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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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My first tractor

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Trimmer

03-06-2004 17:15:35




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Well guys I got my first tractor home today! I purchased a 340 utility. I am new to this ball game and will need help from time to time. My first question is can I run the tractor with water in the oil? I would like to get it running to see how bad the motor is. Then will disassemble it to do any and all repairs. It appears that the motor was rebuilt in 89 (as I have all the receipts) and mowed a 10 acre lot(not sure how many times a year)ever since. Upon picking up the tractor I discovered gray oil. Assuming this means water in the oil. The owner said was mowing one day and it started to over heat and boil over.It has been parked ever since.(about two years) Any ideas as to what I should be looking for? Should I take the valve cover off and retorque the head bolts? Thank you for putting up with me and all your help!

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ken

03-06-2004 19:58:39




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 Re: My first tractor in reply to Trimmer, 03-06-2004 17:15:35  
congrads on the tractor,my first is a 460 utility and i just love it works perfect for what i need it for ,now to your problem .i think i would change the oil and try to run it for a little bit and dump it again and see what it looks like maybe it's just some heavy condensation from setting so long.



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riverbend

03-06-2004 19:05:54




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 Re: My first tractor in reply to Trimmer, 03-06-2004 17:15:35  
Fifteen years on a rebuild does not seem like that long for a tractor on light duty. Changing the oil and filter are good ideas. Water will not support the crankshaft like oil will. Is the radiator full ? Do you have an antifreeze tester ? If the block did not freeze and crack, that would be good. If it starts, look in the radiator and see if there are bubbles that smell exhaust. Bubbles would mean that combustion pressure is getting into the cooling system - i.e. it needs a head gasket. As mentioned before, retorqueing the head probably won't help. The good thing is that it is straight forward to replace the head gasket.

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Farmer Bob

03-06-2004 19:02:27




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 Re: My first tractor in reply to Trimmer, 03-06-2004 17:15:35  
Congratulations! Having just brought a Farmall 340D back from the dead, I hope you are able to get yours running without too much trouble. Having sat for 2 years with that water/anti-freeze in the oil, I'd be suspect of some etching of the rod and main bearings. Running it very long will certainly do further harm to the crankshaft if the etching is severe enough. Best to follow the advise below, change the oil, put in some fresh fuel, get spark and test it out. If it is a gasser, it should have a C135 engine in it. The diesels were a D166.

Get yourself some manuals, (Service, parts, operator) and learn all you can about your new purchase.

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TimV

03-06-2004 18:11:27




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 Re: My first tractor in reply to Trimmer, 03-06-2004 17:15:35  
Trimmer: Welcome to the club! The 340 is a nice "first tractor"--reasonably easy to work on, and decent parts availibility. I would most definitely change the oil before trying to start the tractor--no telling what kind of gunk is built up in there after a couple years of setting. Drain the oil into a separate container (not your usual "waste oil pail") and examine it for signs of water, anti-freeze, etc. Once you've got an idea of what might be wrong, it will give you some direction on what to do next. Re-torquing the head bolts might not be a bad idea, but it it ran for 10+ years before developing a problem, it shouldn't need a re-torque. If it does, there had to be a reason for the sudden loss of torque, and a re-torque won't fix the underlying cause.

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Nebraska Cowman

03-06-2004 17:25:13




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 Re: My first tractor in reply to Trimmer, 03-06-2004 17:15:35  
No, No, Don't run it that way. Change the oil first. I would try some heavy duty stop leak. yes retorquing the head might well be in order. Might be an easy fix.



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Brown Dirt Cowboy

03-06-2004 18:12:52




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 Re: Re: My first tractor in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 03-06-2004 17:25:13  
Cowman, a new oil filter and 5 or 6 quarts of new oil may be cheap compared to what he may do to that engine by running it. He didn't tell us how much overfull it shows on dipstick.Atleast I think the 340 is new enough to have a dipstick vs. the draincocks on the oilpan. Tom



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JB

03-06-2004 19:00:21




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 Re: Re: Re: My first tractor in reply to Brown Dirt Cowboy, 03-06-2004 18:12:52  
Hi, grey is the color motor oil would turn after use in an engine that was burning leaded gas. It was only after unleaded gas that motor oil turned black.

If it boiled over, I would check for stuck theromstat or water pump or clogged rad problems.
The cast iron blocks could withstand a boil over without warping. Provided the operator did not continue to run the tractor.

Look for the simple solutions first.

Good luck
JB

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