A little IH help please

T.E.C. · Sep 22, 2012

Question for the IH guys. 240 utility tractor. There are flat head pistons or stepped head pistons. Which one do I use. I don"t know for sure because the pistons I removed were M+W and they had a bit of a step on them. I know this was common back in the day but the stepped head pistons that come from IH look like they would be of even higher compression than the M+W pistons were. Any help here will be greatly appreciated.

Greg K · Sep 22, 2012

Any of them will work. The flat top pistons have lower compression, thus less power. The higher the dome the more compression, thus more power. One problem with higher compression is harder starting, due to it being more difficult to turn the motor over with the starter. No problem though with a good battery and GOOD cables.

Janicholson · Sep 22, 2012

Today's regular unleaded gasoline is substantially higher octane, and better on engines, than farm gas when it was made. Put in the high dome pistons. Makes a fine seat of the pants difference. Jim

T.E.C. · Sep 23, 2012

So what was the original use for the high step piston in these engines? My best guess is for high altitude. I don't see much information from IH on this, nor does my manual give a lot of basis for the different pistons.

A little IH help please

T.E.C.

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Greg K

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Janicholson

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T.E.C.

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