SMTA Cracked head / engine rebuild

Hi All,

Looking for some advice on my SMTA.
Found some antifreeze in cylinder 4. Pulled head and had it checked, found cracks in it. It has the 8060 head on it. I found a 362174R1 head ( believe off a 400) that has a valve job, new seats and has been surfaced and am thinking of putting this on.
There are grooves in the top of the sleeves and the pistons have a little wiggle. So I am thinking on new sleeves & pistons. Searching this site & others, it seems while I am in there, I might as well put some higher compression pistons in there to get a little more power out of it. The pistons that are in there now are 357612R1. I measured the sleeve and it has a 4" opening. So some questions are:

Will the Fire crater pistons fit with the head that I am considering.
I see on this site that they offer rebuild kits and how do they compare to the fire crater.
They also say it is a 4 1/8" size, I assume that is an ID measurement of the sleeve and that these would fit in my block without boring.
Where is a good place to purchase fire craters, I have browsed some and not found a good source.

Not trying to make a puller out of it, but it is in great condition and plan on using it in our haying operation.

Thanks in advance,
Dave

I have a SMTA same problems as yours.
Call Mike Bunck @ Steel Wheel Ranch very knowledgeable and honest or Devon's tractor Devon is great.
I put step head 41/8 pistons bought a new L.P.450 head with new valves etc. She is putting out good power.
Tony

Don't find very many with 4 inch pistons still in there.
362174R1 was a gasoline head used on 400 and 450 tractors and will give you more compression than your original head. Originally IH used different fire crater piston sets for the SM gas head and the 400 450 gas head. You would have to find new old stock for those. Not positive but think all the 4-1/8 aftermarket sets will work with the heads. Thin wall sleeves work in your block.
Only thing to watch for is the piston pin size. Two size pins were used. SM and part of the 400 have the large pin. If you get pistons with the small pin size, adapter pin bushings would need installed in the rods.
Also if using the 362174R1 head its best to get a 400 or 450 valve cover and run a pvc pipe from valve cover opening to air cleaner pipe. SM head has a opening in the head rear for pipe to air cleaner. 400 and 450 came out top of valve cover. Also didn't use the pipe over rocker arms, Just a short stand pipe in the front vent hole.
If you use that head and 4.125 step head or other pistons from the 4 inch flat top ones you won't think its the same tractor.

Thanks,

Plan on pulling the motor this weekend and will get a good look at the rest of it. Plan on welding a fitting in the valve cover to take care of the breather tube.