My Super A

Hello everyone! New to the forums here I hope to learn a lot from you all. Me and my fiance recently bought a piece of land beside my house and I couldn't think of a better way to use it other than have a garden to go along with my chickens that I already had so I looked around for a while and found a 1953 Super A. I have never been biased to one manufacturer but now I guess I'm an international guy. This is the first tractor I have owned. I went with the Super A because of it's Classic look and the cultivision and they really look great restored or even as mine is a brown with a hint of red. I changed the oil saturday and the oil came out almost as a solid so I plan on running it a few hours and changing again to clean all that out. The air cleaner cup was full of what I'm guess is oil but it was white and almost solid. I only have a couple of problems which I don't think are much maybe some advice? One is I can drive the tractor around for a few minutes and it will cut out. My thoughts are the gas tank or the path to the carb is clogged up and it's just not getting gas i tried to drain gas but it took forever so I just siphoned it out including the fire ants and pinestraw on the inside I plan on getting the tank cleaned at a radiator shop and change the lines. The second thing is I have a crack in my manifold that has been patched iv seen them online around $100 so no big deal the only smoke I have from the tractor is from the exhaust which is normal but I also have some coming from where you fill the oil. Any ideas what this could be? I have great oil pressure so I'm not thinking it is a ring or anything but I could be wrong. I would appreciate any advice you have! I will include pictures. I am also getting rid of the turf tires on it in the pictures which are terribly oversized.

Sorry forgot to include picture I'll try again

That smoke you see coming out of the breather cap, where you put in the oil in, is called blow bye. All engine's have some, but what that is, is compression leaking by the valves, or rings, you have to remember that tractor has had over 50 birthdays! Does it have a weather cap, on top of the muffler, to keep the rain and humidity out, I highly recommend one!!! After you get it running give it a compression check, when the engine is warm, with the throttle wide open,!

You are sure on the rite tract changing the oil and lilter. after a few hrs id change it again. The smoke coming out of the fill place is blow-by not to get real concerned at this time but it could mean the rings need replacing but it sure wont hurt to use it no big deal. Mite want to take the gas line along when you get the tank cleaned then get new screen and gasket for the sediment bowl assy at the bottom of the tank. Take it with you when you get the new screen and gasket so you get the correct size. good luck on the purchase you will enjoy it and some new 9.5x24 tires will complete it.

Please excuse me ,60 Birthdays

Haha yes 62 I have been saying if I was 60 I imagine I would smoke or leak here and there. I do have a weather cover I was keeping it outside with a tarp over it but yesterday I moved my riding mower into the small barn that I have and put the tractor under the lean to and still put the tarp over it because I have had it for a month and im already tired of people stopping and asking if it is for sale. I'm sure it's harmless but dad always told me the less people that know what you have the better off you are. I will try and post a picture when I get on my computer again. I went to a tractor show this weekend and saw a super a with 9.5-24 tires on the back and they looked tiny the guys I talked to from some classic tractor club or somthing said they put 12.4-24 on their super as. So I don't know what to go with maybe one size down from 12.4 but it has 14 somthing on it so im not sure if I have a wider rim on it than fsctory?

I may get knocked for this, but I tend to believe that the
engines in A's have a little more blow by than others by nature.
I have a 47 A and it has some fairly decent blow by but other
than that all seems well. I've run lots of letter series tractors
and had some with really bad engines that didn't have as
much blow by. It also doesn't help that it is right in front of your
face. The others have a draft tube that hides the evidence
from you a little more.

I was going to say that the vent on your fuel cap was plugged
but it sounds like the whole tank needs rodded out at the shop.
Then get online and order a free cap (from the IH lawsuit -
search it on here). Those little tractors will do an amazing
amount of work. I use mine mainy as an auger tractor but it is
fun enough to use that I pull it out other times as well. Get a
woods belly mower for it. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Sounds like it has suffered from poor to non-maintenance. Sticking piston rings may be adding to the blow by. After you take care of the oil change and fuel clean-up, you may want to treat it with Seafoam (or whatever your favorite snake oil is) in both the oil and gas. It is cheap and not likely to hurt.

Don't go overboard with big tires. You got this tractor to use, not have a cartoon caricature like some you see at tractor shows. If your main use is gardening, stick with 9.5-24s.

Where are you locater ? May have interest in turf tires if not to far . I am in Iowa .
Ralph

im in North Carolina and would love to get rid of the turfs

I've laid off and cultivated many tobacco fields and gardens since 1978 with a Super A. My size preference of a rear tire on them is 11.2x24. They are a little wider and taller than a 9.5. You will have a little more ground clearance if cultivating tall crops. Also, I culivated terraces and hillsides. I believe that the 11.2s are a little more stable because if loaded they would add more weight and a little more grip in loose dirt.

I'm hopefully uploading a picture to show the hideous tires. The tire place im dealing with has a few options on 11.2-24 tires I believe the one pair are firestones at around $320 each And I believe the option thats $100 cheaper are BKT or Somthing i just can't make up my mind. I know firestones will probably be better but I'm only having a garden and it's not a show tractor obviously but I would love to work on restoring during the winters one main factor is I'm 23 and getting married in March and I have a lot of stuff going on at the time. Input is always welcome. The guy at the tire shop said I needed a 10 inch rim I believe and I tried measuring the rim which is hard to do with a tire on it but I think I have a 10 but if anyone knows where it would be stamped on the rim if it is please share. Also a guy at work told me he has cleaned his sludge out of his engine by putting diesel fuel in it and pulling it around on a trailer for a while then draining it and putting new oil in should I try this or just go about it like I was changing it a few times after I drive it around a few weekends

Another photo it's not the best looking Iv ever seen BUT it's mine

I would just change oil and use it for a while then change oil again when the oil get dark colored.
If you want to sell turf tires send me a Email with information.