How to start a 1952 Farmall M

I bought this tractor at an auction today, and thought I would have a truck there to haul it for me today. Wrong. As a result, I don't have a clue as the starting procedure. I know it runs good, the owner stood in front of/between the right rear wheel and did something in the area there behind the engine (maybe just opened the gas valve?) then he walked around behind the tractor, on the right side, reached forward and seemed to pull on something, it turned over and started right up. I'm not stupid, but I would like to know if there is a "trick" or something I missed. The truck will be there in the morning.
Thanks in advance...
Brent Pace
[email protected]

First off, be careful. You can get yourself in a LOT of trouble, and HUGE world of hurt.

Second, NEVER start the tractor from the ground. That's a great way to get run over.

There's a fuel shutoff valve under the tank. Righty-tighty (close), lefty-loosey (open). Open it all the way or close it all the way.

Get on the seat.

Put your feet on the clutch and brakes. Push all three pedals.

"Shake hands" with the gear shift lever. That is, make sure the tractor is out of gear by moving the lever side to side. If it does not move, it's in gear. Take it out of gear by moving the lever forward or back, whatever it takes, until you can shake it side-to-side. Feel it out, try putting it in the various gears, and you'll quickly learn what's "in gear" and what's "out of gear."

Locate the starter button. There may be a lever near the bottom of the steering post that leads to a push button. Sometimes there's a pull rod leading to the starter.

Locate the choke. It should be a rod leading from the steering post to the carburetor on the left side of the tractor.

Turn on the ignition. There should be a button switch to pull out on the little gauge box on the steering post. Pull it out to turn on the ignition. Push it in to shut off the engine.

If the starter button is a lever, make sure the tractor won't roll away on you, then take your foot off the pedal and step on the lever. Stop after 30 seconds, or after the engine starts.

If the starter has a rod, pull the rod. Let go when the engine starts, or after 30 seconds.

You said the tractor fired right up. It should fire right up again. If it doesn't you missed a step.

DO NOT attempt to drive the tractor on to the truck. Let someone more experienced with tractors load and unload it for you. Hopefully that's the truck driver. If he has a winch, let him winch it on to the truck.

Once it's home, get an owner's manual and read it cover-to-cover before you even get back in the seat. You do NOT want to go at this clueless.

On your first drive, take it slow and easy. FIRST GEAR.

That guy is the reason there is so many safety switchs on equipment now days. Always be setting in the seat with foot holding in on the clutch pedal. I have started tractors that way, but knew the tractor from front to back. It is still a very unsafe way to start them.

(quoted from post at 17:54:50 10/23/10) I bought this tractor at an auction today, and thought I would have a truck there to haul it for me today. Wrong. As a result, I don't have a clue as the starting procedure. I know it runs good, the owner stood in front of/between the right rear wheel and did something in the area there behind the engine (maybe just opened the gas valve?) then he walked around behind the tractor, on the right side, reached forward and seemed to pull on something, it turned over and started right up. I'm not stupid, but I would like to know if there is a "trick" or something I missed. The truck will be there in the morning.
Thanks in advance...
Brent Pace
[email protected]

Click to expand...

Gas or diesel?

I always have a bad habit of starting my M from standing behind it. I should probably break that.

Safety is always paramount around older tractors. however, don't forget, if you are crank starting a tractor, you can't do it from the drivers seat.

Safe starting practice is: Neutral, and brakes set. I got into the habit of turning the engine over 1 time with the ignition OFF or mag grounded, just to make sure that the tractor is truly in neutral. Went to start a Cub once that the shifter had broken off inside the tranny. The gear shift "shook" hands with me just fine......but it was in gear. I didn't get hurt, nor did anything else, but surely did surprise me when it took off without me on it.

I agree with the safe procedures called out though......just doesn't hurt to crank it over once with the ignition off.

Well stated.
I can only ad that the choke need only be applied for 5 seconds or less, then pushed in 1/2 way or more as it starts. Jim

Do you know if the starting procedure, for a IH
Farmall Super C (1952-1953), is similar to the M?

I"m particularly interested in the location of the ignition switch.

I"ve located the choke and starter pull rings, the fuel shutoff valve (I believe) but have had no luck finding the ignition.

Any help would be appreciated....Bill

There should be a start stop switch in the center of the control panel next to the amp meter. It looks like a round headed button with pull for run push for stop embossed on it. If the switch is not there, trace the wire from the ignition coil back to the driver's area and find what someone has modified to suit their taste. If it is a magneto ignition, it is grounded to stop, and never gets voltage at all, If battery ignition, it will have a separate coil from the distributor. The kill button for a mag looks just like the ignition button for a coil, but is way different inside the switch. Jim

(quoted from post at 13:58:03 10/24/10) Well stated.
I can only ad that the choke need only be applied for 5 seconds or less, then pushed in 1/2 way or more as it starts. Jim

Click to expand...

If I choked my M for 5 seconds it would be very flooded!!!!! About 1 time over compression is all it needs.

Thanks Jim...I am a novice (as you can probably tell) at this and am trying to learn something about this tractor. Could you recommend what type of manual I should look for and where might I find one?

Thx....bp

You want a copy of the operators manual. They are available from Ebay, various tractor part suppliers, etc.