Farmall H

willy44 · Mar 30, 2015

Hello everyone I have a 1952 Farmall H that I am trying to get running. It has't ran in 30 years and before that wasn't ran much. The owner died and it has sat in the barn until I cam along and bought it.

That being said the engine oil had separated so I changed it. Then I moved back to change the transmission gear oil, it is the consistency of a thick pudding so it needs to be changed. The manual says above freezing to use 90w oil and below freezing to use 80w oil. So I was wondering if it is a good idea to just use 80-90w gear oil. I went to Napa and got 6 gallons of the Napa premium 80-90 and was going to change it until I heard of the GL rating that could harm certain metals, and that mineral gear oil would be better. I don't know for certain though what to use.

So my question is, is there any reason why I shouldn't or cant use NAPA 80-90w gear oil in my farmall H, will it do any harm to anything or work just fine?

300UGUY · Mar 30, 2015

I don't think it will do any harm. These old girls are pretty tough. YTMAG has a good Farmall forum.

Sawyer Rob · Mar 30, 2015

I use 80-90 in my old Farmalls and I've not ever heard of anyone having a problem using it... I mean, you aren't going to go plow 40 acre fields with it!

SR

deerseeker001 · Mar 30, 2015

I used International HY-Tran for my H works great.

willy44 · Mar 31, 2015

Sounds good, I didn't think that it would do any harm. These old tractors were made to last that's for sure. Hopefully I can get the gear oil changed tomorrow and have it running by the end of the week. I can't wait to hear it fire up for the first time.

Thanks for the help guys.

BobG_in_VA · Mar 31, 2015

I take it the engine is "free"? If it is, that's amazing after all this time...I'm betting the rings will need a workout to become freed up though...anyhow, good luck, let us know how it goes...PS:, check the gas tank, its probably pretty rusted up...suggest you take the fuel line off at the carb and run some gas thru the tank to make sure that there are no obstructions in the line...also take off the fuel "bulb" and clean it...soak the gasket, before putting it back together...BobG in VA

willy44 · Apr 1, 2015

Amazingly enough the engine is free, I had to jack up one rear wheel and put it in fourth gear and turn it to break it loose but it did free up. The tank isn't rusted either, there was some varnish in it from the old fuel but its just as shiny as I had hoped. I did take off the bulb and cleaned it, and then let gas run through the system and out of the carburetor drain plug until I was satisfied that all of the dirt and varnish was gone. I am going to go over and see if I can get spark out of it, hopefully I can.

deerseeker001 · Apr 1, 2015

That sounds promising.

willy44 · Apr 1, 2015

Ok so I went over to see if I could get it to give up a spark, I couldnt get it to spark by hand cranking it. The battery is completely dead, it hasnt been changed since the tractor ran. It has the origional 6 volt system and I was wondering if it was possible to run that system without a battery. I know the magneto tractors could but I think you have to have a good battery for a generator system to get enough power to spark. Any thoughts? ( yes i had the switch pulled out to "run" haha, made that mistake before)

Sawyer Rob · Apr 1, 2015

You can run 12V through the starter... Put a 12V batt. in it, turn it over, then pull a plug and see if it's getting fuel. If it has spark and fuel it should start...

I've started them after they sat years and years, that way...

Just don't turn on any lights if it has any, and 12V won't hurt a thing...

SR