My first post.. Looking for your thoughts on my "new&qu

I've been doing a bunch of research lately trying to figure out what I'm going to do in regard to my H resto. Bought it in September for $1000 w NEW tires.
I plan on painting it, of course, but there are a few other things that I'm thinking about, and need advice. I plan on using this tractor for some light duty stuff, brush hogging, Hay Rides for my grandkids, stuff like that.

1.This thing is WAY down on power.. My 8n will run rings around it. I'm pulling it in the shop tomorrow for a complete tune up, (oil change, plugs, wires,check points, check valve adjustment, etc). It doesn't smoke at all, starts well, but it hunts a little when you give it throttle and when I brought it to my shop from my house, it wouldn't hardly pull a hill (not very steep) in 5th, so I wound up creeping along in 4th for about 1/2 mile.
I'm going to also do a compression test to see where I'm at there. In the event that I do an engine rebuild, I'm going to pull it out and do everything.
The question is, it's a distillate tractor. If I wind up re-doing the entire head, Wouldn't I be better off staring with the casting from a gas tractor?
It's my understanding that the difference in compression between gas and distillate engines is mainly in the combustion chamber volume. I'll no doubt put in oversized stepped pistons when I change sleeves. Are there differences in the manifold and carb between Gas and mine?

2. I'm planning on putting a 3ph on my H. The hydraulics on my 8n drive me crazy, so I'm wanting to put a pump on the engine from an SH or 300. The tractor has a belly pump on it now... What pieces do I need to get to make all this work? FOr whatever it's worth, my tractor has a mag, will this work with the hydraulic pump, or is there a better way to do all this?

I want to make my H really sharp but I'm obviously not going bug nuts over originality, and was wondering if all the distillate stuff I remove is worth trying to deal away to get the parts that I need to reach the goals I've set for my project?

I've been lurking at quite a few vintage tractor sites and I like this one best because there seems to be a lot less ego and a friendlier atmosphere here than on a lot of the others. Feels a bunch more welcoming I guess.

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to offer.

Ed
[

1.This thing is WAY down on power..
Even a distillate should pull the stuffins out of an 8N
So don't tune till you analyze. Check the static timing, .



The question is, it's a distillate tractor. If I wind up re-doing the entire head, Wouldn't I be better off staring with the casting from a gas tractor?
The head off of a 350 is good.


2. I'm planning on putting a 3ph on my H. The hydraulics on my 8n drive me crazy, so I'm wanting to put a pump on the engine from an SH or 300. The tractor has a belly pump on it now... What pieces do I need to get to make all this work? When putting on a 3pt, use the front cover off of aSH 300 or 350 ---yes---, A mag is not as good as a distributor that is going to provide a centrifugal advance.. Jim

Do a compression test and if the engine is worn out, speaking from personal experience,
scrap/part out that one and look for a tractor in better shape.

You should be able to find an H or SH restored with 3ph for far less than you can redo that
one.

1.YES the distillate engine has much lower compression due to the head having big chambers.
Replace the head with one from a gas engine. Distillate heads have little value. Manifold and
carb are different. Distillate manifold and carb in good condition have some value. Look for a
SH,300,350 manifold and carb, especially if your going to rebuild it to SH or 300 specs.

2.The live hydraulic pump replaces the drive assembly that connect the timing gear cover to
the mag. The mag will work but I much prefer the distributor ignition. The timing gear and
cover on the older tractors won't work well with the live pump. Older gears are weaker and will
break. Timing cover bolts holes may not line up for the pump.

I'd say you got that tractor free considering the the new tires that came with it. Congratulations, and welcome to the forum. Sorry I can't offer any advice. Just not that swift yet.

Patrick
'49M

I just got an H earlier this year. It would really slow down on the hills until I accidentally made it better. Check behind the governor and see if it is pack full of crud. Mine was and once I cleaned it out I had full travel of the input shaft into the governor and I've got a completely different tractor.

I second what Jim said. Timing can make a heck of a differnece even with a good engine and rebuilt carb. Mine got off somehow and it ran really rough with little power until I got the timing and carb adjusted pretty good and it starts a whole lot better, on 6 volt. Mine is a '39 distalate tractor and it has about all the power I need.

Having the engine firing on all cylinders does a wonder for power too...

I've seen a few youtube videos with people marveling at how "smooth" their IH tractor is running, when I can clearly hear that it's missing on one or more cylinders!

They must be comparing it to an old Johnny Popper or they don't know any better. True if you don't know what it's supposed to sound like, how can you know if it's running right?

Your H should sound like a sewing machine, not a Harley Davidson. If it's popping and chugging, that's not right.

Have rebuilt engines on an H and M. Timing is everything. So I would be checking the distributor first. Next I would compression test and check valve lash. Then check carburetor and governer. Remember, engines need hot spark at the right time, compression, and proper fuel mix. So go down the checklist.

I had a H that was like that and it would make the first knoll and then I had to shift. I turned the dis. a little cockwize and it was better so I turned it a little more and it got even better. by the time I got done it would pull the hill in high and it stated 100% better. So a good tune up is a lot cheaper then a overhaul.

Bob