farmall h freezing up

Mike Henry · Jan 29, 2014

My H is parked in my non heated polebarn. In this wonderfully cold weather the last 2 times I wanted to move snow I cant get it to unthaw enough to move. It starts up nicely but I cant let the clutch out or it will stall. I have put a salamander under it to heat the trans/hydrolic fluid and that dont seem to work. Is there any thing else to do. Different oil? Maybe a heater of some sort to install like a block heater on a diesel. I know that isnt the answer but is there a similar fix. Just want to play and the toy wont let me. Thanks in advance guys.

jared in wi · Jan 29, 2014

Over time water will condense inside of the transmission case and cause water to build up. in these cold tempetures the condensed water will freeze and sieze up the transmission.

cover the tractor with a canvas tarp and run the heater under the transmission. for several hours (maybe all day). drain out the oil and fill with new.

may want to wait for a warmer day to do this though.

Jared

Ron Anderson · Jan 29, 2014

Sounds like you got water in tranny or rear end and its froze. Best advice is find something else to do until warm weather when the ice will melt.
Maybe deicer that you put in fuel tanks would help or build a fire in a sawed off 30 gallon drum and when down to coals slide it under the rear end but maybe not the safest idea.
I can remember putting coals under a tractor to warm it up but it was a long process and we had to be watchful nothing caught on fire.

John_PA · Jan 29, 2014

Never saw a salamander.

Is it like a torpedo heater?

If you let the clutch out in neutral, does it also stall?

Are you getting the engine up to operating temp? Or are you saying that the transmission is holding the tractor back.

That sounds to me like you have a lot of water in the transmission that has froze solid in the bottom. I had a 4wd tractor that would do this with one of the front final drives.

You need to get a big torpedo heater and heat that thing up until you can barely touch it. Any heat under 300 degrees won't hurt anything. once you get it hot, dump the water and refill.

John_PA · Jan 29, 2014

I think we were all typing the same response at the same time. LOL looks like I am the slowest typer.

Goose · Jan 29, 2014

My H did that once. I let it set for a couple of days with a magnetic block heater under the drive train. Then loosened the plug and carefully let the condensation that had settled to the bottom drain before I moved it.

As long as you use the tractor regularly, the condensation stays suspended in the gear oil Then after the tractor sets for a couple weeks or a month, the condensation, being heavier than oil, settles to the bottom and freezes.

Any way you look at it, by any means available, it needs to warm up enough to thaw the condensation.

Royse · Jan 29, 2014

I agree with the others on the condensation and freezing.
Not on leaving it for a warmer day though.
If you can get it thawed and get that water out before it breaks
the castings you'll be money ahead. (don't ask how I know that!)
Your salamander should do it if you can drape it with a canvas to
keep the heat where you need it.
If you have some way to try to roll it in neutral, it might tell you
what is frozen. Rear end, transmission, etc.

Wheat Farmer · Jan 29, 2014

That is another one of those pieces of equipment different parts of the country call different names. We call them Salamander, space, shop, Now I see they are called Construction heaters in Northern. What ever they are I like them. I use one about every day. Bring the heat up fast then maintain it with other.

jack jones · Jan 29, 2014

What he said ^^^^^^^^^

Motorcraftman · Jan 29, 2014

You have Condensation/Moisture ,Water in the trans that is freezing, Whenever it gets warmer,Drain it and Install New Fresh Fluid,, it'll most Likely be OK, I've been reluctant to... Even turn Over My H JD for this reason, it'll strip the Oil pump Gear.. Larry

Old Roy · Jan 29, 2014

I believe he means a torpedo heater

This is what us old Pa strip miners called a
salamander
salamander

Old Roy · Jan 29, 2014

OOOPS
Salamander

JayinNY · Jan 29, 2014

That's odd, salamders crawl horizontally, not vertically like that heater you show? Lol

Michael Soldan · Jan 29, 2014

You have water in the rear end,you need to thaw the tractor for a few days and then unscrew the drain plug and let the water run out,then quick put the plug back in when oil starts coming. The oil will float on the water so water will come first. This is common and when the water freezes the rear gears are frozen,when you let the clutch out the tractor stalls. If you can heat your shop totally draining and replacing your rear oil would be a good idea,but for now just get rid of the water and you will be OK

Buddy · Jan 29, 2014

Sure it is frozen .
I have seen that happen but , you said it is in a heated pole barn.
I have also seen these old tractors get hung in gear and stall the engine out too..

John_PA · Jan 29, 2014

(quoted from post at 21:42:54 01/29/14) I believe he means a torpedo heater

This is what us old Pa strip miners called a
salamander
salamander

Roy,

I never knew the name of those heaters. What part of PA were you strip mining? I live real close to the old Champion coal washer off the Montour RR. I grew up surrounded by strip mines. I just grew up thinking that orange creeks were normal.

showcrop · Jan 29, 2014

I'm with Royse, get some heat on ASAP! you may save it.

old · Jan 29, 2014

Bet you have water in the rear end/transmission. Loosen the drain plug up slowly. Watch for drips of oil/water and stop when and if you have any. If you get no drips keep going till it is out and make sure you do not have a solid block of ice in it. Had that problem with my Ford 841 this year and had to change fluid because if I let up on the clutch the engine would stall due to a block of ice in it. If you find ice heat it up the best you can and if you can cover it to help hold the heat where it needs to be

Alf Roberts · Jan 29, 2014

How long did you have the salamander under it? A few hours should have melted any ice in the trans or rear axle. (Yes the water still should be drained, but if the tractor was heated for a few hours I don"t think ice/water in the gearboxes should be causing the engine to stall.) Is it possible the tires are frozen down to the (earthen) floor or that mud (from fall plowing)has frozen between either the fender and the wheel rim or inside drum brakes. You could try jacking up one rear wheel at a time to check if they are frozen down and/or frozen in position.

FBH44 · Jan 30, 2014

Let it heat up a good long while, then be slow and careful unscrewing that bottom plug; you"ll get a real fast gush, probably first water then oil, it"ll shoot out. Have a big bucket ready.

Blackhole49 · Jan 30, 2014

Throw a tarp over if and blow the salamander under it for several hours. Once it is thawed out, drain the water as others suggested.

rick deere · Jan 30, 2014

buy a heating blanket and rape it up turn it on high, you really don't need to start a tractor when its this cold anyways go make snow balls.I never stat my tractor below 40 degrees unless in a heated shed. You could very well break something.

showcrop · Jan 30, 2014

(quoted from post at 08:50:14 01/30/14) buy a heating blanket and rape it up turn it on high, you really don't need to start a tractor when its this cold anyways go make snow balls.I never stat my tractor below 40 degrees unless in a heated shed. You could very well break something.

What do you pull your mixer wagon with?

Old Roy · Jan 31, 2014

Worked for awhile on an auger crew.

I was the pin, elevator side, and the truck driver
for hauling the coal to stock pile.

Sometimes when the auger would loose the lead
auger .. I would have to crawl in the hole beside
it and direct him to line it up .. we would move
in a strip after they mined what they were going
to .
Later I got a job just hauling the coal....

to say where .. mostly in a radius of 50 mile of
Pittsburgh. hauled out of many of them .

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