McCormick Deering W-40 Information, Questions

Hi All,

I have just recently acquired a 1937 McCormick Deering W-40. Being in New England, these are quite rare for the area and I am trying to learn as much as I can about them. After searching through all the forum archives I could find on both this page and others, I am still left seeking more information and knowledge regarding these tractors.

To start, the tractor is W-40 serial number WCK7441P and I have a few questions regarding it.

First, does being a W-40 designate it as a gas only tractor or gas and kerosene? I have read in some places that it is made to run on straight gas only, and in others that the WA and WK was dropped to just W as the engine could run on either fuel. The tractor does have parts of a shutter system along with what looks like a kerosene manifold and a rod that appears to pull up and down to change the manifold heat setting.

Secondly, what does the P stand for? The tractor is on rubber so my guess would be for pneumatic tires? Have also seen numbers ending in PT. What would this stand for? On a related note, in one location I read that all W-40s had a 4 speed transmission with a road gear. Is this true? This tractor appears to only have a 3 speed.

Additionally, on the note of fuel, this tractor appears to have no small auxiliary tank inside the large tank. Rather, it has a funnel for the small tank welded on that goes to nowhere, along with a valve for the auxiliary tank that just goes into the big tank. Was this normal for gas only tractors or is this a modification someone made?

On a final note, did these tractors originally have electric start as a factory option? This tractor has a starter but no generator. Wasn't sure if this was a factory option, although I would imagine a generator would be desired as well, or if someone swapped motors, although it does have "International" through the three diamonds like it should.

Thank you for any and all assistance,

~FarmallCT

Additional pictures below:

Can't help you with the info. Is that an electric starter? How does the battery charge? Sure wouldn't want to hand crank that beast on a regular basis.

Never been up there but I can imagine that quite rare. Same thing here in western Ohio. If I have ever even saw one then it would have been at a show. And getting close to the 76 mark and on farm all my life. Couple of 15-30 I thought but might have only been the 10-20 But that was 60 years ago. but no W30 or the larger tractors.

Yes, it is electric start but does not have a generator. Not sure why it was setup like that but I have seen other tractors with the same setup. My best guess would be for farmers who might run it most of the day only needing to start it once or twice and would rather plug it in at the end of the day than pay more for the generator. To charge it has to be plugged into the charger or trickle charger when parked to recharge the battery.

~FarmallCT

The engine is original or original replacement,FBB or FB3 series. The PT on serial number plate is for rubber(pneumatic) tires. An "S" on serial number plate
means "road gear" 4th, IIRC. WKC9088 sits here but only has "P" on plate. I don't know if a W40 w/o electric start had mounting provision for a starter but maybe.
That would make the upgrade easier. While Nebraska tests lists a 279 and a 298 CI engine,I have been told they are all 298s. My 36 W40 was 298.

FarmallCT,

All the literature I have suggests that you have a kerosene or distillate tractor (International Harvester #40 catalog, 150 Years of International Harvester, Nebraska Tractor Test, and Lafingwell's photo book, and somewhere I have a photo copy of a parts book). The serial number with a WCK prefix determines this. My 1936 model, serial number WKC3065P has the heat deflector manifold, three speed transmission, steel wheels and had a shutter system. The original fuel tank has a small compartment in the end of the tank with a valve that allowed switching from gasoline start to kerosene from the operator's seat. It does have an electric starter but no sign of a generator, battery or electric lighting which were options. I have started this tractor with the crank when it is in good condition; although, I could not start it at 71 and a hernia. Maybe that is why I have the hernia? Crank remains in the front of the tractor and should be supported to the radiator. It was a portable power unit for a sawmill in North Carolina about all it's life as evidenced by the machine marks on the ring and pinion gears and no cleats. Be careful with the right foot clutch pedal! Email is open.

I have only seen one before and that was in a very large privately owned collection nearby which has 200+ tractors, almost all of which are pre-1930. Other than that there are no others I know of or have seen in the area. Most tractor shows here are at the fairs with 40s and 50s tractors. A few 30s tractors too but mostly F series Farmalls and unstyled JDs. The antique machinery association shows bring in a few more older tractors, such as 10-20s, regulars, etc but not much more than that.

~FarmallCT

Thank you, this is good to know. I was able to quickly find a PDF version of the IH #40 catalog which seems to be good with showing the specifications and options. I will do some searching for some of the other literature you mentioned. Also may look into an I&T manual (#2 I believe) for the tractor as it also applies to the F series I have.

The most interesting thing on this tractor is how all signs point towards it being as you said, an all fuel/dual fuel tractor, with the adjustable manifold and remains of shutters, though the gas tank appears to never have had a small second tank. Possibly a replacement gas tank that someone tried to make look like it was an original? It has the fill and valve for the second tank but no actual second tank as seen by the picture of the inside of the big tank.

Hand cranking that engine sure could do that to you. So far I've been taking advantage of the electric starter, though will likely hand start it at some point to see how well it hand starts. Sounds like a nice bit of history you have on your tractor, all I know is this one came from out west when the previous owner bought it. Any chance I could get clarification on what you mean by being careful with the right foot clutch pedal? Also, could you post or email a picture of yours/the manifold setup? Ideally I would like to find the parts to complete mine, though being in New England it is very unlikely I'll find anything for it nearby.

Thanks again!

~FarmallCT

The most common fuel at that time was distillate. Start on gasoline, when warm, switch to distillate. The small tank is for gasoline. Since distillate was considered as "standard", the W-40 was a distillate burner. The kerosene version was a WK-40, and the WD-40 was diesel.

Thank you for the information. I had seen that the WA was gas and the WK was kerosene, but most answers I found for the plain W-40 were conflicting between straight gas
or distillate/kerosene so the confirmation is appreciated. Do you have any thoughts on the 2nd picture which shows the inside of the main gas tank? It is looking at the
valve in the rear for the small tank, but there is no small tank or any sign of there ever being one.

Thanks again!

~FarmallCT

(quoted from post at 07:49:10 06/21/19) Thank you for the information. I had seen that the WA was gas and the WK was kerosene, but most answers I found for the plain W-40 were conflicting between straight gas
or distillate/kerosene so the confirmation is appreciated. Do you have any thoughts on the 2nd picture which shows the inside of the main gas tank? It is looking at the
valve in the rear for the small tank, but there is no small tank or any sign of there ever being one.

Thanks again!

~FarmallCT

Click to expand...

Not sure, but it is possible that the small tank was incorporated into the large tank.

Thank you for the information. I did not know there was also an "S" stamp for the road gear, I had thought that if it had P or PT for rubber tires it would have also come with the road gear. I would imagine some, maybe the later ones, would have the provision for a starter, though I have seen pictures of some, likely earlier models, without the provision for a starter. I would assume the engine in mine is the original. Is there any easy way to tell between the FBB, FB3, and other IH truck engines?

~FarmallCT

I believe that was how it was done, similar to the F-20 tank, which is why I am trying to figure out why it is not there inside the large tank. I have seen several
pictures of W-40s with a setup similar to a Farmall Regular, with the main tank and auxiliary tank separate. After seeing this, I am thinking someone may have taken a
tank off an earlier W-40 with a separate small tank and tried to make it look like a correct tank.

~FarmallCT