WWII Farmall H

[bbranstetter]

SUCCESS!! Rear main oil seal installed and oil pump is soaking out in a mineral spirit bath for a few days and having a new regulator spring installed. Good friend of mine had a sand blast cabinet he wasn't using, so he was kind enough to lend it to me for awhile. Slow progress but moving forward.....

 

[eford]

Cool Brian!

 

[mhomrighausen]

Brian B. That is fantastic news!!!

 

[bbranstetter]

Ok here are some updates;

Any one care to weigh in on the importance of a functioning oil pick up float? The one pictured here is cracked and therefore unable to float. Is it really that big of a deal with modern oil?

 

[kmcconaughey]

Brian, can it be soldered? EDIT: Perhaps take it to a radiator repair shop and see if they can solder it.

 

[bbranstetter]

Yes, it can be fixed as it looks like a silver solder or there are new replacements but I was just wondering if it really needs to 'float' as I don't plan on running a non-detergent oil. It really doesn't move up and down all that far. Just wondering.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Ah! Well, I have no answer for that.

 

[bbranstetter]

That's ok, thanks for the input!

 

[mfrade]

Brian, I am not at the shop right now but to my knowledge it isn't a float! It should be fixed to maintain a set distance above the basepan "floor" usually 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. On chevy small blocks especially we used to add a drop of weld to stop them from falling out. If it falls out it'll stop the flow of oil!

Under edit, I cannot see the crack, but you can silver solder the joint. There should be a screen on the other side of the pan. that is the only place oil should enter. If you need to set ot verify the pan clearance - use a putty on the pan cover it with saran wrap then set the pan in place with a couple bolts, then remove pan - cut the putty and measure the crush thickness.

 

[dfrisk]

MIKE - This isn't a SBC, it's a FARMALL! Yes, the oil pickup floats. The idea is the cleanest oil would be on the top of the pool of oil in the pan. The pickup should have full range of movement from resting on the bottom of the pan to resting against a rod cap. The pickup looks like it was somehow crushed. I'd replace it with a new used or reproduction pickup. The last iteration of the C-152 used in the H was the C-175 used in the FARMALL & International 350's built from 1955 to 1957. I suspect IH/CIH stopped producing and supplying oil pickups decades ago. If I remember correctly, the pickups were made by FLOTO. Quick Google search shows only an importer of leather travel bags under the name Floto.

 

[mfrade]

I'd verify that resting on the bottom situation. If it gets flat to the basepan it'll restrict oil flow. It may be allowed to pivot but I'll just about guarantee it won't float.

 

[bbranstetter]

Ok, to clarify; the pickup does float to 'skim' the cleanest oil and no, it does not touch the bottom but just off the bottom of the pan when in its full 'down' position. I can purchase a new pickup from case/IH so its no big deal to purchase a new one, I'm just questioning if its really necessary with the modern oil.

Mike, Kraig, and Dennis; Thanks for giving me your thoughts on the issue! Having other thoughts on the issue really helps.

 

[mfrade]

I think todays oil are going to be a hurdle for you. Flat tappet camshafts need the zinc of old , before the recent oil reformulations. If you're breaking in a new cam, follow the manufacturers recommended practice. I like the break-in oil from Brad Penn. Gibbs has a nice one also. But later you'll need to use an oil that has the zinc at a concentration high enough to support that cam.

(edit) if it were mine, I'd make the pickup so it stayed in a fixed position.

 

[dfrisk]

Mike - Your comment about "make the pickup stay in a fixed position" made me laugh. Can't handle being wrong about something you know nothing about? IH has made millions of engines with floating pickups in the oil pans. Why reinvent the wheel now? 77 years after the engine was made!

 

[eford]

Two of my friends run full synthetic oil in their M's. But my buddy's dad did put an additive in his. He used it with a pull behind mower for 5 or so years when he got it 8 years ago. I can ask about the additive if you want. He ran farmalls growing up on the farm, but is a retired trucker now. Has an M and a Massey Harris still.

 

[mfrade]

Know nothing about?? You think my 47A is allowed to pivot? You shouldn't assume anything!

Thanks for the chuckle!

 

[bbranstetter]

Looking like a good day. Just got a call from the IH dealer, the other day, letting me know my BRAND NEW oil pickup float is in and ready for me to pick up. Weather has just been too rotten to break one of the other motors apart.

 

[dfrisk]

FRADE..... FARMALL H, M Super H, Super M, MD,W4 W6 Super 4, Super W-6, W-6 diesel, Super W-6 diesel PLUS all the orchard and industrial versions all used the Floto floating oil pickup. Then the FARMALL 300,350, 400, 450, and the International versions used them too. Must have been a FARMALL in ROCK ISLAND thing. You add all those tractors up and you get something around three million.

 

[bbranstetter]

After getting the new part I'm not surprised to see that it no longer has the 'float' portion and is just a screen with the tube going into the pickup.

I could have just drained the mineral spirits out of the old one and called it a day. Oh well, lesson learned, I know better now.

 

[mfrade]

FRISK! 2 words for ya.. Don't Care! Moved on.


Brian, there's a certain irony in your last post! I'm glad it's coming together for you.