More Super C Questions

H

Hairy Moose Knuckles

Well-known member
I'm not sure anyone will remember me, but you guys helped me out immensely about 9 years ago. I have a Farmall SC that I bought in 09. With help from this board and especially Mr Becker. I was able to get it running pretty good and I used it for a couple of years to disk and mow. One afternoon I was disking up land, it died and I couldn't get it to start again. It was always a pita to start. Seems it would flood at the drop of a hat and the generator never charged. It also had a broken, draggy starter, so I had the starter rebuilt, but never got around to convert it to 12 volt.

I retired along about the time it quit running and It's been sitting since 2010/2011. I'd like to tinker with it again and see if it will run.

I have a couple questions.

I don't want to spend a whole lot of money on parts of it's a lost cause.

All the tires are still holding air and the brakes work cause a bunch of friends pushed it around the yard and I tested brakes.

I don't have a 6 volt battery. Would it be possible to use a 12 volt battery to spin it over?

If so, what steps should I take? I figure I will need to make it negative ground and unplug generator. What else?

I figure a compression test is in order.

Gas tank had gas when parked, but it's sludgy varnish in the bottom now. My brother removed removed the glass bowl assembly from the gas tank and most of the gas drained out. I think he must have misplaced it. It's long gone.

No doubt it's in need of some TLC, but where would you start?

I have removed the gas tank to try and clean it up.

I was thinking I'd remove plugs and see what they looked like.

Any suggestions?
 
Welcome back! And yes, I remember you. With a user name like "Hairy Moose Knuckles", how could I forget?!!

You might start like it's a new-to-you tractor and start running through this list: What to do with a Cub you just brought home

There's also the oil pump that will need to be primed. Do a compression test, both dry and wet. Find that glass sediment bowl. These will get you further along.

Use the search feature to run down any specific questions you have, or if you can't find the answers, just ask.

Fire, compression, air and fuel. Those are the items you must have in order for it to run. Each of those systems must be working.

If you've forgot how to upload pictures, these might help:

Glad to hear from you!
 
At this point, you have 2 kinds of situations to deal with.
1) Whatever reason it quit and wouldn't start when it died. (fuel? ignition?)
2) Whatever problems have developed while it has been sitting ever since. (gasoline residue? stuck valves?)

Stanton is pointing you the right direction (except for priming the oil pump, usually not needed on the Super C engine).

You can use a 12-volt battery to do your testing (I assume you already have one.). You can do this to TEMPORARILY use the 12. Disconnect both wires from the generator to the regulator. Mark them both so you can get them back in the right places. Connect the battery in the original orientation, positive ground. I assume the engine isn't stuck and should crank over this way.

I would start with a compression test. Make sure the engine oil level is at least to the lower test cock. If any cylinder comes up zero, you probably have a stuck valve on that cylinder. Correct any stuck valves.

Next, I'd go over the ignition system. To not spend money until needed, clean up the spark plugs. Clean all corrosion from the electrodes both inside the distributor cap and in the towers where the wires insert. Clean the electrode on the rotor. File the ignition points and set the gap. Now check for spark. If not good at the spark plugs, work your way back towards the coil to isolate the problem. If ignition was your original problem, you may not have power to the coil (bad wire, bad ignition switch . . .). There are past threads with more details on ignition troubleshooting. You may find you need to replace some ignition parts, Step-by-step troubleshooting will identify specific parts.

Clean up the fuel system. You are likely to need to disassemble and clean the carburetor. Find/replace the missing fuel system parts. A nearby Tractor Supply or auto parts store probably has what you need. Make sure you have good fuel flow through the drain on the bottom of the carburetor.

With all that, I'd try starting it. If it starts, only run it for a few minutes at a time with the wiring as stated above.

Once it runs, you need to either switch to a 6-volt battery and reconnect the generator or properly convert to 12-volt. If you want to do more extensive running and checking it out before making that decision, add a ballast resistor at the primary feed to the ignition coil.
 
Thank you both for your assistance. I'm a double ought when it comes to being a mechanic.



I wanted to show you guys the plugs. All 4 looked pretty much the same. Dry Black Carbon is how I would describe it. Well shucks, the fourth picture was too blurry, but it the same as the others. They are champion D18Y. It's my understanding that it is suppose to be D21, Correct?

What should the gap be set to?
 

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D21 is a hotter plug and should have less carbon buildup. IMO if the engine is not going to be worked hard, a hotter plug works better.
 
I bought a compression checker today at harbor freight. It says M10, M12, M14, M18. Will this fit my Farmall SC? I hate to open the package and find out it was a waste of money. I was hoping someone would know. Thanks everyone.
 

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Yes. " M10, M12, M14, M18" means it fits 10, 12, 14, and 18 millimeter threads. Your tractor is 18mm (the largest adapter in the package).
 
Thanks Jim!

Doing my best to slowly and methodically work through this.

On a comedy note, the steering wheel is NASTY! Wife told me I looked like I had took a bath in charcoal.

There is a tutorial on here about wrapping it in non adhesive tape. I'm thinking if everything goes well with the compression check and we can get it running, the steering wheel may be one of the first things that gets attention. If not, wife may nickname me after that peanuts character pigpen.
 
I've seen worse plugs that seemed to work OK if cleaned up. But they could be a problem so I'd change them. Not only are they carboned up, the threads and gaskets look rusty. I would get a thread chasing tap and clean the plug holes in the head too.

D-18 was a standard plug choice in the first place, but for light use you would probably be better off with D-21s (or the equivalent in another brand).
 
I think he means something with pumice like Gojo or Fast Orange, etc.
Edit: I'm not familiar with Goop, so it might work too.
 
Got my first Boo Boo. Thought I'd put the plugs back in till I can get new ones. Rubbed oil on threads and proceeded to put them in. All went well till the last plug. It cross threaded on me. After a couple of turns, it got hard to turn, so I backed it out. Not sure what to do.
 

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You probably did more damage to the plug than the threads in the head. Same advise as before, chase the threads in the head to clean them up and put in new plugs. Be REAL CAREFUL to get the tap in straight!
 
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