My Super M horror story for Tim Malin

Posted by jonesy on November 30, 2004 at 21:58:44 from (64.136.27.225):

My Super M experience started when a couple guys (Mark and Kenny)came over to look @ a tractor I had for sale. We got to talken and decided to go drive the back roads in search of old machines. While driving around I mentioned I'd really like to find a Super M. Mark perked right up and said he knew right where one was. We drove into this small town and found the owner (Jim) telling lies with a couple other fellers. I told him I was interested in his Super M and we drove out to his place. Jim had inhereted this spread from his Grandmother after she died. He also inhereted his Dads and Granddads 53 Super M, 3 M Farmalls, a 460 LP and enough spare rims and junk tires for every tractor in the county!! The Super M was rusty as a barn nail, real greasy and hadnt moved in a while. I checked to see if it was stuck and it wasnt. I then asked him all the normal questions about it. He said that the Motor was rebuilt about 8 years ago by the local Case IH house and didnt have 20 hours on it. Mark confirmed this and said he drove it around and it was real strong. It did need alot of work. The hood and grille needed replaced, the seat assymbly was that of an older M, the hydraulic reservoir wasnt mounted right, lights were gone but it did have one thing going for it. It had a nearly new matched set of rear rubber on back!! Woohoo!! I told him I was interestd since he said the motor was rebuilt I thought I couldnt go wrong. He then said I had to buy ALL or NOTHING!! I really didnt want the other stuff but then he told me I had to take the stuff in the barn as well. I went to check it out and found a bunch of M parts as well as a set of steel wheels for an H Farmall. We agreed on a price and over the next 2 weeks I moved his junkyard to my backyard. I began to sell rims and part out the other M's to recoupe some of the cost as well as build restoration funds for the M. I got the Super M started up and drove it in the shop for its mop job. I didnt run it long because the clutch was sticking and coulnt stop and change gears so I parked it in the hole ready for the teardown.
That following Tuesday I went to the tractor club meeting. I talked with a guy who happened to be Jims neighbor, about the M and he too mentioned that it had been rebiult and was a strong runner. I ASSUMED since 3 people said the motor was rebuilt that I would dissassymble it from the clutch back, inspecting and replacing parts. To add motivation to the project I promised my to nieces that I would have it done in time for the Homecoming parade and pull their pee-wee cheerleading team on a float.
I got right down to buisness splitting the tractor @ the clutch housing, going through the clutch, splitting the rear end and completely dissassymbling the tranny and rear end. I ended replacing all 4 of the axle bearings as I found that the cages on one had broke and fell in the sump. I replaced all the seals and put it all back together. About that time a tractor buddy came buy to check out the project. He looked @ the motor and noticed the breather cap on the valve cover. He mention how he hadnt seen that before and walked around the other side. He then pointed out how it had a LP head from a 450. We looked at the block and sure enough the motor was a C281 from a 450 as well. Woohoo!! I thought I had a Super Duper M @ that point. I carried on with the project tracking down the parts that were missing, finding a wide front end, a saginaw 3 pt and I picked up a Charlyn PS unit as well. I also upgraded the electrical system to 12v and installed electronic ignition(recomended). After I had everything back together I sealed it up , wheeled it out back and comminsed to sandblasting till I was blue in the face. It took 2500 lbs of sand. I HATE sand blasting!!! For the paint I decided to do it right the first time and go with a stong durable paint. I chose Nason Dupont Urethane 2k. Its real nice and half the cost of Emron. But @ $225/ gal its still HIGH DOLLAR!!
I sprayed etching primer on everthing then 3 coats of Urethane 2K primer. I wet sanded the entire tractor (that sucks) and prepped it for paint. I then painted the tractor and parts. I then reassymbled the tractor and after all the painting I decaled it out and put on the finishing touches. There in front of me was one RED tractor!! Now came the moment of truth. I hit the starter and she roard to life!!. She seam to run real well but smoke was pouring out the crank case vent and had a slight miss. I thought the rings might be stuck in the grooves or havent been seated yet but would soon learn the truth. I then took it out for a spin. It rode real nice but lacked the power I thought it should have with the LP head. By the time I returned home smoke AND oil were coming from the vent tube and oil was streaming down the block from the head gasket!!
I put it right back in the hole, grabbed a beer and stared at this smoking oily mess trying to figure out the problem. You talk about let down, this was it. I then took a couple days off of the project to collect my thoughts and figure my next move. I knew I had to go into the motor. I then had to remove the power steering unit, manifold, radiator brace ect to ge the head off. I got to tell ya theres no worse feeling in the world then putting a wrech on that high dollar paint job. I then removed the head and pulled the head gasket. I was hoping to find a blown head gasket but no luck. I took the head in the next day to be rebuilt. That evening I dropped the pan and pulled the pistons. I removed one of the rings and placed it in the sleeve to check end gap, .193 thousandths!!! The book called for .013 to .028, that was over 1/8 inch ring gap!!. How could this happen with the Case IH house rebiulding it?? Only thing I could figure is since someone put a C281 with 4 1/8 sleeves the mechanic might have not noticed and put 4" rings. Well that explained the blowby and oil consumtion. I also found a bent push rod. I stopped there thinking I just need new rings so I picked some up along with the rebuilt LP head the next day. I started off the next evening with honing #1 cylinder. I then moved to #4. They cleaned up real well so I started #3 and noticed something strange when I started. #3 had a cracked sleeve that ran about 3" around!! So I once again sat down with Budweiser and collected my thoughts. I then ordered an "in block" rebuild kit from this site and waited for it to come in. Time was now getting to be an issue as the Homecoming parade was 4 weeks away. During that time I pulled the sleeves with a handy dandy puller I made with the help of a machine shop. Tim, your right, those sleeves will pop out and scare the bajesus out of you. Anyway I successfully pulled all four with no misshaps. The rebuild kit arrived in 3 days and went right in with no suprises. About that time I oppted not to go back with the LP head. I had done a compression test before starting and got 125#'s to 135#'s compression between all four cylinders, and come to find out that was with a .193 end gap!!! Just think what that thing would do with 4 rebuilt holes. This wasnt going to be a puller and I didnt want to have to use racing fuel just to get it to run right. I then found a 8060 M Farmall head on ebay that was rebiult and won the auction. The head was $200 + shipping and I waited for a shipping total from the seller. I was down to 2 weeks before the dead line and the guy never sent me a total on the head and wouldnt answer emails. I then found a head in Arizona that the guy would gaurantee. He sent me the head and it arrived late in the week. I took it straight to the rebuilders when I got it and explained my deadline was next Friday. I recived a call the next day that the head had 3 cracks in the combustion chambers and to come in and take a look. I arrived to look @ it and they said not to fear that they could send it off and get it repaired using this heating and pouring proccess. That would put me getting it on Tuesday the next week. I had no choice so I said yes. I went the weekend with not much to do but wait and go by and get more paint for touch up.
Tuesday arrives and they call me to come pick it up that evening. When I get home I work well into the night getting the head repainted and ready to go on the next day. I got everything back together Thursday night and took Friday off for the parade. I started it up early Friday Morning and tried to get as much break in as possible. I ended up making the parade and the kids were happy. This whole mess could have been avoided if I had just done it right like the rest of it and gone throught the motor. I guess thats what I get for ASSuming. I hope that makes you feel better about your Super M project Tim. I placed a picture of the devil himself in the photo gallery. Good luck

Follow Ups:

• Re: My Super M horror story for Tim Malin Tim Malin 17:23:22 12/06/04 (0)
• Re: My Super M horror story for Tim Malin El Toro 17:29:52 12/04/04 (0)
• How do you check for stuck tractor? Jonesy 03:28:16 12/02/04 (1)
  • Re: How do you check for stuck tractor? jonesy 05:04:02 12/02/04 (0)
• Re: My Super M horror story for Tim Malin champspa 15:51:58 12/01/04 (0)
• Re: My Super M horror story for Tim Malin Bob Frey 05:56:56 12/01/04 (0)
• Re: My Super M horror story for Tim Malin sammy the RED 22:23:17 11/30/04 (1)
  • Re: My Super M horror story for Tim Malin jonesy 05:11:47 12/02/04 (0)

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