14 replies to this topic

[classic]

Well, the guy from the old time days show dropped off the Gibson parts tractor. No way is this going to be a parts tractor after digging into it. The engine was stuck, but just barely. A little oil and a tap on the piston top and it's free. The transmission is fine, but shows wear on the 1st reverse slider gear from grinding gears, but it will work fine. The rear axles were stuck, so I backed off the brake adjusters tapped on the studs and both axles freed up. I'm just going to change the fluid in the transmission and rear for now.
I found lots of issues with the engine, but none that are serious. The coil insulation in the mag oozed all over the rotor and made a mess. I removed the coil, and pulled the old gummy insulation off of it. I have a replacement coil, but I wanted to see if I could fix this. I used some thick rubber electrical tape and wrapped the coil with it. I cleaned the points and wire connections and got great spark after reassembly! Next was the old Stromberg carb. The throttle shaft seemed good and snug, but there was rust inside where the air cleaner tube connects. I was thinking that the carb filled with water and might be junk. Anyway, I took the carb apart and it was actually pretty good inside and the float looked good. I completely cleaned everything and used a spare gasket when reassembling the carb. I also had to replace the choke spring and I took that off of an NOS Stromberg carb that I found on ebay. I put the head back on temporarily just to check compression by hand and it wasn't that great. It turned out to be slightly pitted valve seats that were leaking, so I cut the seats, lapped in the valves, and set the valve lash. I put the head back on again, just snuggled it up. Wow, what a difference! Great compression now, so it's time to clean out the oil pan and oil pump screen. Now, this tractor must have sat in the weeds for many years. Old dried up vines weaved their way through the engine shroud and other places. The engine shroud is toast, but the guy that I bought it from said to stop by and pick up a good one. I should have the engine back together tomorrow for a test run and see how it sounds. I may even have the tractor ready to go, too. Someone drove the front axle pivot pin inward, trying to remove the front axle. I'll have to remove the engine mounting plate and drive the pin back in place. It may go easy, or it could take all day. Here's a few pics of the relic.

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[classic]

This is why I never just try to fire up these old engines without pulling the pan. There's 1/2" of thick sludge in the pan restricting the oil pump pickup screen. The bottom end of this engine is in excellent shape and I could have ruined it. The rod is snug on the crank, no excessive crank or cam end play, and no wobbly governor gear. The connecting rod is bone dry by the wrist pin, so I'll oil everything real good with the pan off and the engine upside down. It should be a good running engine, but if it smokes, I'll hone it .010 over and install a new piston and rings.

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[MNGB]

Good Morning Classic, that trans looks good for sitting looks like it has synchronizer's  yes it was a very good thing you dropped the oil pan that sludge looks nasty but the engine looks good inside, the leaking coil sure looks messy can't belive that it still works after cleaning it up.

[classic]

Good morning GB. Yes, synchros for second and third in these T96 transmissions. I got the front axle pivot pin back in place and locked it down. I just disassembled the clutch pulley assembly and the Timken bearings look fine. I'm just packing everything with fresh grease and oil right now. The engine is clean now and there is very little wear on the oil pump plunger. I have another one of those gummy coils that I'll fix the same way if this one holds up. There's nothing in the way of getting this old machine up and running today. It's hard to say how many years it's been since it last ran, but it's been a while. I have a good shroud to use for the engine for now, but I'll replace it with one that matches the worn look of the tractor. I think I will leave this tractor as is and just clean it up a little.

[classic]

Putting the engine back together now with everything cleaned up good. Here's the coil with the new insulation on it, GB.

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Edited by classic, August 27, 2017 - 11:51 AM.

[MNGB]

Looking good, did the outer plastic cover on the coil split and let the insulation come out? On Bendix aircraft mags I use to work on that's wwhat they would do.

[Gtractor]

That's a great looking Gibson.    

 

"Parts Tractors" in your part of the country look much different than in mine.

 

Around here, parts machines look like they been sitting in the same spot until the earth swallowed them.  Many decades later some unsuspecting dozer operator unearthed the deeply pitted and almost non-existent cast pieces, breaking them into an unrecognizable, unweldable  jigsaw puzzle, while the sheet metal pieces have simply returned to the earth. 

Then a "flipper" gets his hands on the item and takes it to a swap meet where he wants $1500.oo for the item because he saw a totally restored one sell for $1750.oo. 

[Gtractor]

double posted for some reason

 

Its storming bad here 

Edited by Gtractor, August 27, 2017 - 12:45 PM.

[classic]

Thanks guys. Well, I just took it for a ride to the end of the driveway to check the mail. The engine sounds fine and no smoke. I took the gas tank from my other Gibson since I need to clean out the original one. I was running out of daylight and had to hear this engine run. The transmission, rear end and driveshaft look and sound good with no issues.
GB, there is no plastic outer cover on these coils. I've seen some old Briggs coils have a meltdown like this, too.

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[jimbobbillyray]

Awesome!    Glad to see it is not a parts tractor!  

 

you know, some video of this old girl going to the mail box would be great to see too.....

Edited by Delmar, August 27, 2017 - 07:36 PM.

[oldiron1]

Wow, looks great Classic! It's hard to believe it just came out of a many year hibernation. As always, you don't waste any time! :)

 

Rob

[classic]

Thanks Rob. I was determined to get this tractor up and running this past weekend and it was done to the wire. I couldn't get the engine to stop surging no matter how I adjusted the carburetor. I swapped out the mag and double checked the governor adjustment, but it still surged. I decided to bolt on the NOS carb that I had on hand and it runs like a top now. There must be a blockage in the original carb somewhere, so I'll take it apart again and check it out. The throttle shaft has almost no play, so that's not the problem. At least it's running real nice now and I'm cleaning the varnish out of the original tank and man does it stink. I thought the bottom of the tank was rusty inside, but luckily it's just gummy varnish. I'll put the original tank back on tomorrow. I took a ride over to the guys house that I bought the Gibson from to see if he had a good shroud for it, but no luck. He did have a complete Wisconsin AEH in great condition, so I'm picking that up later this week when he digs it out. Now I can just clean the green paint off of the shroud that I put on this Gibson and leave it on it. I'm still going to search for an AEH shroud in worn original paint to put on this machine, though.
I would take a video of the Gibson running Delmar, but I'm running out of storage space on my phone. I'll post a video when I clear this phone out.

[LilysDad]

A great story, Classic, you remind me of a story about Inuits who found a tractor in an old mining camp. It had a busted glass fuel filter. They whittled a wooden globe to replace it and drove it home. Likewise you seem to be a real shade tree mechanic.

 

Yes, I agree to leaving it the color it is. The whole thing has great lines; the axle, steering and all.

[classic]

Cool story about the wooden fuel filter bowl, LilysDad. Shade tree mechanical work is a fun hobby. It gets you thinking about how to repair things rather than just replace them. There was an old farmer up the road when I was a kid and he had a 29 Chevy doodle bug that he made way back. He would cut hay down the road in the moonlight when it was cool with a hand scythe. He would pull an old wagon made from wooden poles behind the doodle bug and hand fork the hay onto it. The doodle bug had the old inline 6 engine in it, but it had no valve cover on it. He would stop in front of our garage and squirt the rockers with an oil can since the oil pump was weak. We would jump on the back of the hay wagon as he passed our house on his way home. It would always be near dark, so we would only stay on the wagon for a short time. We didn't want to have to run home in the pitch black since that's when the monsters came out, HA! What a great time we had as kids...

Edited by classic, August 28, 2017 - 05:35 PM.

[classic]

Well, I've been using the Gibson since September and haven't had any problems with it. I've been riding the tractor a mile down the road to the property across the road from the house where I grew up. I've made four round trips so far and it's been fun. I bumped into a few neighbors along the way and they got a real kick out of the old tractor. The front tires are dry rotted badly and to the point of where I don't trust them. I've been looking for a decent pair of old original tires and I finally found a pair of Good year try rib tires with the diamonds on the sidewalls. These will match the rear Good Year tires, so I'm happy with that. I just don't want to put brand new tires on this old relic, since I plan on just maintaining it and not restoring it.
Remember the old farmer that I mentioned in my last post? Well, I was talking to my brother in my parents garage (the garage the farmer would stop in front of with the doodle bug) and I noticed a pic on the garage wall. It was the old farmer standing by the small barn door of his barn. A while back, I stopped with the Gibson in that same spot and snapped a pic. Anyway, here are both pics. That row of rickety out buildings in my picture is right in front of the stone wall you see in the pic of the old farmer. The door that the farmer is opening has long been replaced. I remember that door had a name and date carved in it, E.S. Goodwin 1923, and that's him in the pic.

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