What to fix first?

Subject: Re: What to fix first?

Comments:
: I have an 8N Ford, Serial No. 105,962.  I think that makes it a 1948 model.  (Happy 50 years!)  It has a high/low gear range located on the left side of the engine block.  No on can tell me much about this feature.  Could you shed any light on this? :   : I bought the tractor about two years ago ($2,000 with a blade, draw bar, stabizers, a v-shaped trailer hitch, and a slip clutch on the PTO), and have been using it to work on developing a 30 acre piece of property that we are building a house on.  Basically I've been using it to blade, brush hog with a 4' AgriCutter, drag tree trunks, pull stumps, etc.  It's a pretty good old tractor, basically all original, and has done about anything that I've asked it to. :   : Other than normal maintenance, since I bought the tractor, I have had to have the governor and throttle shaft rebuilt, the left brake replaced, the 3pt overhauled, and a new hydraulic relief valve installed.  I've spent about an additional $750 on it. :   : Ever since I got it, it throws out some blue smoke when it's started and uses about 1 quart of oil for every 2-3 hours of operation.  Once it's warmed up, the oil pressure drops to zero.  This seems to really affect the high range, especially 3rd and 4th.  I don't think that the tractor develops the power that it should under load.  In your opinion, what am I going to have to do to correct this? :   : Second, the hydraulics will not keep my brush hog in one position.  After about 5 minutes, I have to reposition it so that it doesn't drag.  What are the next steps to ensuring that I can put an impement at certain height and know that it's going to stay there. :   : What I don't want to do is spend money unnessarily, but I kind of like this old tractor and since I'm not going to farm, maybe it's all the tractor that I need.  That is, provided that I fix the right things.  Then I could think about actually restoring it and making it like new. :   : If you could give me your thoughts, I'd really apprectiate it. :   : Thanks a lot. :   : Mark Edgington : 3082 Shotwell Road  : Gerald, MO  63037 

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