M small dist. starting fuel tank

Sammy in Kansas · May 5, 2014

Just wondering which model M's had the small start tank. I have my granddads early 41 M and it does not have the extra tank, I have pictures of the same tractor back in the 50's and it did not have it then?? But looked at a later 41 this weekend that was supposed owned by only one family and it had the extra small tank and different manifold.?? I just want to restores mine correctly.

Zachary Hoyt · May 5, 2014

If yours was built as a gas tractor it would not have originally had a small tank. If it was built as a kerosene or distillate tractor it would have had a small tank as well as radiator shutters and a different manifold.
Zach

D Slater · May 5, 2014

41 model M that was built without a small tank should Have X1 following the tractor and engine serial number.

wisbaker · May 5, 2014

Seems starting with the H's and M's distillate wasn't the default model on IH's, seem to see a lot more gasoline tractors than distillate. Maybe IH was selling power rather than economy? Or was their sales tactic to pull 2-14's you buy a Gasoline H or a distillate M?

CNKS · May 5, 2014

Serial number of the first X1 (gasoline) engine was 18144 or probably December 1940. Standard engine was kerosene or distillate, gasoline was an option. Few gas tractors were built during WW II.

Sammy in Kansas · May 5, 2014

Thank you. I will look but believe it does have an X1 after the serial number

Sammy in Kansas · May 5, 2014

That is interesting. Mine or previous granddads, never had shutters, but the later 41 M I seen Sat. had all three things, the small tank, the different manifold, and the shutters.

Sammy in Kansas · May 5, 2014

Now I am really confused, I was always told my granddads M was a 41 but now went and looked the serial number and it is 15327 and by what I see would be a 1940 Model. but again has never had a small fuel tank, nor shutters that I can see from old pictures I have of it. There is no X1 after the serial number?? Is there any way to see any other numbers on the tractor, as could the bell housing section been maybe changed at one time?? Is there any way of knowing what equip. came on the tractor? Am I correct in my finding that it is a 40 model? Any help in finding all I can about how this tractor was equipped form the factory would be very much appreciated.

CenTex Farmall · May 5, 2014

You could start looking at the casting date on all the big parts but that doesn't guarantee a build time. Usually they're plus or minus a month.

That still won't tell you what the tractor came with.

If the pictures you have are from the 50's, it's possible the distillate equip was already done away with. By then distillate was well on it's way out as a fuel.

IMO, there's not really a "wrong" way to restore an M with regards to equipment. Part of their appeal is that a farmer could add updates and extend the useful life of the machine. Just fix it up as is since your Grandad used a long time like that.

D Slater · May 6, 2014

Yes if its a 40 model the suffix codes didn't start being used until serial number 18159 and higher. Never sure that was the first gasoline tractor sold though. IH did send a gasoline to test at Nebraska in 1939. Going by the tractor serial number tested it was probably a preproduction tractor.
Serial 15327 was built in May of 1940 and the suffix codes started on ones built in June of 1940.
There is a chance it came as a gasoline, although slight. Can't say it didn't come gasoline for sure though.
Only way I can think of at the moment to get a idea, is to see if a date code and casting number can be found on the cylinder head. If its a gasoline casting with a date code date before May 1940 it would a good indicator it came without the starting tank.
Did think of something else. Probably can get a idea if the head was changed before going to the trouble of looking for the casting number. If it has 7/16 diameter studs and nuts mounting the manifold to head instead of 3/8 it has a newer head.
Also the engine serial number is probably the same as the clutch housing serial number on that serial number range.

mkirsch · May 6, 2014

Someone would have to go to a LOT of trouble to completely remove all the telltale traces of a tractor having been a kerosene/distillate model. It's not out of the realm of possibility, but it involves removing or replacing parts that would not likely be removed or replaced.

Least likely would be the hood. The odds of someoene replacing the hood just to get rid of the extra hole are slim. It could happen, but the person would have to be seriously OCD about things.

If your hood has an extra hole in it for no apparent reason, the tractor was likely a distillate or kerosene model.

Next least likely would be the carburetor. It's an expensive part that rarely needs complete replacement, just rebuilding. A distillate carburetor will have a petcock drain on the bottom IIRC.

The crank control for the shutters back on the steering post was usually left on the tractor.

The bellcrank on the right front of the engine for controlling the shutters was often left on the tractor.

M small dist. starting fuel tank

Sammy in Kansas

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Zachary Hoyt

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D Slater

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wisbaker

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CNKS

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Sammy in Kansas

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Sammy in Kansas

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CenTex Farmall

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