I have a Farmall A, a pre-1945, so can't tell exactly how old it is, but am guessing about a 1942. Anyway, when I overhauled it years ago, the machinist told me that one should use only non-detergent oil in the engine. Is that still a valid idea? What makes me wonder is the governor is really sticky--would detergent oil help that situation?
- Thread starter fritzag
- Start date
In the old days that was all there is. Lots of us have switched to detergent oil but you have to be careful how you do it. If your engine has a lot of sludge its going to start to remove it. You can probably stick your finger inside the oil pan drain hole and get a feel for how much sludge is in the engine.If its not much start using the oil and change it pretty often until the engine is clean. If you have a lot you may have to find a way to clean the engine first. I had a W30 that was heavy with sludge and I put in some kerosene and towed it around with the engine turning to get the oil pump to work. Couple of times cleaned it up pretty good.
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
I would NEVER run a non-detergent oil in any thing no matter what year it is. I have had a good many tractors over the years and I always run a detergent oil in them
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
Why can't you figure out how old it is??? All you need is the serial number then with it look at the research&info are of Y-T then serial number then the Farmall area then the A area and see where the number fits
Steve@Advance
Well-known Member
You'll get a lot of opinions on this!
Mine is, if it has been running for many years since the overhaul with non detergent, I would keep using non detergent. The reason is, there will be a layer of deposits on everything, especially in the bottom of the pan. As long as they are stuck,, they do little harm. Release them all at once with detergent and they get circulated through the oil galleys.
If the engine has few hours since the rebuild, and everything was chemically cleaned when it was disassembled, you could probably get by with changing to detergent. But I would do several changes afterward, get everything cleaned up, then go to normal change intervals.
I doubt that oil changes will fix the governor. Better to take a look at it to see what is wrong.
Mine is, if it has been running for many years since the overhaul with non detergent, I would keep using non detergent. The reason is, there will be a layer of deposits on everything, especially in the bottom of the pan. As long as they are stuck,, they do little harm. Release them all at once with detergent and they get circulated through the oil galleys.
If the engine has few hours since the rebuild, and everything was chemically cleaned when it was disassembled, you could probably get by with changing to detergent. But I would do several changes afterward, get everything cleaned up, then go to normal change intervals.
I doubt that oil changes will fix the governor. Better to take a look at it to see what is wrong.
Cliff Nelson
Well-known Member
He probably doesn't have the serial # as it was on the seat support and many have had different seats installed over the years. Dad has an A and a B and neither one has the original seat or serial #.
He probably meant to use non detergent oil the first time and then switch. Forty years ago that seemed to be the popular thing to do. If your worried about it take the valve cover off and if it's sludged up clean it up, remove oil pan and spray a can or 2 of brakkleen on the top of the head and flush the crap down through. I've done that a few times, wouldn't hurt if you change the oil and filter again after a few hours of run time.
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
Sorry but you have that wrong. There is 2 places on the B and the A where the serial number is. Yes one on the seat support and the other place is on the front of the engine block just below the head. Place the casting numbers have a code that will tell you the year of the machine
teddy52food
Well-known Member
I have a B that has no # . the seat is gone & the block has been changed.
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
On one that is a mutt you have to go by date codes of the casting numbers and even then you only get the year of the part. Sort of like my BA which is the front half of a B and the back half of an A. The A was a 1941 if I remember right but the B I have not ran the numbers of the block to know its year
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
Why worry about a little thing like oil when there is a chance the country could be ruined by electing nnalert?
Use Rotella Triple Protection 15W-40 and vote nnalert.
Gambles
Well-known Member
I'm a BIG believer in detergent oil in older engines. However, if it's all sludged up from non-detergent oil, a person MIGHT keep the non-detergent oil in it, I guess it depends.
However, a buddy of mine overhauled his John Deere B a few years ago and had it running again. I asked him about what oil he used and he said he put in non-detergent oil as the first oil after the overhaul and he's going to keep using non-detergent oil in it.
When I asked him why he will be using non-detergent oil in it, he said that the non-detergent oil made his engine last about 70 years before it needed overhauling and that would be a tough track record to break.
I didn't have any words to start an argument with him, so I bit my tongue and kept my mouth shut.
However, a buddy of mine overhauled his John Deere B a few years ago and had it running again. I asked him about what oil he used and he said he put in non-detergent oil as the first oil after the overhaul and he's going to keep using non-detergent oil in it.
When I asked him why he will be using non-detergent oil in it, he said that the non-detergent oil made his engine last about 70 years before it needed overhauling and that would be a tough track record to break.
I didn't have any words to start an argument with him, so I bit my tongue and kept my mouth shut.
Thank you to everyone who has responded to my question. I do have the serial number, but when I contacted IH years ago after I bought the tractor (1970) I was told that before 1945 there is no record of the year that a certain number was manufactured. All I could ascertain was that mine was made pre-1945. Also, estimating how many tractors were built per year, I kind of concluded that it is about my age, that is, a 1942 model. I appreciate the various suggestions. Am wondering whether maybe I would be best of, at this stage of the game, to stick with non-detergent and take the suggestion that was given to simply dig into the governor and get it freed up or replaced (probably replaced).
I am rather new at this forum and have trouble getting to where I want to!
I am rather new at this forum and have trouble getting to where I want to!
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
My BA that I built form 2 or 3 tractor all of them I could figure out the year and the A part that I used is a 1941 as per the serial number list on this site so not sure what your talking about because this site lists them all the way to 1939 which if I remember right is the first year they where built.
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