Questions for the experts..

If anyone has read my posts, I have a Farmall B i'm trying to get running. I'll be honest, I don't have much money, and my dad has cancer and it doesn't look like he will last much longer. I just want him to hear the old B run again before he dies, and we promised my granddad we would work on it. The B had seized pistons, and I have the old sleeves and pistons out ready for new ones. And, on the head, two of the valve guides are broken off on the top.

A friend has offered to give me a parts engine off an old B, but he says it has Super C pistons in it. He said the pistons are free and the only thing wrong with it is he broke the "ears" off it. So, these are C123 pistons in the parts engine, right? I could make them work in my B engine couldn't I? And, what are the "ears", is that where the engine bolts on to the bell housing?

I have new valves for the B my granddad left me, and I'm calling tomorrow to take the head to a shop to get new guides and valve seats done, but will this head and these valves still work with the Super C pistons? What about the crankshaft, will it still work with Super C pistons?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm learning on the fly but I'm trying hard.

I would take "Super C pistons" to mean 3 -1/8 diameter pistons, they would increase the displacement to 123 cu in. Yes, you can put 3-1/8 pistons in a C-113 block, but you must use sleeves that are made for that purpose. The sleeves that are in the Super C block may work, but I am doubtful as the outside dimensions of the sleeves are probably too large for your block.

The critical measurement is at the bottom of the sleeve, where the "O" ring seals. You need to know the I.D. of the hole at that point, and the O.D. of the sleeves at the same point. There are at least 2 different diameters that were used, depending on whether the engine came from the factory as a C-113 or C-123.

If the pistons are flat top, your head will work fine too. If they are high compression step head, or firecrater pistons, there may be interference issues to be worked out. I have had to machine a little out of heads to make room for high compression pistons. I have no way to tell if you will have that problem or not.

You can get sleeves that will fit your block and allow you to use the 3-1/8 pistons. They are usually bought as sets, in a kit.

You can piece this together and make it work, but you will have to do some measurements to find out what block you have and what pistons & sleeves you have.

I have put Super C pistons in a "B" block, but the sleeves were made as thinwall sleeves so they would fit.

Thank you Red Dave. I believe he said the engine he is giving me was originally a B engine and they put Super C pistons in it, so I would think it would work in mine. I guess it will cost me nothing to find out.

You need the part# on the SC engine to know if the sleeves will work better yet just measure them at the bottom to see if they have the same OD as what you removed. If you need some used engine parts i would have some.

If they are in a "B" block now, and that block was not altered, I think you stand a good chance of it working out, but you will have to use both the sleeves and the pistons.