Need A Case Expert

[Brent]

I looked at a 1937-39 Case L on rubber today. Everything is there, sheet metal is ok, tool box is even there, needs tires all the way around. It supposedly runs but the fellow that has it now is afraid to crank it. He traded it for firewood recently and said the previous owner started it for him and it ran well. Two questions:

1. What would it be worth.

2. I want to start it but am not familiar with it. It appears to have an advance/retard pull rod to the mag. Any one out there that can tell me the starting procedure so I don't break my arm or worse?

[Jim Becker]

An unfamiliar hand-crank tractor? Use another tractor and pull start it. I wouldn't crank it until I was sure of the ignition timing.

Can't help with the other questions.

[Rudi]

Brent:

I did a google search, ah yeah, I figured you might have already, but was curious to see what would come up....

Not much in the way of tractors - everything else but

Tried:

1937-1939 Case L
1937-1939 Case L Tractor
1937-1939 Case Model L Tractor

and about a dozen other permutations -- still zip, nada, nyet, nuddink...

I have a feeling the Case Forum over at YTMag might be of some help???

[Eugene]

Actually I think you can figure it out.

Pull and push the advance/retard rod and watch the action of the distributor or distributor advance. Remove the distributor cap. Ground out the magneto kill switch. Rotate the engine and watch the rotor rotation.

When starting the engine you want to retard the spark - fire the mag as late as possible - TDC. After starting you want to advance the spark - firing before TDC.

Most likely, Pull the rod out to start the engine. After starting, advance (push) the rod to the normal resting position.

Good luck and don't break an arm.

What's it worth. ???? Find out how many cords of wood the current owner traded for the tractor, probably not many. My guess is that the current owner has about $250- invested.

Eugene

[Brent]

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll use Jim's method and pull start it. I don't know why I didn't think of that. It's in a field a mile long. We're leaving on a trip and I don't want to go in a cast!