How far to go with engine rebuild

But, how much deeper than that should I go? I don't know anything about the history of this tractor. I do know that I paid too much--$2000--considering it had some major problems (too numerous to mention here). I want to get it right and only go this way once, so I've been spending a good deal of money getting to the bottom of these problems.

Question: What should I do in addition to the valves: 1)Pistons and rings or just rings? 2)Push rods? 3)Push rod tubes 4)various bearings?

As I said, I want to end up with a first-rate tractor in A-1 working order. Yet I don't want to waste money. I'd appreciate any ideas.

I agree with you. If you're that close, it's not much more work, and only the the cost of rings and few gaskets to have good compression to go with your new valve job. And I have seen just a valve grind show up as increased blow-by on old rings. You can inspect the pistons and rod bearings then since you'll have them out to install new rings anyway. Hone the cylinders, and you'll have a rebuilt engine on a budget.

I won't say it's my 2 cents, because God knows it always costs more than 2 cents, and I make judgements on when to stop spending money on my project every step of the way.

There is no absolute rule on what to do, check, re-grind, lap, bore, buy, rent, paint, replace, or repair.

It's really in what you want out of the machine. We all tend to forget that these two-bangers are getting pretty old for what we ask of them. But if you want them to do real work, you'll have to feed them some repair money.

So...my opinion ? I never pass up the chance to put in a set of rings if I have the head off and I can get by using just a glaze-breaker in the bores, unless you know those rings are pretty fresh.

Good luck !

Frank-in-Tallahassee
70D // 855

A glazebreaker was the term for a flap wheel or stone, light grit honing device that would just knock the glaze off of the cylinder bore, as opposed to a cylinder hone that was used to both provide surface finish and size the cylinder ( in very small amounts !).

Some glaze breakers used abrasive belt sections, some stones, but a cylinder hone used with fine stones did the same work, but in less time. It was more agressive, so you had to watch what you were doing at bit more closely.

Frank-in-Tallahassee