Farmall H oil and fluid question

Since I am going to be getting my tractor hauled home hopefully next weekend (over Presidents Day weekend), I am trying to make a list of everything I want to have when I get it home.

Since it has probably been sitting a while without really being put to use, I think I want to check all the fluid and oil levels and potentially replace the fluid and or oils.

My question is, what kind of oils and fluids should I buy to be prepared for the Farmall H? I want transmission fluid, motor oil, and any other kind of oil or fluid I might need. I have no idea what kind of oil I want, or what specification it should be, so that is why I am asking.

Thanks, John

As to the brand of oil that is a personal choice. I use 10W-40 in my 3 H's engines and 85-140 gear oil in the transmissions. I use case hytran fluid in the belly pump. 6 quarts in the engine, 6 quarts in the belly pump, and 6 gallons plus or minus a little in the trans.

Rodney 8)

(quoted from post at 20:57:45 02/08/19) As to the brand of oil that is a personal choice. I use 10W-40 in my 3 H's engines and 85-140 gear oil in the transmissions. I use case hytran fluid in the belly pump. 6 quarts in the engine, 6 quarts in the belly pump, and 6 gallons plus or minus a little in the trans.

Rodney 8)

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Thank you very much Rodney! Some of the motor oil is a synthetic blend and some is conventional, which one should I use?

Six quarts of Rotella 15-40 engine oil. Six gallons 90 weight GL1 gear oil, and six quarts 20 weight
non-detergent motor oil for hyd system.

Conventional oil is what I use. Many opinions will show up on what brand and weight others use but I use Havoline in my tractor engines. It was on sale at my local Rural King awhile back so I stocked up.

Thanks everyone! Would you recommend I change the engine oil when I buy the tractor? What about transmission fluid or hydraulic fluid for the belly pump?

Before investing in new oil, might just crack each drain plug, get the water out. Make sure there is enough oil so not to damage anything. Check the other fluids, give it the once over for obvious problems.

Then drive it around a bit, check things out. Put it through all the gears, if you have any attachments, put them on and put it under a load.

That way, if it needs to come apart, you won't loose the new oil, or have to try to catch and store it. If you try to reuse it, it will never be as clean as new.

We have always used 30 non-detergent oil in engines of that vintage. 30 works fine for the hydraulics too. 90 gear lube in the rear end is fine, unless you are going to be plowing with it, in which case I would use 140.

I am not a proponent of non detergent oils, and would put Rotella or Delvac in the engine and change regularly, it will be sludged up, might as well start cleaning it up. The weight can be 15W-40 if you do not run it in the winter, or 10W-40 if you do. I do not recommend starting engines in cold weather unless you need to, and work them hard and warm if you do. The 90W will be fine in the transmission for general use, but I would run 140 in it if not using in the winter to deter leaks.

Agreed. Unless the engine oil looks real nasty run what is in there for now.

I would make a thermostat bypass restricter plate if you have access to a metal shop with a mill. The Farmalls have a huge bypass that really prevents them from warming up good, it only needs a small 1/8 hole to let air and small amount of water through. Making one of these plates is on my bucket list for my Farmall. I have a CNC lathe, so really have no excuse why it is not done.

Rodney 8) is correct. Between my brothers and I we have +- 15 tractors (3 Hs and a 350 which are the same engine. Do not use non detergent oil in it. You will also need a filter,(NAPA has them) make sure it has a housing "O"ring in the filter box It is large and has a square cross section. Be sure to dig the old Oring out of the filter base. It takes a dental pick or tiny screw driver to get it out. It will feel just like steel, but believe me it is in there. it will leak like a sieve with 2 seals. Put a pan under the filter area because there is a deluge of oil in it. Jim

I think there were two different filters, Jim can you comment?

There are two different oil filters. One is a NAPA #1172. the other,I don't know. Get the tractor home first and pull the filter out to be sure. If no number is visible,take the old filter with you.John,Order a manual now before you get it home. Order both Owners and service. A partsmanual is handy too.

Napa oil filter numbers. Long filter # 1125 for tractors serial number 121021 and below with the long filter housing. # 1172 for tractors serial number 121022 and above with short filter housing. First picture is long housing and second is short housing.

Trying to envision a restrictor plate? What would it look like? I?ve noticed that on my H, the temp never gets up much.

I would make it the same shape as the thermostat housing, but put 1/8 hole instead of 1/2 bypass.

16 gauge SS would be ideal, put a gasket on both sides.

Tall and short. The short is about 6 inches to the top of the hold down bolt, The tall is about 8 inches. If still uncertain, buy both and return the not needed filter. Jim

Very interesting about oil temperature. Definitely something I will think about.

(quoted from post at 22:59:54 02/08/19) Very interesting about oil temperature. Definitely something I will think about.

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John, being you're in PA and will experience colder weather, go with a multi-weight oil for easier starting and better oil flow when cold.

I'm in MN and personally, I run 10W30 or 10W40. I just used my Deere on Wednesday, she had sat for over 3 weeks, much of it below zero, and at 14 degrees she fired right up.

I would change all the fluids just so you know when it was last done.

Another suggestion for you: I buy a nice little notebook to use as a log book. Write in that book the date, hours on the clock, part numbers used, cost of parts, and other relevant details every time you do anything to your tractor for maintenance or repair.

It is amazing how fast you can forget when you last changed oil. Also, recording part numbers gives you an instant ability to look them up when the same part is needed rather then grubbing around on the web. Oil filter number, spark plug number, etc.

Start your book with the tractor name, serial number, hours at purchase and how much you paid. These books become fascinating references for the future.

Grouse

There is a drain plug on the filter base so oil is not running all over when the filter is removed. Can be loosened and the oil will run out the plug hole readily.

If'n I wuz youse, I would look into getting a manual for the "H", you can find some good
originals on E-bay for not much money. Me being twice your age and some, I like being able
to carry it and read thru it where I get the chance. Like others have said I'd use multi-
weight engine oil and maybe the lower end weight for tranny, don't forget to get some
coolant, might want to change that also.

(quoted from post at 18:01:13 02/08/19) Six quarts of Rotella 15-40 engine oil. Six gallons 90 weight GL1 gear oil, and six quarts 20 weight
non-detergent motor oil for hyd system.

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Agree, except it needs to be Rotella T because of the zinc additive to protect the valve lifters and camshaft lobes.

Universal hydraulic fluid (HyTran) will work just fine in the hydraulic belly pump.

Been years since I had the 41 H. If I rember correctly we ran 85-90 gear oil in tranny and rear end. 140 is too thick for any time unless you are in area that is constantly at 100*F. Deere orignall called for the 140 but changed to the 85-90 because the 140 was not lubing things properly, too heavy to get into the bearings and things. Don't worry about the 85-90 leaking out, if you find any leaks just try tighting the bolts at that spot. Orignal called for non detergent as what detergent was out there at at that time was more expermintal and they wanted to have a known product used. The new detergent will be fine in the engine and hydrolics. And just use your favoirite engine oil from Walmart or any place like that as any of the engine oil is plenty good for that tractor. Use 10-40 in engine but I think I would probably use 10-30 in hydrolic but I think I might have used the 10-40 but my H left in 1984. The belt pully think is lubed from tranny as we in 35 years never checked it for oil and we did use the belt pully. The stearing gear needs same as tranny, some might leak out the bottom of gear but you do not want to go with heavier as that could make it steer hard. The air cleaner just use the cheapest engine oil you can find as it does not need to do anything but collect dirt. Pull the total air cleaner off tractor, you need to take hood off for this. There is a wire mesh in top part and it likely will be as least partly cloged with dirt. you may have to do a few times soaking and diesel would be fine for a first soak and use air hose to blow out clean but for final soak use kerosine as it does not leave the oily film as diesel does and on that mesh you DO NOT want any oily film to collect and hold dirt. A non oily parts washer solevent would also work for that. That mesh should be sqeeky clean and dry but you will not be able to get it that way. Don't overfill the air cleaner oil cup as if you do it will get drawn up into the engine where the oil does not belong. And also get a good grease gun with flexible spout and several cartrages of good gun grease as many fittings on that tractor. You may want to regrease the front wheel bearings as well and do not buy modern wheel bearing grease for them. get something like red and tacky or simular in name. The modern wheel bearing grease is made for disk brakes that the bearings run way hotter that any tractor wheel bearing and it will not hold up in the slow speed bearings. As for temp and thermostat I don't remember if it even had one in, probably as we had the engine overhauled at IHC dealer and dought if they would have left it out. Never ran either hot or cold and was used on light loads as well as heavy loads. The electric system is a 2 position for charge on the lite switch, low charge was for steady daytime heavy field work In the 35 years never ran it on low charge, always high charge with no problems. Then ther is a dim setting on the lite switch as well as bright setting that is still very dim and dim setting is about as bright as holding a candle would be. So always use high charge setting and if driving it at night use bright setting. This is for orignal 6 volt positive ground system. And if it has been converted to 12 volt I would not own it.

I agree 100 percent. I changed all the fluids on a tractor when I first bought it. Big mistake, I found out it had other issues that made it too expensive to repair. The oil was a waste of money.
Get the owners manual and run it, you'll find out what needs attention.