1951 Farmall Super C

/ 1951 Farmall Super C #1  

joylynn58

New member
Joined
Jun 5, 2015
Messages
3
Location
Binghamton, NY
Tractor
Farmall super c
Hey people! I am hoping to rebuild my grandfather's Super C. She has been sitting in the barn for 20 ish years. I decided on Memorial Weekend to get her in the shop and start working. I put air in her tires as they were flat and they are still inflated, so that part is good. I purchased a crank to see if her pistons were frozen, they were not. It sounds like she has good compression. I am a newbie in restoration, but know my way around a shop and it's tools. My question to you is: where do I start? I will get her a new battery, I have drained her gas and oil, and will refill. What's next? Thanks!! I'm looking forward to hearing her run again. I grew up on this tractor.
 
/ 1951 Farmall Super C #2  
Next step is purchase a carburetor rebuild kit and rebuild it. The gaskets are dried out and the carburetor may be dirty/gummy.
 
/ 1951 Farmall Super C #3  
I have one of the same vintage. I would first spray some carb cleaner in the carb. Most have a drain plug in the float bowl which you can remove and spray the float chamber and needle valve with cleaner. Mine has a fuel shutoff and strainer bowl under the tank which needs to be cleaned.

Then check an see is the carb leaks gas when you add new fuel with more fuel stabilizer.

Make sure the air cleaner is clean and reoiled.

Then check the cylinders for fluid by pulling the plugs and turning over the engine. I'd run a compression check. Finally check for spark.

If everything checks OK then I would then shoot some starting fluid in the carb intake and see if it will start.

Good luck.
 
/ 1951 Farmall Super C #4  
One additional thought -- I'd spray a little light weight oil in the cylinders before turning over the engine with the starter to lubricate the cylinder walls and the rings. After sitting 20 years they are completely dry.
 
/ 1951 Farmall Super C #5  
All pretty good sound advice above, but I wouldn't worry too much about a new carb. kit just yet. Out of the 30 some old tractors I've had over the years, only one needed a kit,and that was because someone ran the main jet in too far, and damaged the end. The bowl gasket may get dampish, but will more than likely seal off, once it has contact with gas again. Make sure the sediment bowl, and screen above it are clean. You should have good flow to the carb. Do remove the elbow going into the carb., the fuel line attaches to. There is an internal fine mesh screen that is usually where some sediment will collect. Spray it with carb cleaner from the outside, and finish with some compressed air.

Might be an idea to remove the carb., and drop the bowl. Setting that long, there is probably some rust and sediment in there. Remove the main jet, and spray through all of the ports. Put the main jet back in, and run in until you just feel it seat, go easy on that part, then back out 1-1/2 turns. Ought to be close enough to start. You can tweek from there once it starts. Just be careful putting the bowl back on not to bump the float, and get it out of adjustment.

When you put the battery in, and if it is still original 6V, don't forget that it is positive ground. If you have a test light, go ahead and get the ground end hooked up. With the switch on, touch it to the input side of the coil to make sure you have current to there. Then test the output side going to the distributor. Just don't leave the switch on very long, in case the points are making contact. Don't want to burn them.

Pull the distributor cap, and check the lugs for buildup on them. Ionization can cause a carbon buildup on them. If it has brass lugs, it will have a brown/black buildup on them, if aluminum lugs, it will have a whitish/green buildup. You can scrape that off with pen knife to get by. Also pull & check the rotor button, it too will probably have a bit of tarnish on it. Some fine sand paper, or scrape it with your knife will clean it up too. There should be a cover between the rotor button and points. Pull it off to see the points. If you can roll the engine over by hand, until the points make contact. You can then turn the switch on, and take a screw driver, and work the points, to check if you have spark there. Again, only momentarily, so you don't burn them. If no spark there, odds are, the condenser is bad. If you have a good bright trouble light, or small bright flashlight, you can open the points, with a smaller screwdriver, and somewhat see the condition of the points, as to whether they are burned. If they don't look the best, get a new set, and condenser. Get a decent set like Echlins from NAPA, or OEM's. The cheapie sets, wear blocks don't seem to last long. One of those small 2-3 inch long screw starters are the handiest to thing to get the screws back in. If you don't have one, get the one with the magnet on the other end. The long ones don't work in that spot well, as they hit the oil filter canister. A good flat stubby screwdriver to snug the screws. Set the points at .020".

Might as well clean the plugs too. Check & set @ .025"

If the oil was pretty dirty, might be an idea to replace the oil filter. When you take the canister off, there will be a square shoulder o-ring in the groove, where the canister seats. You'll need to remove that, and replace it with the new one that comes with the new filter. I have an ice pick I use to remove that o-ring.

If you have spark, fuel, and air, she ought to fire up, or at least get a pop out of it.

Depending on the temperature, unless it's really cold, it shouldn't take a lot of choke to get it started, once the fuel bowl is full. Maybe 3-4 revolutions at full choke, and throttle set about 1/3. It will let you know if you've choked it too long, as gas will drip from the carb.

Good luck..!! :)
 
/ 1951 Farmall Super C #6  
The super Cin my opinion is superior to a H. the live hydraulics and power to weight ratio make it ideal for most any job on the farm. A super C can do any job a bigger tractor can. It just takes longer. They don't use a lot of fuel also. All good advice so far. My self I always soak the cyls with a 50 -50 mixture of diesel & automatic trans fluid for several days before trying to start any engine that has been sitting a while. Ive successfully woke up Zombie engine that haven't been ran in decades. Make certain the gas tank is clean and has good new fuel. Old stale gas can cause the valves to stick.
 
/ 1951 Farmall Super C
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Thanks, my friends. Unfortunately my real life gets in the way of my tractor restore. I appreciate all of the info and will get back to all of you with my progress.
 
 
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