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Need help on a Farmall A

C

Charlie M

Well-known Member
I've been wanting to start a new tractor project for a long time but they always seem to be either too much money for my wallet or way to far away. This week a guy had an A for sale just around the corner from me and I grabbed it. Glad I did as he had a ton of guys calling for it. Guy said he replaced 3 sleeves that were cracked and replaced all rings. He couldn't get it to run and since he's really more of a JD guy decided to sell it. I got to look at it this morning and it has virtually no compression. I pulled the head. He said he cleaned the valves but looking at them it looks like they were originally badly corroded and all he did was free them up and maybe wire brush them. I'm thinking valve job. My question is if the pistons look good with what he did is it most likely the problem is the valves? Head gasket was tight. Anything else that could cause a compression problem. Valves were set with the correct clearance. Is it cheaper to by a rebuilt head than for me to get the work done on this one?
 
Have you priced a rebuilt head lately. Just get yours done check around for prices not everyone can do these old type heads
 
I checked a site right after I wrote the post - rebuilt head was $625 after sending back a good core. I answered my own question on this one.
 
He said he cleaned the valves but looking at them it looks like they were originally badly corroded and all he did was free them up and maybe wire brush them.
Click to expand...
Based on the above statement, I'd pull the pistons back out and check all his work. Check the main and rod bearings too. If they aren't "just like new" you should replace them.
 
Since you have the head off I would go ahead and pull the pan and make sure the rings etc where done right. As for the valves it is not all that hard to clean them up your self and then lap them. You can rent a valve spring compressor for O'Reilly's Cost a great big $00 when done. You pay for it and then bring it back and they give you your money back. I have a pair of heads out in my shop off the BA project of last fall plus a good number of other parts also if you find you need some stuff
 
At a minimum, pour a decent amount of heavy oil into a cylinder or two and see if there's a difference on the compression.

If there is, you know you've got major ring trouble. If not, you're probably correct in suspecting the valves.
 
FWIW, on my Regular, I had zero compression on the guage, and could just feel a slight puff with my thumb on the plug holes. Pulled the head and the valves were toast. Fortunately, the seats weren't too bad. Picked up some good used valves, put a fresh face on the, and just did the seats today. Will lapp them tomorrow, and will probably put the head back on this coming weekend.

I fully expect to have good compression when I do. There was barely a ridge on the sleeves, and they look to me like the old girl got new pistons and sleeves at one point in her life, and not run much after that. Takes a day for 1/4 - 1/2 cup of PB blaster to leak down through the rings. IF I have the head off an engine, I like to pour PB blaster in and soak into the rings while working on the head. I even do that if all I am doing is replacing the head gasket . Doesn't hurt these old girls to loosen up the rings if they have been sitting awhile.
 
Sorry -just caught that you already pulled the head -kind of hard to try a compression test now.

one thing I would check, just for kicks, is the diameter of the bore on the sleeves he replaced.

Wouldn't be the first time I heard of somebody not knowing what "overbore" means.

Unlikely that's a problem, but worth checking. I assume you checked the compression of all cylinders, and even the original one was low - so you're probably correct in assuming valves.
 
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