potential Farmall M rebuild questions

hoosierhog · Feb 5, 2015

looking at a few Ms for a project. Id like to keep it around when I'm done and use it a bit. raking and tending hay. But i really like it if i could use it to pull a disk or plow. i have a 3-14 pull type and a 10ish foot ih disc. both I want 45 hp on minimum. Just curious as to how much hp I would gain by boring out to 4 or 4 1/8 and sleeving the cylinders. I don't have an unlimited budget but keeping the M would be a bit more justified if it had a few more ponies.
how much hp can i add without tearing stuff up and how do you recommend doing it.

State of Jefferson · Feb 5, 2015

I think my '44 M must have high compression pistons cause it'll pull a 12' disc buried to the axles. Runs out of traction before power.
I'd just go with the thinner sleeves and upgraded pistons vs boring the block. Just don't think it's necessary.

Ben

fastfarmall · Feb 5, 2015

Every time you grind the valves, you lose a little bit of compression,so if u would put in new 4 in Fire Craters, or their equal, and a new set of valves, and true the head up a sniff you will surely have enough power to pull the equipment you mentioned. I pull a 13.5 Ft ,IH no 47 disk, with new blades, with a 12 big suitcase weight on the top, easy with my M.

kub6040 · Feb 5, 2015

I pull 12' disk with my M in 4th gear and 14' in 3rd, if yours won't pull a 12' in at least 3rd I would think it needed some help.

D beatty · Feb 5, 2015

Check the engine to see if somebody at some time may have put a 264 block in it.. If so you can put the 281 kit for a 450 in it. Which ever you do I would put fire crater kit in it.

mattwillson · Feb 5, 2015

My '50 M would pull a 12' disc or a 3x16 plow in high sand. It had a distillate head on it then too, which only gave it around 36hp.

Nebraska Cowman · Feb 5, 2015

Well, in the first place an M is a sleeved engine so you don't need to think about boring. If it were me, I'd see what it needs first. Maybe (and likely) the engine already has overbore pistons in it. If they look good you may be able to just hone the cylinders and install new rings.

truckerlary · Feb 5, 2015

Hoosierhog have I got a deal for you. I have a 49 M that has a newly rebuilt engine with 4 inch high domes. full time hydraulics, new tires all around, 3 point hitch, new paint, char-lyn power steering, and a 9 speed transmission. Has 1 set of rear weights that will go with the tractor. Tractor is 12 volt. You can't build one for what I'm asking. $4500 I live in central Indiana

pete 23 · Feb 5, 2015

An M's bore is 3 7/8 inch factory and a thick sleeve. Ninety percent or more have been overhauled with thin wall sleeves which give you a 4 inch bore. With a gasoline head and fire crater pistons you are looking at 50 horsepower. Flat head pistons right at 45.

hoosierhog · Feb 5, 2015

well I must say sounds like what I'm trying to build. And sounds like great tractor. But Im really looking for new project. I have not spent as much time in my shop this winter as I wanted to. I'm going back to school at Purdue studying agronomy. Between school and my 4 kids and wife my farm and shop time has been limited. Im ready to start a new project. And I have decided I want to rebuild a Farmall M this time.

fastfarmall · Feb 5, 2015

Trucker, send me a Email at [email protected] or call 612- 747- 0455

jaxx fan · Feb 5, 2015

hoosierhog, you want some power out of that thing, put 450 domed pistons, work your head over and be sure it has gas head. drill out carb jet a bit, put electronic ign. in dist and be sure dist springs are ok and shaft doesn't wobble. You will be able to do anythig you want to at about any speed you want to go. P.S be sure your radiator is good and clean.

John M · Feb 6, 2015

You cant use the 4 1/8 set without boring the block to accept the sleeves. Get a set of Firecraters or the high altitude pistons and sleeve for an M, a 450 gas head and cam, and tweek the timing some, youll get more than what you want. I really don't know if the cam makes a difference or not, but we replaced the one in Dads M when we replaced the head, since the the old cam looked shot and the lifters were wore pretty bad. We also used the Super M carb, and had to move the choke rod, but that was easy. Also has a propane intake. It dynode at 64, but the engine has had a lot of field time on it before it was checked, like 9 or 10 years of work, so Im sure it would have been a tad higher when it was first rebuilt.

dej(Jed) · Feb 6, 2015

Most any old M, short of a 39/40 distillate should handle a 10'IH disk and 3x 14 plows. Just tune it up and maybe do a carb rebuild.

hoosierhog · Feb 6, 2015

Thank you all for the information I am sure I will have lots of questions as my project continues.
Thank you all.

flyingfarmer28170 · Feb 6, 2015

I bought a 1948 M farmall last fall for a project to work on. I got it running and was driving it. I noticed that there was alot of difference between 4 and 5th gear. So I checked it. At full trottle it is going 5mph in 4th gear. It is going 15mph in 5th gear. The Super M does not have this wide of a spread between 4th and 5th and would be good if you will be raking hay, or maybe pulling a sprayer. Good Luck, John Springer

gene bender · Feb 7, 2015

So you are saying grinding the valves and removing maybe 10 thous will decrease compression.

potential Farmall M rebuild questions

hoosierhog

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State of Jefferson

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fastfarmall

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kub6040

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D beatty

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mattwillson

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Nebraska Cowman

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truckerlary

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pete 23

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hoosierhog

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fastfarmall

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jaxx fan

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John M

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dej(Jed)

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hoosierhog

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flyingfarmer28170

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gene bender

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