Help Need some advice from experinced mechanics

[familyfarmer]

Well I am loving my tractor just got it last month I bought the 1941 Farmall right before back surgery so it has been a month I am allowed to piddle with it but nothing heavy so here I am with a question or two. I replaced the exhaust manifold with a new one this week and it is different from the old one with the threaded opening at the top do I measure up to get above the hieght of the hood with a threaded pipe on one end and attach the new IH muffler and flap I bought for it today? I have changed the oil and I want to take a chance and flush it with Kerosine from a guy at the local parts shop who said to fill it with 4 quarts of kero and run it for a couple of minutes and drain the mess out and after it drains for a while refill with oil and new filter. Reason being the oil is pretty cruddy and lots of gunk in the drain cap and the tractor has not been serviced at all in about 3 years. I just want it to run well and for the tractor to do what it used to do many years ago on my farm now since I was lucky enough to have bought our family farm a few years back. Any ideas advise I am going to take off the manifold now that I attached the new gasket to the manifold I want to go back and replace the bolts that attach the manifold to the head but again I am new to this turning a wrench on the old girl so any advice I will take it all. I am just happy to have the tractor home it is the same one my Mothers family had on our farm when she was 4 years old she is getting up there but it is funny to watch her eyes light up when she walks with me showing me where her faily did this or that with the farmall type tractor I just bought. I like it on account of I am not intimidated with the electronics and not being able to to bend over to access everything. With a Farmall you got the engine right there where you can see it. Adios and have a good evening I am trying to do a few things at a time to the tractor. Look forward to hearing any ideas

[DanR]

Slow down. What model is it?

[Steve Butram]

I would NEVER recommend running an engine with kerosene in the oil pan. Kerosene is not a intended to be a lubricant and can cause serious damage to the internal bearings.

Change out the oil and filter run it a few minutes until the engine reaches operating temp. Repeat thee process until the oil stays clean

[Rick Spivey]

Hey Familyfarmer,

I am over in Simpsonville, just a few miles away from you. I know something about Cubs, less about the other Farmalls.

However, I agree with Steve; I would never run an engine on kersoene. I used to hear old time mechanics talk about doing this, but have never seen it done. It "might" be alright to fill one with kerosene and crank it over a few times without starting it (low rpm, controlled time). But then why bother and take the chance. Oil is not really any more expensive than kerosene, why not just flush it with an extra oil change?

Let me know if I can be of help.

[cowboy]

The old timers used to use kero because that was one of the best cleaners they had. When I was a kid I used to run a quart or two of ATF in my engine oil to clean the engine. Now I use oil and add seafoam to the gas and oil as it not only cleans the engine but will free up stuck rings and help decarbon the engine.

Billy

[Jim Becker]

Exhaust manifold/pipe: Yes, use a pipe threaded on one end. Length depends on model. Cub pipe normally reaches well above hood, your description is about right for most other models. What model is it?

Engine cleaning: Don't use kerosene or any other home-brewed mixture. Besides the concerns already mentioned, sludge can loosen up in pieces and plug oil passages. Better to leave it alone than run it with kerosene. Use a commercial engine flush (BG Products has a good one.). Running detergent oil with a cleaning additive (like previously mentioned Seafoam) will gradually improve it. Doing all your changes with the engine thoroughly warmed up will help a lot.

Manifold bolts: If the manifold is held on with studs and nuts, consider closely whether you want to change out any studs. May be better to let sleeping dogs lie. Beware that studs may open to the water jacket. Depending on what engine and which stud, pulling the stud may start draining the coolant.

Related: After installing the manifold and carburetor, you need to recheck the governor to carburator linkage and possibly readjust it per the IH instructions.

[DanR]

to what the others have said about kerosene. When a tractor sits for a long time most of the crud will collect in the oil pan. Take it off and clean the pan. Then take off the valve cover and see how dirty it is. That will tell you whether to flush the engine or not. If you are dead set on flushing there are several products that are made just for that. Let us know.

[Phillip W. Lenke]

If you are putting a new pipe on , I extended ours longer than original , got tired of the exhaust fumes hitting me in the face , some may not have tis problem but I made it to suit me. To Tall Phil for cub exhaust.
My .02
Phil

[Don McCombs]

In a previous thread, he posted the serial number. That number indicates a Farmall A.