Almost forgot important Fire Crater Piston info...

for YOU guys (an' gals). I was researching some info for my baler on CaseIH's manuals site & figured I would do some searching for some other bulletins for miscellanious odds 'n' ends. I found a bunch of tune-up spec sheets for when you install the Fire Crater Piston package in your H, W4, M, W6, etc. I don't know if the instruction sheets would apply to the current Fire Crater type sets, but I don't see why not. Anyway, it took a bit of working with the people in CaseIH's research dept. (a very patient bunch) & I was able to get them released as a standard printout you can order through the mail or download as a PDF. Not expensive either. Hopefully, some of you can benefit from this info.

Mike

Parts book mentions a change in the distributer, mainly a change in the advance curve, I believe. Can probably be omitted, but will opimize the ignition for the pistons.

Where do you find these instruction sheets and what listing do I look for?

Click on the link below. When the page pops up, look on the left-hand side of the screen & you will see a box under "Search Publications" that says "Keyword (Description)". Type in fire crater & hit "Search".

Hope that helps,
Mike
CaseIH Technical Publications Page...

The original fire crater sleeve and pistons sets for an H or M cam with a new distributor shaft, springs and some came with a different dist cam. Included with the dist pkg was a template to mark the front pulley at 22 degrees btdc. On the M it was 1 7/16th inch from the tdc mark. I remember it well as I did several of them. Then you timed the engine running full throttle to that 22 degree mark. Also, the springs were somewhat touchy and a lot of them would advance about half of that distance at a low idle. I usually tweeked them so they stayed closer to tdc at low idle for a smoother running engine. I remember one of our good customers who did a lot of tractor repairs for himself and neighbors, put in a set in his brother m and it had no power at all. Well, he was in the habit of timing with a light at low idle and ended up about 10 degrees short at full throttle. Easy fix. The kits for the 300, 400 etc did not include dist kit at the 300 was already at 22 degrees and the 400 was 25 which IH felt was close enough. If you left the origial 40 degree dist advance in a M you had a detonating son of a gun. Some did that because they didn't want to monkey around with the distributor. There was also a new main jet and different adjusting needle for it that had a different angle on the taper.

There's one whole page (two if you're like me & don't think to print on the other side of the page ;v)) dedicated to the distributer change-over packages. The rest of the bulletins cover the overhaul of the letter & pre 60's number series tractors. The timing templates are covered, too. They did post the bulletin for the high altitude fire craters, but there's no PDF option. These pages may have originally accompanied the repower kits. Neat stuff & can't go wrong for a buck or two.

Mike

Wow, your memory never ceases to amaze me! Reminds me of my Great Uncle, he could tell you his first couple of weeks he started running the place, after his dad passed when he was 14 & DURING the Depression. Those sure were some molds you guys came from & we are Blessed to have you around. I'll never tire of hearing about & learning history. Period!

Mike