problem? I ran it around the neighborhood for 20-25 minutes at 3/4 throttle or more.

Also, if the video uploaded, any thoughts on what that squeak could be if it's not normal (it's not the generator, I pulled off the belt for now until I fully convert to 12v), and what that bolt is that is jiggling by the SN tag? I assume that's not good. This running down the sediment bowl after my tour of the neighborhood.

Man, I'm having a hard time posting, aren't I?

And video doesn't seem to upload, so here it is on youtube.

https://youtu.be/zhpmYeBivDE

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]<font color="#6699ff">I've been shutting it down at the sediment bowl since getting the operators manual[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

A very good practice.

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]<font color="#6699ff">is this going to be a problem?[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

No.

You might consider checking the temperature with a thermometer at the radiator filler flange.

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]<font color="#6699ff">any thoughts on what that squeak could be[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

Take a look at the [b:654c4848f0]FAN AND VENTILATOR PUMP[/b:654c4848f0] diagram below.



Note the pipe plug (Key 20).

Take a look at the photo below.



You might consider replacing the pipe plug with a grease fitting.

Pure speculation on my part, but the two fan bearings might need some grease.

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]<font color="#6699ff">what that bolt is that is jiggling by the SN tag?[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

Once again, pure speculation on my part, but a cap screw to fill a threaded casting hole used to secure/suspend the main case during assembly.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for sharing your video with us.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zhpmYeBivDE" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Good stuff, thank you! I have a grease fiiting there and put in probably 60 squirts on that one alone when I got it. Maybe the bearings are done with their useful life. I hope it’s them than something in the case.

I have a thermal imaging camera on loan. I can’t believe I didn’t think to use it to verify temperature! Working on the tractor I suppose there was too much analog on my brain.

Loren, I found the seat spring. This was way more plush of a ride. I should weld the busted coil back together and reinstall it.