Dip Stick vs Check Valves on Farmall Tractors

John Quillen · Jul 21, 2012

When did IH STOP making Farmall's with DIP Sticks? My next door neighbor just bought a 1941 Farmall A that has a Dip Stick. My 1949 Super A has the Check Valves on the Oil Pan. I personally prefer the Dip Stick, but was wondering what the rationale was behind the decision to do away with the Dip Sticks? Any comments?

John

sflem849 · Jul 21, 2012

Your neighbors tractor is probably "wrong" They came from the factory with petcocks. It could be a replacement engine or aftermarket kit.

FBH44 · Jul 21, 2012

I installed a dip stick on my "50 H. There"s a boss on the right side of the block that I drilled through. It took about 2 3/4" of drill, had to remove the pan and clean all the cuttings out. Had to tap the hole for a small pipe, and install the stick. It cleared the crank rotation by only about 3/4".
I like it a lot, butman it was a real hassle. That might be why IH didn"t install them, too much trouble. Highly recommended, but lots of work.

Harold H · Jul 21, 2012

Your neighbors tractor with a dip stick either has a replacement engine or had a dipstick added during its life. Generally speaking, as long as the distilate engine was available the petcock was the norm. Some industrial engines and tractors had dipsticks because they were specificly for gasoline. Distilate was the standard fuel on Farmall and McCormick tractors through most of the 1040's and was an option thru the 50 series ie 350, 450, etc. after which dipsticks became the standard. When you burn distilate or kerosene, you have to be able to drain off the diluted oil, thus the petccks were required.

Harold H

Hayfarmer · Jul 21, 2012

Are you talking about a regular dipstick that is mounted in the block or the one that replaces one of the petcocks on the oil pan? My SMTA has one of the latter in the upper petcock hole. They were an after market thing and have seen them on both IH and JD tractors.

gene bender · Jul 21, 2012

They didnt stop they never started with a didstick on letter series tractors always had the petcocks. Aftermarket made some dipsticks that replaced the upper petcock. Your friends motor has been replaced from original.

John Quillen · Jul 21, 2012

After posting I talked to the previous owner and he told me that the motor had been changed. ( He was told this from the person he bought it from). Another thing, I checked the S/N: FAA 32317 which turns out to be a 1940 model. I went back to my neighbor and checked the Engine block and besides the firing order I could only find the number: 356315R1?

Thank you one and all for your info:

John

Nebraska Cowman · Jul 21, 2012

Yes, I will comment. When tractors burned
distilate, kerosene, and other low-grade fuels
some of the fuel would pass unburnt past the
piston rings and would over time dilute the
crankcase oil. As the un-burnt fuel was lighter
than the oil it would rise to the top over time
when the tractor was not being used (ie at night)
In the morning the farmer would open the bottom
petcock and drain it down to that level. Then he
would refill with new oil to the level of the top
cock. This would keep most of the dilution to a
minimum. The earlier models had 3 test cocks and
the middle one was used as the drain-down.

mkirsch · Jul 21, 2012

Power unit engines had dipsticks.

I suspect that it probably isn't terribly smart to dribble oil on the dry chaff that would be underneath the engine on a baler or combine.

Your neighbor's A engine could have been replaced with a power unit engine.

armand tatro · Jul 21, 2012

As I recall the track tractors also had dipsticks as it was hard to get to the oil pan petcocks especialy if the tractor was seting mud or water. Use the dipstick and enjoy your good fortune!!!! Armand

SadFarmall · Jul 21, 2012

In Australia, the kerosene powered Farmalls had petcocks and the diesel versions had dipsticks. The AW-7 Diesel we had was fitted with a dipstick. Personally I have never found either to be more or less hassle than the other. Just one of those things. 1939 Farmall M startup procedure in the morning was to drain the oil (when running on kero) or just check the oil was at the top petcock (when running on petrol). AW-7 Diesel, you had to unscrew the dipstick and withdraw it to check oil level (could require considerable force, especially in the cold). I like the petcocks, because they can never give a false reading.
SadFarmall

Pappy · Jul 22, 2012

Our "M" has a distick on the side of the block.
Found out it has a rebuilt engine from a power unit. Talked to the man who rebuilt it.

Dip Stick vs Check Valves on Farmall Tractors

John Quillen

Member

sflem849

Well-known Member

FBH44

Well-known Member

Harold H

Well-known Member

Hayfarmer

Well-known Member

gene bender

Well-known Member

John Quillen

Member

Nebraska Cowman

Well-known Member

mkirsch

Well-known Member

armand tatro

Well-known Member

SadFarmall

Member

Pappy

Well-known Member

Similar threads