Installing a starter on a non starter Farmall A

PoppinJohn720 · Mar 28, 2011

My neighbor has a pretty nice Farmall A that I'm thinking of buying. It is hand start only and doesn't have a starter hole in the flywheel housing/torque tube. Can I swap in a flywheel housing/torque tube that is made for a starter, a ring gear, and a starter? I dont want to mess with a wind up tractor. Thanks!

Enar · Mar 28, 2011

Now why do you want to do a thing like that? I have a 39 A and it USUALLY starts on the second pull. Put the crank at 6 o'clock and pull up to 12. Starts right up and no kickbacks. Keep the timing BEFORE top dead center and it's lovely. I set the choke about halfway. AND I make sure it is in NEUTRAL!!!

The only time it doesn't start on the second pull is when someone is watching. Then it takes 7 or 8 pulls!! LOL!!

gene bender · Mar 28, 2011

Yes the bell housing and flywheel will need to be changed. Yours mite have the flywheel grouve to accept the ring gear hard to say as later in prodiction they did leave the factory with flywheel grouved for the ring gear.

sflem849 · Mar 28, 2011

(quoted from post at 08:02:39 03/28/11)...Keep the timing BEFORE top dead center and it's lovely...

Your tiny little motor really won't make any power when you time it like that.

OP - You are JD man. Just use the belt pulley like any good JD guy. :lol:

Enar · Mar 28, 2011

Boy, I've had people call me a lot of things, but never a JD man.
LOL.

I have all the power I need as I'm not plowing and doing anything
heavy. And BTDC is just before, not back at 9 o'clock. I think it
advise that in thee Operator's Manual also. Better than a broken
arm.

Bob · Mar 28, 2011

"Keep the timing BEFORE top dead center and it's lovely."

Timing it BEFORE TDC WILL lead to a broken arm!

rustred · Mar 28, 2011

why not just set it at factory spec.s, which i believe is TDC and will have no problems. its when people have the timing advanced more than called for, when the surprises start happening, like the kick backs. not worried about hand cranking any of mine, including the wd9, as the little A is not even classed as exersize.

rustred · Mar 28, 2011

i dont want to crank yours then and have a lovely broken arm!i know you made a typing error.

old · Mar 28, 2011

Simple but true answer is yes. Yep hand crank tractors can cause problems if the mag is not working as it should

PoppinJohn720 · Mar 28, 2011

I have a JD 720 diesel that is near and dear to me as it was my dad's tractor as I was growing up. Im a IH man in every other aspect.

teddy52food · Mar 28, 2011

Collector value may be more without the starter. Keep them in time & tune & they start easy.

sflem849 · Mar 28, 2011

(quoted from post at 08:54:02 03/28/11) Boy, I've had people call me a lot of things, but never a JD man.
LOL...

Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to a good guy like you. It was PoppinJohn that I was referring to.

PoppinJohn720 · Mar 28, 2011

Thanks!

gene bender · Mar 28, 2011

How do you change the timing on a Farmall A with a mag i would like to know without changing the gear tha drives the rotor or the gear that drives the mag.

Tom Fleming · Mar 28, 2011

Poppinjohn, if you really want to swap out the tourque tube, I have one for an early A that I would be happy to trade for your early tube. Where are you located? I can supply a flywheel with ring gear on it too if you are going to do this.

holmesw · Mar 28, 2011

Old hit the nail on the head.

WOK · Mar 28, 2011

I may not understand your question, but I just rotate the mag a little.

gene bender · Mar 29, 2011

Thats the point of my question as rotating the mag on the A does not advance the timing. Only way would be to change the rotor gear or the gear that drives the mag then starting would be a problem.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 29, 2011

I am the proud owner of a 1940 Farmall BN wich will always start on the second pull up of the crank. MJ

mkirsch · Mar 29, 2011

Frankly, if you don't want to mess with a "wind up" tractor, then don't. Leave the tractor where it is and let someone else enjoy it.

That's an awful lot of work to end up with a "mutt" tractor, when you can buy an A with a starter any other day of the week, and not have to do any of the bull work.

PoppinJohn720 · Mar 29, 2011

Thanks, folks for your insite. I will leave the tractor as is. I havent bought it yet. I have my Farmalls tuneed to where they start very easy with a starter so I know I can tune this wind up tractor to start easy as well.

Installing a starter on a non starter Farmall A

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