Inherited a '51 Farmall C - Not sure where to start.

jvermast

Member
All the fella told me is that it needs a new carb, plugs, wires, cap and ignition coil, meaning he used them on another tractor and they are completely missing. It's in fairly good shape and has new tires all around.

Before I go out and pick those parts up, where should I even start? I am a pretty handy guy but (woodworker) but mechanic work and engines have never presented an opportunity for me to work on them. This is my chance!
 
The first thing I would do is buy an owners manual. You can get them from Binder Books. Everything else parts wise can be purchased off this site or other sites that specialize in old tractors. Any questions you have or need advise, post your question on this site. The advise flows deep and there is lots of it. The people on here know their stuff.
 
This site will sell those parts and more. They are good, and reasonable. Asking questions here is great. A repair manual (also
from here) is valuable. Jim
 
Before I would start buying parts, I believe that I would see if the engine would turn over,
and if it does, I'd do a compression test. If a valve dropped through a piston, the last
thing you'll need is a carb, and ignition parts. Might even want to fill the cooling system
and see if it will hold pressure. Could have a cracked block, or head. That guy wouldn't
have pulled those parts off a good, running tractor.
 
When it comes to the carb, most don't like the Zenith, but I have one on a '52 SC and it's been ok.
 
Yep, you're right. I was going by memory, which is a bad thing to go by anymore. When I checked the written notes I put in my parts book, I find the opposite to what I first posted. It's Zenith or Marvel Schebler that most prefer over Carter. However, it is a Carter that I have and though mine is now relegated to tractor ride duty, I have no complaints about my Carter.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone.

Part of my issue I am located in Canada, shipping costs from sites like this are insane. A local tractor supply basically said I'd have to use the internet for parts.

Is there a decent supplier like this site in Canada that someone can send me?
 
(quoted from post at 22:59:53 02/20/18) I was told that Carter Carb's are the bad one's, and that Zenith was the better Carb.

Exactly. Go for the Zenith. Marvel-Schebler is another good choice, maybe better than the Zenith, but not as popular.
 
YT won't ship outside of the US, so no solution there anyway. You can probably get most or all parts through a CNH dealer. Steiners from the US will ship to Canada. Try IHC club, Chapter 20 (ON). They might have a line on
suppliers.
 
Being in Canada has its disadvantages. It's either expensive to ship from the US or the dollar exchange will kill you. I have used Diamond
Tractor Parts in Ontario for a lot of my purchasing. They are agents for A&I, Steiner as well as others. NAPA for some things but not as good as
the US ones.
 
Sorry don't know of any places in Canada, but my guess is if you do find one the shipping will be cheaper but the parts prices will be much higher because the vendor had to get them shipped from the States. It's a matter of pay-me-now-or-pay-me-later...
 
Ontario Used Tractor Parts is a great guy to deal
with. He is a Stiener dealer plus he has lots of
old Farmalls scrapped. Hope this helps. Kent
 
(quoted from post at 19:17:04 02/21/18) Ontario Used Tractor Parts is a great guy to deal
with. He is a Stiener dealer plus he has lots of
old Farmalls scrapped. Hope this helps. Kent

Thanks, Kent! email sent to OUTP
 
(quoted from post at 03:23:28 02/22/18)
(quoted from post at 19:17:04 02/21/18) Ontario Used Tractor Parts is a great guy to deal
with. He is a Stiener dealer plus he has lots of
old Farmalls scrapped. Hope this helps. Kent

Thanks, Kent! email sent to OUTP
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Steve Radford is his name and he is about 4 miles west of Londesboro, ON. I have found his prices are considerably better than Steiner's advertised US price plus exchange. He and Neil Haugh do a lot of bulk buying from Steiner and they get a volume discount. They also do their own trucking and brokerage.
 
Got some pictures for you fellas, at first glance definitely missing a carb, ingition coil, generator, battery, air filter and possibly need to replace the entire distributor as it's laying apart...

https://imgur.com/a/3Ca65
[/img]
 
(quoted from post at 03:17:04 02/22/18) Ontario Used Tractor Parts is a great guy to deal
with. He is a Stiener dealer plus he has lots of
old Farmalls scrapped. Hope this helps. Kent
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Steve Radford is a good guy to buy parts from at Ontario Used Tractor Parts. In case he doesn't have the parts you need there is also Teeswater Agro parts at Teeswater (519-392-6111) and Fawcett's at St Mary's. Both of these outfits run large salvage yards and can help you if you need them.
 
(quoted from post at 01:40:02 02/21/18) All the fella told me is that it needs a new carb, plugs, wires, cap and ignition coil, meaning he used them on another tractor and they are completely missing. It's in fairly good shape and has new tires all around.

Before I go out and pick those parts up, where should I even start? I am a pretty handy guy but (woodworker) but mechanic work and engines have never presented an opportunity for me to work on them. This is my chance!

loren offered very good advice. first , check out the mechanical parts of teh engine. compression, leaks, etc. possible someone nearby will help you with some of this. do not buy anything, until the engine checks out. you can buy a running tractor cheaper than you can rebuild
 
Twenty years ago my dad's best friend bought a C in much the same condition as yours. Missing ignition parts and wires, carb in a box. He went to the local IH house, got parts he thought he needed.

The motor had ZERO compression and bottom end (main bearings) were badly worn. Cost of new motor was much more than his cost of tractor. He ran it over the sales and junked it.

As stated, be sure motor turns over and no major problems before buying parts.
 

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