Special Legacy Tractor Advice (Long)!

Posted by A. Bohemian on August 04, 2007 at 08:27:34 from (207.170.88.211):

In Reply to: Old super C posted by DannyTN on August 03, 2007 at 19:41:12:

Congratulations on it being kept indoors. Whatever is wrong with it, it would be in much worse shape if it had been left out in the weather.

Buy manuals! Read the Owner's Manual! A legacy tractor is special and there's no reason to take chances with it.

As for the stuck valve; the correct procedure depends on the answer to counter-questions, some of which may stir regrets, for which I apologize.

But we have to know: did your grandfather carefully examine the tractor and determine there was a stuck valve? Or did he listen to it run, ask you what went wrong, and say, ''Hopefully it's just a stuck valve, we'll look into it later?''

And, did it loose oil pressure? Unless you were watching the pressure guage you can't know. Did the tractor overheat?

Everyone has their own methods, and there's nothing wrong with any of the advice above, but these are important questions, without the answers to which which we are shooting in the dark.

From the info you DID give us, I'd start just by turning over the motor and paying attention. Leave the ignition off.

You're looking for any sign the compression is noticeably worse on one cylinder than the others. A hand crank is ideal for this, as you can FEEL the compression as resistance. But if you have only the starter, listen for a noise like, ''UH-UH-UH-whoosh!-UH-UH-UH-whoosh!...''

This won't tell you if there IS a stuck valve, just that the compression is bad. Everyone has their own philosophy for dealing with internal engine failure. I decided my Super C had many, many hours on the original engine and that it didn't really matter WHAT was causing the lack of compression, it was time, after forty years, for a rebuild.

I've yet to regret the decision.

But then, a stuck valve is often not that big a deal. It's too late now, but the best way to deal with a stuck valve is to IMMEDIATELY remove the load and let the engine idle for a minute or so at a moderate speed with NO LOAD, carefully watching the oil pressure. Often times the valve frees itself up.

But by trying to keep a load on the tractor, you may have bent the valve stem or otherwise jammed the valve. Still not a big deal. I''ve never done a valve job, so others will have to guide you through that proceedure.

Incidentally, I also have my grandfather's Super C, and I think I know why yours is identified as a '55 model. Your grandfather (like mine) waited until the dealer had the number series on the lot and was in a sweat to get rid of the old letter series, and then he picked up a bargain.

He, like my grandfather, probably drove it home in the early winter or spring of '55, which is why the family always thought of it as a '55 model; but it probably is a '54 model. Check the serial number as advised above.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Replies:

• Re: Special Legacy Tractor Advice (Long)! DannyTN 22:26:50 08/04/07 (0)

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