JD A.... Need Options...

Bryce Frazier · Jan 21, 2015

Just found out that the engine can't be saved.. #2 is scoured really badly, and we have to either bore it up to .090 or completely replace it. So far here are my options that I see,

Buy a nice standard block for $125 and then bore it up to .045 to match my pistons, and then buy rings for my pistons

Or I could bore this one up to .090 or .125, which I really wouldn't mind doing, but am I going to be able to find pistons? Does anyone have any they would sell?

Other than that, what can I do?

This "quick and easy" tractor is snowballing!!!

Bryce

DeltaRed · Jan 21, 2015

Buy the 'new' block.Bore it so so you can use your pistons.Rering and 'go'.Or.... junk/scrap/part the tractor before you get a bazillion dollars into it.

Janicholson · Jan 21, 2015

Bore the bad cylinder for a repair sleeve and bore that to fit your pistons. Jim

Bryce Frazier · Jan 21, 2015

Thats what I am leaning towards....

Here is what my cheat sheet is showing:

$500 Purchase Price
$200 For Tires (haven't got yet)
$100 Misc Parts from buddy (haven't got yet)
$150 Rings (from JD, haven't done any other shopping yet)
$125 For a block.
Then I am going to need Gaskets and such, which will probably be another $100...

So by the time it is all said and done, I will be in $1200 on a $500 tractor! Now I have to decided whether it is a machine that I want to keep and someday restore, or just get rid of it...

The biggest mistake I have seen, is that I had an offer of $700 for it, and I turned the guy down.... STUPID!

DeltaRed · Jan 21, 2015

I hope you already have tires located.Around here,$200 will just buy a smooth (but sound) carcass.Then along the way a bunch of other stuff will 'rear its ugly head' and cost you even more money.Not trying to scare you-the voice of experience...BTDT. what about that 'G'?

JD Seller · Jan 21, 2015

Bryce:

You need to stop and think about whether this is a tractor you will want to keep for along time. You will have more money in it than you can buy a running JD "A" for. The value of the regular old JD"A"s is only $1500-2500 restored. They have to be something special to bring more.

If you want to keep it long term than I would buy the good block and bore it to match your pistons. That would be your best repair route at the moment. It sounds like you would have a running tractor for around $1200. That is not too bad but it will not be a money maker.

Now if you do not want to keep it long term then I would try to sell it to someone as-is to break even or maybe a little profit. IF you want to work a little you should easily be able to get your money back parting the tractor out. Your good on the internet so sell the parts that way.

Several routes and several amounts of time and money. So you just need to decide which way you want to go.

Bryce Frazier · Jan 21, 2015

The GM is my dads tractor, he is footing the bills for that one!

I have a guy willing to treat me right on very useable tires, not worried there..

I think that it is just going to sit in the shop for a few days now! Need to really think it through huh!?!? :

DeltaRed · Jan 21, 2015

Yep,give it some thought.I know you will make the right decision. BTW,How about finding a Farmall 'M'?You should be able to find one for somewhere between $800-$1500.A good runner at that. Good luck,Keep us informed Steve

DeltaRed · Jan 21, 2015

Oh by the way,I forgot to tell you that I really LIKE 'M's.Got 4 of them(only two are running)IMHO,A 'big M' is probably one of the best ever old tractors out there!

Bryce Frazier · Jan 21, 2015

OH I know... I would LOVE to have an M... Can't seem to find them up here, just not big enough country. All the "normal" tractors of that era up here were the 10-25 horse ones.

Now it is a different story 2 hours away, down there is where all the massive Wheat Fields start, and the smallest things they have are M's!

I would trade almost any of my machines for an M...

Not sure what will become of this one, need to think it through... Bryce

400Dtractorman · Jan 21, 2015

Just a reminder. You didn't say anything about the the gaskets for the head and the block. There not cheap.... And if you can find a block for 125 that's a steal.....

Thomas(AB) · Jan 21, 2015

You have to keep it in perspective. Up here any jd 2 banger in running condition starts around 2500. I paid 3150 for my A, however the tin was straight, it ran well, i wanted hand start and the rear tires were brand new. On the downside it only has a pto no hydraulics.

There is a unrestored A here, same shape yours is in. Motor needed work,no tires nothing special. Sold for 2 400.
Look around figure out if parting it out would cover your purchase price, so you could buy one in better shape down the road.

Glad your sticking around, nice to see other guys in the hobby who are young. (I'm 24)

Dick2 · Jan 22, 2015

We had the block on our "G" bored out. A year later a sand hole opened up and let one cylinder fill with coolant.

Had the sand hole repaired; should have junked the whole darn tractor as it was nothing but trouble and a money pit. JD wasn't too careful when they cast their blocks.

Dr. Walt · Jan 22, 2015

Bryce:

"The biggest mistake I have seen, is that I had an offer of $700 for it, and I turned the guy down.... STUPID!

"

If you still have that guy's number, call him and tell him you've had a change of heart & if he still wants the tractor for $700. it's his.

Some mistakes are correctable if you don't let too much time pass.

Doc :>)

tractorsam · Jan 22, 2015

I've been down a similar road before. It's how I come to have a fully rebuilt, very expensive boat anchor of a head for a Super MD sat in my barn. I won't say how expensive, just that I have more into it than the tractor cost. I got the head done and then found major issues with the rest of the tractor.

PS - since then, at least partly on the advice of Deltared, I picked up a Super M (gas) and love it. With an add on 3 point it's handier than a third thumb. I had to drive a lot more than two hours to get it though.

Good luck, Sam

Gambles · Jan 22, 2015

When restoring antique farming equipment, the biggest "mistake" that I've made was thinking that the antique tractor hobby is inexpensive and that replacement parts can be found with a magic wand.

Richard G. · Jan 22, 2015

Bryce, I have a set of standard pistons that I would give you. They are out of a 39 short stroke A with the unstyled type engine. Serial number 478838.
Not sure if they would work in the block you are talking about. You could have them for the shipping costs. They have rings on them.
Maybe someone will know if they could be used in the standard block you know about.
If it was me, I would have the bad cylinder bored and sleeved to .045. Look around for an old repair shop. I have had engines sleeved here very reasonable. How does the piston look out of the bad cylinder? A few pits on a piston won't hurt a thing.
Richard in NW SC

RLA · Jan 22, 2015

I think since you don't already have in hand
free donor parts you should stop.... But if
there is a chance to find all or most of the
parts needed from another tractor near by @ the
right price then it's a consideration. I would
not buy any of the other parts you've mention'd
until you've found MAIN parts BLOCK & PISTONS.

I am currently resurrecting a 1944 A 6 speed
hand crank. Into a 44,45,46,48, 51 & 1952 60
electric start. My head & block were JUNK, BUT!!
I had another donor machines near by for free.
I've purchased pieces & parts on EBAY for the
prices I wanted to pay, matched Used pistons
15.50 + shipping, NOW Correct piston rings 22.38
+ shipping. I thought I was doing well!! But
to do the job right I didn't like the look of
the valve seats & had new one's installed.. The
block bored, the surfices planed. I even found
the correct complete engine gasket set on EBAY
brand new for less than 20.00.. + shipping..
This short list I've posted has taken almost
a year, but there were other things I've
purchased at the right price that it didn't
need to make it run too.. Right now I'm at the
Max $$ amount I wanted to spend. And I am FAR
from being done... The tractor is still in MANY
pieces and I have not lost interest in it at
all. Just cold weather has slowed me down. The
engine will be done right or I won't do it.
As for the rest of the machine it won't be
correct for the police but it will be correct
for what I plan to use it for, and more user
friendly for me. I don't need this tractor for
anything. But will mount a John Deere snow plow
on it, & it will STAY on it. I bought for 300.00
& will end up having at least 2 grand in it in
parts alone. & it will only be worth 2 Grand if
two or three people want it at the same time.
BUT!!! I saved it from going to China.... And
sometimes when I look at it sitting, I ask
myself WHY?? My answer is the PASSION...

Bryce Frazier · Jan 22, 2015

Well now... That just might be my ticket!

Hopefully someone on here will know, but I would think that the piston would be the same, because they gained more power in the A by increasing the Stroke, not the bore....

I really, really appreciate the offer! Let me try to find out some more info on them, and I will let you know... Thanks again! Bryce

Bryce Frazier · Jan 22, 2015

No... He was in a "have to get a tractor NOW mood" and has since bought 3 JD B's.. But he is going to end up with two VERY nice tractors!

Bryce

Richard G. · Jan 22, 2015

Yea, The bore was the same. You might have to use your piston pins in these pistons. I am not sure.
Richard

Bryce Frazier · Jan 22, 2015

Thats what I was thinking.... Your pistons on my rods and pins... Dad is going to ask the local machinist what he thinks at Coffee this morning..

Mike M · Jan 22, 2015

A word of caution on machinists. They mostly have experience with engines that idle at the same speed these 2 cyl. run at wide open. So they are used to engines NEEDING close tolerances to stay together. A JD 2cyl. is very slow running and VERY forgiving on wear.

Leroy · Jan 22, 2015

That would cost way more than taking the current block and sleeving it. You would have to do the boring either way so cost for that would be same, now the sleeves will not cost what that used needing work will. If ever would need to be worked on again for something like a ring busting and scoring then it would be simple to just replace the sleeve. Those sleeves are why the Farmalls last so long as it is simple to replace them every time the engine needs rings and in the life of a M that could be 4 or 5 times.

jimg.allentown · Jan 22, 2015

Probably the least expensive and simplest way to repair would be to have it bored and sleeved to fit the pistons you have.
Failing that, next best would be to take the $125 block and get pistons and rings to fit it. I would be hesitant to bore a good block. After all, you can only bore them so much before there is no material left to bore.

Gaskets, seals, hoses, belts and other consumables will be required regardless of the repair method you choose.

Bryce Frazier · Jan 22, 2015

Ya you are right.

Are buddy has rebuilt all kinds of different things.. Most of the stuff he does is cars, but he has done several JD's.

Him and my dad are best friends, and he is the one that came out last night to have a look at the tractor and said that it couldn't be saved.

I personally thought that we could wheel hone it, then actually hone it, then stick it back together!

I can't imagine that a beast like that would be that picky, but I am not the expert!

DeltaRed · Jan 22, 2015

Thanks Sam! I.m honored that I was partly responsible for your Super M. Steve

CenTex Farmall · Jan 22, 2015

I like this reply!

2 grand in a 300 dollar tractor; that pretty well sums up the way things tend to go. I like your honesty!

DeltaRed · Jan 22, 2015

Ditto!!!!I ususally get 3000 in a 200 dollar tractor.LOL

DeltaRed · Jan 22, 2015

Bryce,It would be well worth your time/money to go get/find an M.IH only made 300,000 of them,most are still working. You have traveled further than that for less.

Kent Petersen · Jan 22, 2015

first off to re-sleeve an A it will run about $350.00 to $500.00 per hole been there dun that , as fore boering these tractors are about 60 years old if they have not been boered past 045 in that time with going to 090 and then to 125 they shuold last about 2 t 3 hundred more years

JD A.... Need Options...

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