MD Questions for guys that know

Ive bought my 1st MD ever.It has a battery box under seat like a super M,but serial suggests its only an MD,and not a super,but its all equally faded,never re-painted and looks original.Model MD,and serial FDBK 199142.Also it has a lever for the diesel,but is forward or back turn diesel pump on?,and it has the regular throttle lever,how is the switch made?Thanks for any help guys.She hasnt been fired in 4 years.

call me I can tell you easier than type it, Mike

According to my serial number list, yours is a 1949 model MD. I could be wrong but I don't believe that any MDs had a battery under the seat from the factory. My '50 model has a spot for the battery under the fuel tank like a regular M. There are also remnants of a battery box located to the right of the seat on the operator platform. As I understand it, the MDs originally had two 6-volt batteries wired in series to make a total of 12 volts. I just use a single 12-volt battery under the fuel tank and it turns over very well.

If yours is like mine, the compression lever is to be pushed forwards to start on gas. This is opposite to my 400 diesel which is pulled toward the operator to start. Once the engine is warmed (about a minute or so) the lever can be pulled back and the throttle is raised slightly to run on diesel.

I can't explain why you have a regular throttle lever. Mine on the MD is a lever to the left of the stearing wheel that is parallel to the ground at idle. It is raised about the same axis as the steering wheel to increase RPMs. Yours might have come from a different tractor?

Good luck with yours. They can be a challenge to bring back from the dead but are well-worth the time and energy. I would definately recommend changing the two fuel filters if yours has been out of commission for that long. Don't be suprised if the fuel pump needs attention too. I've had both of mine apart to clean gunk out and found that they are complicated but can be repaired if you are mechanically inclined. A manual is an invaluable tool....

Lever back is diesel run, forward is start. Original throttle lever pull down to slow or stop engine, push up to speed up. MD came with 2 battery boxes and most boxes beside seats were eliminated over time. IH sold battery box and hydraulic seat sttachment kits to put on the older tractors if wanted. Someone may have wanted to replace a curved pipe seat with a better riding seat sometime or just parts from another tractor installed.

Thanks for the replies guys.This ol tractor also has disc brakes and a front end like a SMTA or 400 on the front bolster with the pinholes on each front corner like where frame weights or cultivator brackets fasten on.

If it has 5 bolt disc brake covers like a SM, the transmission or serial # housing is changed, or several parts were changed to add the disc brakes if trans housing is original to serial #.
Does the transmission housing have holes to mount band brake covers?
Except for shape of corners the late front bolster is the same size as MD and SMD tractors. After that front was out IH used it as a replacement bolster for early diesel tractors. Yours probably came from another tractor. If the grill is off you can probably find a date code on the the right post of bolster.

It has 5 bolt IH Disc Brakes,but the holes are there for band brakes.As far as bolster, its identical to my 400,not an M.If it was changed it must have been 50 years ago.Its not a slapped together tractor.Its been on the same neighbors farm for many,many years.All date codes on housings do indicate 1949 that Ive looked at,but I do need to take that grill off and look at the code on that bolster.It has the later fancy drawbar roller,and the light box with the fuse in it.I mean for a 49 MD,It sure is loaded,even Char-Lyn power steering.Thanks for the replies,I got a winter project,or maybe a winter headache,We'll see !

Could be the original rear housing, The disc brakes will work. They had to put parts inside along with later brake pedals and other parts to change it over. MD and SMD front bolsters located the radiator and vertical steering shaft 1.5 inches more to front than the gas models. Thats why MD and SMD tractors use the same length hood as a SMTA gas or diesel. When the MTA tractors came out the bolster was standardized, gas and diesel used the same bolster. After the MTA came out and after IH used up all the old diesel bolsters the MTA type was listed as the replacement bolster for MD and SMD tractors. Sounds like a interesting tractor.

Im glad to learn a lot of this stuff about the MD's.Ive had a ton of gassers.I did check that front bolster last night.Date code 7.14.Z.I am still a little puzzled about my hand throttle seems to be set up different than others Ive heard about.Mine is the M&W style(friction type),and just how to switch them,and also the electrical deal on the front of the intake manifold and where it hooks to.I think it hooks to the ignition.My 400 shop manual mentioned it)There are two wire posts on the manifold,but only a wire on one of them

The manifold electrical posts are to kill the ignition when in diesel. A machine with a mag used a single wire to ground out the points, while I have seen distributor types set up as a switch to pass power to coil. The switch inside the manifold is on the butterfly shaft and is configurable to either be a switch to ground or a pass through, at least on the ones I have seen.