Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and havnt had much luck with searching. I do some tractor pulling at my local county fairs and always finish dead last with my 46 model A deere. I havnt done much to that tractor because of the story behind it. But I now have a 52 A gas burner I would like to build a mild puller with. Most of the tractors are div 2 in my area. I don't want to break the bank with a stroker, but I am wondering what the thoughts are on an over bore with aluminum m&w style pistons, stock stroke, and muphys head with a blackburn cam. Looking forward to your replies.

Are the pertronics brand any good. I see C5 quite making ignition products, or at least thats what their web site says.

Petronix is what we use.

The C5 ignition was a pretty spendy system. Some love them others ended up not using them. Personally, I wouldn't waste my money on one.

MSD, you talked about seeing a lot of distributor issues. What are your thoughts on electronic ignition.

We run them in our pullers. I've personally had 2 of them fail. Worked when parked and then wouldn't start. Points are fine, condensers are the problem. It is hard to find one that works and keeps on working. If you have an older one, it would probably be better to use it than put a new one in.

What year did Deere start using the creeper gear? 48-49? I also have a 1950 A that is stuck solid. After 5 years of failed attempts to get it to roll over it may be the one that gets a big bore and such...one day. I also currently have my eye on a one owner Super MTA-D, and a 51 G. Both are going to have to be fair money to purchase, but neither are going anywhere as my self and the current owners have an understanding.

Creeper gear was about 1948 for the b, 1949 for the a

Good to know, I do have a timing light that I can set/ watch advance with. I will definitely be checking that out.

What do you mean a dist redo?

Most dist. have a problem of some sort with the advance. We've seen them come in with a negative 5 to over 50 degrees. Tractor will run but not like it should. We have come up with an improvement to the advance where you can actually set it to the degree you want for starting and where it goes to at wide open. You can check yours with a timing light to see what it is doing. Find top dead center on #1 cyl. and make a mark some where so you can see it with the timing light. Watch it as you rev it up. You probably need a timing light that you can measure degrees with, not just a cheap flashing light or you can mark the degrees out on the flywheel and see how many it is moving.

I have been ollowing everyone's opinion and knowledge closely and appreciate all of it. I am planning on just running it this coming year and going from there. I do still have the '46 model. It has aluminum pisto s and a cam from josh and pulls very well for what it is, even though it always places dead last lol. But I will keep it the way it is since it started as a grandpa and me project before cancer got him.

Just seen on outlaw puller facebook page. JP Dunn. Has a styled A parts tractor for sale. Has a power block, heslier head and intake. Merfield rods. Etc. $3500 I have his ph no. If you can't find the listing. Think these parts make 500 plus cu in.

We can do a redo on the dist. that might give a cheap hp gain. Some claim another 25 hp, everyone has been happy with the fix we put in them.

"Wanting to build a mild puller," yup, that's the way it always starts out,,,,,,,, gm

Hey MSD, just found the email on the lower right corner only shows up in classic view

Not sure that a bigger head is going to help on a stock size motor. Know the bigger G heads don't really help on a stock motor. Definitely do the cam and rockers. Did you sell your 46 A? Use it for the farming. A crank is cheaper than a head and will give results.

Having said all that, do go pull for a season and ask questions and see what works for others and have some fun. Keep in mind every tractor has its track that works best for it. Sometimes the big ones work, sometimes the stocker ones do better. There are plenty of variables beyond the motor like tires, weights and reading the track that some guys just never pay enough attention to. Also triple the time frame if you start ordering parts, its not a small block chevy so parts and work take time

After talking with Jeff at Murphy tractor I think I have a plan. The first year I will run as is and then if its not enough... Flat head with his rockers, and the m&w pistons milled down with a cam from Josh. But the wife is saying baby steps dear lol.

I pulled an 1950 JD A for many years. Very competing agaist Oliver 88, IHC M,s JD G stockers, from 5000 to7500 even a couple 8000. It had new 15,5 l/s bar tires at 8 to10 lbs on std rims. Had to read tract and use brake to limit tires slip. And1st gear.Engine was bored to .125 over stock stroke , good valve job and tuned on a grinder setting carb and distribution. They are lite in front but mite redril subframe to move it foreword, worked on a70. Go and haveFUN, I did !

[quote="CVPost-MSD"](reply to post at 09:00:56 12/07/20) MSD, I would love to get in touch with you via email, or even buy you a cup of coffee/beer. But I can not see your email address anywhere.

Down in the right hand corner, it says email. Click on it and it will let you email me.

Sorry, I screwed up Email is open on this one.

I pulled with this G for years and my wife and grand kids pull it now. My wife finished 3rd in points in 1 class pulling against the best in NATPA last season. We run 2T with 14-9-38's on it. No stroke, a good cam grind from Brian, bored to 6 3/8's with high compression pistons, some carb work and porting done on a stock JD head and manifold. She picked up 2 wins in Sigourney this summer with it. Would make a cheap build for you if you want to be a little more competitive than say an A would be. We run Renegade 120 octane fuel in it. Compression is high enough pump gas won't work.

That’s a mild stock Jon Deer ❓

Hey Mel--Is this the fuel you are talking about?

DANGER!!!!!

Just got a new shipment in.

Are you sure they are not pumping your SEPTIC TANK???---Tee

Top secret! Never said what is in it but it sure works good.

MSD, if you have any help or knowledge to offer I am all ears.

My grandson pulls with a stock stroke A. It is a creeper gear one. In 4500 and some places 5000 lb classes he can pull 2nd. Otherwise he has to drop down to 1st which is pretty slow. He has numerous wins with it. A lot to do with tires for the track it pulls on. He likes the G way better though. He will pull up to 7000lbs with it and it hangs in there but the G will usually out do it. My email is open if you want more info.

I know the first problem is to get it on the track and see what it will do. I'm just trying to make a list of ideas to make power when im ready to make power. I don't want to build a dedicated puller but a top five finish would be nice. And it would be great to beat my buddies super m. He got lucky with that tractor. I helped him pullit out of the trees that it sat in for ten years we knew of, then he soaked it and got it running as was. He started winning with before we figured we better see what he had. Opened it up and it was full of m&w goodies. Buttoned her back up and he is still running it. Anyway, I have had guys tell me to stroke it and such but thats a lot of cash and I am trying to not break the bank. Thats why I wonder about the flat head with m&w pistons. That would raise compression considerably but I don't know how much. Would it still run on pump gas?

Save your $$ and get a Minnie or Oliver or Ford or AC. JD is the most expensive to make power with.

I pull a super c with a stock motor, so it’s always 1st gear. I do not run out of power and I pull class 2. To me, tires are everything. It pulls in the top 3 in 3-4 mph 3000/3500 top cut. Are you running out of power or just want to go faster? Gotta get a good bite on the track.

Talk to MSD on this site--He and his "boys" build some of the best two bangers?---Tee

One of the best!

Thanks TEE.

Would also be a plus if I could still farm the sweet corn patch with the tractor. But if not I have another one to do so with. I guess I just don't want to go over board and build a dedicated puller.

Deffinatly wanting to stay with pump gas, what are the compression limits with 91 octane? Have talked to a couple guys about going 8 inch on crank but I'm not sure the money is there for me. And I till mt to be able to play with the tractor.

E85 is common in our area. It is 105 octain I think. So you could go up to 12 to 1. Maybe higher with a modern cam design. Also if I was going to take a 2 cyl far enough apart to change the cam, I sure would stroke the crank. No substitute for cubic inches. And high compression in a NA engine. H.A.P.I in vincennes In. Crank machine in New Baden Southern Il. Where I got my block bored and crank stroked. Reasonable.

Problem with E85 is if it is pump gas, is it is inconsistent. It only has to be up to 85 octane but can be lower without you knowing it. Then there is the problem with getting it to run right when the temps get cold. I've seen guys running it have to leave their tractors run half open trying to build heat in them so they run under loads. Now if you buy racing E85, then your probably covered but at 12:1, 105 is still pretty low. We run only 120 and recommend it to all our customers and pulling friends.

Take the money from a new head and buy a G instead. It can be as light or lighter and have more power.
A's are fine too but the performance parts all cost about the same. A little more work but a crank will get you a lot farther than the head. Decide if you want to buy pump gas or $12 race gas and set your compression accordingly.



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