Starting and Old JD 2 cylinder

[crash325]

It was about 1953 and I was about 13. The family was helping a farmer cut, bail and store his hay.

One of his tractors was a large JD that had a cast iron fly wheel that was also used for starting the engine. After setting the choke & throttle, you opened the "Geese" on each cylinder to let off some compression. Rock the fly wheel back and forth a few times then flip it over to start.

I had watched the old (maybe in his 40's) farmer start the old guy several times. Nothing 2 it, I'll fire the old boy up. Flip it easy like he did, nothing, flip it harder, flip it as hard as I could, nothing. Wore myself out flipping it. Farmer came up rocked it back & forth a time or 2, a gentle flip and away she went.:laughing:

Well at least I can close the geese. left side no problem. But I learned something on the right side. Turn the geese off the wrong direction and it goes right to the spark plug. That old JD had a spark that lightning would take a back seat too. Yep! only made that mistake 1 time.

 

[rankrank1]

I laughed heartily at your portion of the story on turning the "geese" wrong such that it contacted the spark plug.

We always referred to the "geese" as petcocks.

Never heard of the rocking the flywheel back and forth either. Normally, you always want to spin in one direction that is the same as normal rotation direction. There is a trick to getting you rotation point just at the right spot before you apply the last bit of oomph. It has been a while since I cranked one but seems like just after compression stroke is where the oomph was applied in order to achieve maximum rotation from hand spin.

 

[beenthere]

crash, we gotta be about the same age as I was 13 once (and it was in '53 too ).
Good recollections of those old Deere.
Rocking the flywheel back and forth just gave the feel as to where the compression was beginning, as well as back to get a good grip and run at turning through that compression stroke. Needed to rely on the heavy weight of the flywheel to carry through that compression stroke. Only getting part way through the compression stroke could elicit a spark and ignition and a backfire kicking the flywheel into a reverse direction.

The dicey ones to start were those with the starter ring on the flywheel, but the starter removed (or not). Then you needed gloves because of the sharp gear teeth in the ring, and one didn't want to risk a backfire or you might lose gloves and fingers in the starter. Then there were the times starting the old A at 20 below in the corncrib alley to go out in the fields and spread a load of cow manure indeed were some chilly times (when the wind blew across Iowa).

 

[AKfish]

Then there were the times starting the old A at 20 below in the corncrib alley to go out in the fields and spread a load of cow manure indeed were some chilly times (when the wind blew across Iowa).

beenthere... has the wind STOPPED blowing across Iowa? :laughing:

That was a big part of leaving SD - that blasted wind - and those sharp shards of corn husks that would always get in your eyes!

I had a "visionary moment" one summer cultivating the neighbor's corn with a JD 730 - 2 banger.

Neighbor wanted to give me instructions on the next field and leaned over to talk while standing next to the idling tractor. He was on the hand-clutch side with the rotating spool - belt pulley - as he leaned over to talk; one of the cotter pins on the belt pully snagged his pants just below the crotch and shredded the material right up to his belt buckle!!!

Thank God, no harm to skin or flesh - but what a shock to both of us!

AKfish

 

[crash325]

I laughed heartily at your portion of the story on turning the "geese" wrong such that it contacted the spark plug.

We always referred to the "geese" as petcocks.

Never heard of the rocking the flywheel back and forth either. Normally, you always want to spin in one direction that is the same as normal rotation direction. There is a trick to getting you rotation point just at the right spot before you apply the last bit of oomph. It has been a while since I cranked one but seems like just after compression stroke is where the oomph was applied in order to achieve maximum rotation from hand spin.

Yes they were petcocks.
The "old" farmer called them geese, even if it was only 1 of them.
I would guess that when rocking the flywheel he was feeling for the sweet spot, but that was lost on my young mind.

Those old engines were a marvel, they could not be stalled out. The heavier the load the better they ran. One of his fields had a real steep hill to cut & bail. It sure seemed that as the old JD went up the hill it got faster.

 

[crash325]

crash, we gotta be about the same age as I was 13 once (and it was in '53 too ).
Good recollections of those old Deere.
Rocking the flywheel back and forth just gave the feel as to where the compression was beginning, as well as back to get a good grip and run at turning through that compression stroke. Needed to rely on the heavy weight of the flywheel to carry through that compression stroke. Only getting part way through the compression stroke could elicit a spark and ignition and a backfire kicking the flywheel into a reverse direction.

The dicey ones to start were those with the starter ring on the flywheel, but the starter removed (or not). Then you needed gloves because of the sharp gear teeth in the ring, and one didn't want to risk a backfire or you might lose gloves and fingers in the starter. Then there were the times starting the old A at 20 below in the corncrib alley to go out in the fields and spread a load of cow manure indeed were some chilly times (when the wind blew across Iowa).

Pretty close, born in Nov. 1939. My family actually did very little farming. During the war we had about 6 milk cows and 3 milk goats. All milked by hand, so we were in the "dairy" business. We did have a small area the was plowed by a couple of mules. Have no idea what was grown as my memory skips around and hits on high lights from those days. :confused2:

That was in "Fry AZ", now named "Sierra Vista" at Fort Huachuca.

 

[kuboman]

It is fun to reminisce but I am one who is glad that era in machinery has passed. There were many limbs and live lost to all those unprotected rotating parts. Sends shivers up my spine when I recall what we used on the farm to earn a living with.
I will take a new tractor with all its complication over the old 'stuff' we used before.

 

[Mace Canute]

Petcocks or petgeese...they're someones pets, eh?

You ever ask a girl if she wants to see your petcock and then when she enthusiastically says "Yes!", you whip out one of these and dash her high hopes and expectations?

 

[smalltown]

Remides me of the story of the woman in the crowed elevator. Suddenly she yelled yikes I've been geesed! A man at the rear of the elevator said the correct way to say it is I've been goosed. She replied I can count!!!

 

[Wayne_H]

I went to the barn today and after charging the battery of the 48 B, cranked it over. First compression stroke she fired off just like she had been running all day, even after sitting six months. Even with a six volt battery, I never open the petcocks. And on the 48's there is a fly wheel cover that prevents you from reaching it!

That tractor is only rated at like 28-29 HP, but trust me, it has way more torque than my three cylinder 4400 that is rated at 35 HP. I pull a 15 foot gang mower (seven gangs) in fifth gear and she does not bog a bit!

This pick is one of my friends taking a spin.

Wayne