Farmall 300 engine questions

I put the 300 in the shed this afternoon and did some investigating. I pulled the starter and was able to make the flywheel wiggle about 1/16" back and forth with a pry bar on the ring gear. The starter has one ear that is partially broken off, is that repairable or should I be looking for a replacement? I pulled the oil pan and was pleasantly surprised by how clean the inside of the block and the pan were. The insides of the sleeves also look clean. I pulled the valve cover and the valves looked clean too, so I set the cover back on to keep dust out. I removed the manifold since the pipe had several wasp nests in it, and while I found a lot of ladybugs and wasp nests in it I was surprised by how little rust there was. The clutch seems to be stuck, the pedal and linkage move freely but the tractor does not roll while in gear even with the pedal down. I am wondering what to do now. I could drain the coolant and pull the head to see if the rings are stuck to the cylinder walls, or i could check the main and some of the rod bearings to see if they are spun and have made it stick, or I could remove the hydraulic pump, if that is likely to be causing it to stick. The PO said that after a relative had done transmission work on it for him it ran for a while but then began to squeal and he drove it to the yard and shut it down and there it sat, so I am also wondering if the IPTO could have a problem that would make the engine not turn. I do not understand how it works in there yet. Any advice as to what to try next will be much appreciated. One more question, should the battery be under the gas tank in a tray, where it was at some point, or should it be in the box under the seat? Thank you very much.
Zach

If the rollers are locking up like normal in the t/a the engine will only roll one direction unless the t/a handle is pulled back and the t/a clutch releases. Think you have a messed up t/a handle and hard to say what else. Also unless the t/a clutch releases the tractor will only roll in gear if rolled in the same dirrection as the gear selected. Independent pto drive splines to the main clutch pressure plate so if a lock up is in the pto unit or drive it could keep the engine from turning. Some 300 or more than half have the seasonal pto disconnect on the bottom of the t/a housing. If so it can be shifted out and the rear unit and drive isolated from the front drive parts. Also may want to make sure the trans isn't in 2 gears due to messed up shifter or forks. Without a t/a clutch releasing proper some shifters get ruff treatment pulling trans out of gear at times.

Zach, don't overthink the engine being stuck. It is probably just simple rust in the cylinder from sitting. Put some ATF in the cylinders and try working it back and forth for a few days.

Clutch is probably stuck to the flywheel from sitting too. Once you get the engine running you can attempt to break it free by driving it around.

From your description, they parked it because it was making the noise. The noise is not what made it stop.

Thank you for the advice, I will try the ATF first and see what
happens. I'll put some cardboard underneath so I can see which
cylinders are letting it through. Your last sentence describes the
problem exactly. Once I get it running I will be able to hear the
squeal and try to figure out what is causing it.
Zach

By the looks of the plugs, you have one bad rusty cylinder.

Thanks for the information, it will take me a bit of time to understand all of what you said but I'm sure I can get there in the end. The TA lever is broken off and frozen in place, it looks to not have moved for many years. It seems to be in a forward position, does that mean it is in direct drive or TA mode? Also what does the seasonal disconnect look like, is it a lever type thing or bolts or something else? I will take a picture tomorrow if I can't figure it out. Thank you.
Zach

I see number three exhaust valve is open and that's the rusty plug, right? That's where the water got in. Take a flashlight and look in the spark plug hole and try to look at the cylinder wall or the edge of the open valve for major rust.

The bit of play in the flywheel is telling you that the crank bearings are not stuck. I see no discoloration on the rod caps so I'm going to say you have no spun bearings.

Looks really clean inside! Someone kept the oil changed.

I would look for another nose or may be as cheap to buy another starter. That one will work for now. Put as big a washer as will fit under the bolt to get you going till you find another one.

Look directly underneath the transmission and the seasonal disconnect will be evident if it has one.

Zach if the ta lever is forward, it is in direct drive. To answer your question about the battery it's under the seat. I just bought a 300 about a month ago, you will really like it once you get it in shape.

Handle forward is dirrect or t/a clutch locked up. T/a clutch should also release or not be locked when the main clutch pedal is pushed in.
Look for a connect rod from main clutch cross shaft to the next cross shaft back and see if it moves the second shaft back when pedal is moved down. If so it should be doing the same as when t/a lever is pulled back. Could still be a problem inside or a stuck clutch. To much unknown. So with no clutch problems or other internal ones the tractor should roll in gear when clutch pedal is down or t/a handle pulled to rear. Also even if the pto drive is locked it should roll.
Agree with the other posters on looking like water got to a spark plug. Make it a lot better to get turning if only one cylinder stuck.

Try to borrow a borescope light and look in that sleeve with the rusty plug if you can. If the ATF doesn't free it I would pull the head and remove anything flammable on the tractor and use some diesel fuel on top of that piston and set it on fire. Then see if you drive out the rod and piston using a piece of 2 X 2 oak and a big hammer. Hal

Don't know about the stuff rear of the clutch on that model,
but the engine looks like an easy one.
Like said, the rusty plug cylinder is where a problem is.
make sure the valves are not stuck.
if some are, pull the rocker shaft to take that out of the equation.
blow out that cylinder or reduce a shopvac hose until you
can get it in the sparkplug hole.
You have to get any water out first or your solvent
will just float and won't do anything.
Then soak em all for a few days with your favorite solvent.
You can then pry on the flywheel gear, or in a normal situation
rock it in high gear (sounds like not an option for you)
I don't have much luck with that, I put a oak stud on my floorjack
and [b:23e751d350]gently[/b:23e751d350] put some upward pressure on a rodcap/crank throw.
usually works
smaller, lighter tractors with very stuck engines, I jack the throw until
the front wheel is light. When I come into the shop
and the wheel is on the ground, it's loose.
at the first sign of movement, switch from solvent to lots of oil
before turning it over
good luck
EDIT: just had to add after seeing eltoro's same time post, that when all else fails, fire works. very stuck 123 that I just freed resisted everything until I set it on fire After burning, jack on a throw going up, pounding on a piston that was going down freed it

Don't worry about the seasonal disconnect either. That only affects the PTO, and odds are the previous owner(s) never touched it.