My mistake gets even bigger....

Ok, so I bought a tractor. The 2-155 from Smith Grain and Cattle Company in Missouri. I linked to it a while back.
None of the neighbor's have figured it out. All Whites look alike to them. The CarQuest delivery guy notice right away.
I did not go and look at it before I bought it. However, I would not have caught the serious problems.
I got it for $20,000. It had a leak under the cab and the tin and the paint is not so good.
I called the guy and asked him if it used oil, had lots of blow-by, if the front end had been worked on. If you all remember it did have a new clutch, PTO, and FWA seals repaired and it ran great. In fact if it didn't sell he would keep it and use it next year.

No excessive use of oil--- USES three quarts a day. Bad head gasket.
New Clutch, Has a lot of free play but I haven't adjusted it yet.
New PTO, haven't used it
New Seals in the FWA-Right front leaks. I called him and he said they always leak in road gear.

I just discovered the right CV joint is out.  CV joints are $5,000 each. It did not fail in the last 100 hours.

There are more problems but that is all for today.

Called to see if Case-Credit would give me the service I would have go with my VISA card, or PayPal, or ebay. I found out no...

Did not call Mr. Smith. Don't really see the point. I am so screwed....

Have a nice day.

PayPal donations accepted, but just make them in $1,000 increments please.

Got to plant 20 acres today, don't really see the point in going after the other 2-155 which is a half hour away. The new 2-155 still runs. I just put it all back together and came in to sit a spell.

My mistake

I've been worried about the tractor that Orin should have. I'm starting to think perhaps it would not be nice to give it to him. I'm thinking the whole misadventure was a mistake.
When it gets to 70 degrees outside, when I run it wide open around 2,200 rpm, when I have a long steady pull, it starts to knock. It sounds like it is coming from the top-end. If I idle down a little and/or shift down a step, or if I stop for a while and let it cool down, it quits knocking. The temp gauge rarely goes over 165 degrees, but it does climb to 170 under a heavy load.
So, I went to plant Monday morning and as I was checking the oil level and also wondering where all the oil that runs down the side of the engine was coming from, I found this...

Antifreeze on the side of the block.
I checked the radiator. It was a gallon low, it holds like eight gallons so that was not really a problem. There was a film of oil on top of the water. When I filled it and then started the tractor antifreeze started running out of the drain. I got a good pint out of it.
I took the radiator cap off and let it warm up.
Periodically I would get a large bubble. Not the usual little tiny bubbles that I've noticed with a bad head gasket, but every couple minutes one big bubble would come up.
I don't know...
Found a running Army Truck engine in Round-up MT. Just need to change the manifolds, turbo, oil filters, front cover, and injector pump. Or I could buy a school bus and put an 8.3 cummins in it. Or I could paint the hoods and swap the new tires and put it on Craigslist, or I could take my wife's advice and move to Panama City Beach.
But those are long range plans.
In the short range,
I dropped down a gear range and ran in third high instead of fourth direct. Monday was a little cooler. It didn't knock so bad. Don't think it used a gallon of oil like I did Saturday.
I planted 55 acres. It was not too bad a production rate as I had to load thirty-eight bags of peas into the drill every 11.3 acres.
I found an IH truck for Ralph. It is a nice one.

In a side note I like planting much more than baling hay. At this point I only plant for people who I know. Almost all of them have been friends in one degree or another, or at least the sort you wave at when you see them in the field. I'm usually helping them do something they can't do, or don't have time to do themselves, generally they are happy.
Baling hay is always a struggle, people seem to think they are in danger of getting ripped off, it is hot, it might rain, I have to deal with employees....
And now I am going to make some pig feed.
260 acres done, 150 acres to go. Wish I had another 500 acres, need the money for a new tractor...

Ideas for projects

So I got this Ford Ranger 4wd pickup. Have been thinking of things to use it for. I found this hydraulic pump with an electric clutch that is set up for a serpentine belt.
But it cost $500 and I will NEVER actually get it installed.
I want to add hydraulics to the pickup as I've been given a sprayer which will fit in the back of the pickup. I could put a hydraulic powered centrifugal pump (like I have to run the fertilizer on the grain drill) and have a sprayer I could spray thistles at Muddy Valley.
AND, I could power the Allen v-rake which is hydraulic powered. It would free up a tractor.
But of course it won't get done. To many other jobs to do.
I think I need a better helper.

Driving by FarmerGPS

If you have ever wondered what it is like to drive by a computer screen....

Having some problems with the accuracy. I just have a little Garmin 18 USB. I bought it for $35. It is not quite the same as a $2000 Novatel antenna.
Sort of like, 10 foot accuracy for a drill on 7.5" spacing. But it gets me sort of close.
Notice there is a little bit of a climb and a little sidehill.
Planting peas. The peas are for seed but the seed will eventually be used to sprout and then people eat the sprouts.

2-155 PTO removal

I was not a big fan of White tractors back when it mattered. I was mad at the company for discontinuing the Minneapolis-Moline line and it took the desperation of not having a tractor to get me to switch from Moline to White.
In fact, I came very close to buying a Case/IH 7140 instead of a 2-155 White.
After owning the 2-155 for a number of years I've changed my mind. Brands that appeared to have more features and seemed like better tractors have proved to be incredibly expensive to own in the long term.
New tractors are overly complicated and too hard for a bottom feeder sort of farmer to repair. My 2-155 and 2-135 are a little hard on fuel usage but are easy to work on and have a 3-spd power shit and PTO that you can remove without having a degree in tractor mechanics and a full featured shop.
And it doesn't take $35,000 to overhaul the powershift.
It took me an afternoon to pull the PTO and three hours to put it back in. Not including the trip to get the book which I forgot to bring with me the first time.
Overhauling the PTO was delegated to my brother. I've worked on them before and they are not terribly difficult.
To pull the PTO you first drain the hydraulic oil. Have six open top five gallon buckets and a helper. The oil comes out pretty fast. Also, remember to take all the buckets out from underneath the tractor before moving it after finishing the job. Five gallons makes a big mess on the shop floor.
Remove the oil lines to the PTO.
I then pulled two bolts out of the cover and replaced them with longer bolts that had the heads removed.  I also put a piece of 1/4" flat bar on top of the hitch bracket. This way you can pull the PTO straight back.
You also have to remove the bolts that hold the three point arm guides as the bolt head will keep you from pulling the PTO straight back.
I removed the rest of the bolts, slid the PTO straight back and then hooked a chain through the top link hole on the PTO housing.
Removal is the reverse.
I used my guides and the 1/4" plate and you can just slide the PTO in.
There is a short PTO shaft that is kind of a Pain to align. It is spring loaded so you have to be careful to to lose anything.
I also changed the Transmission oil filter. When I refilled the transmission I also filled the transmission oil filter. The hydraulics didn't even howl when I started the tractor up.
If you hold the brake pedal down slightly it will circulated the hydraulic oil and is a good way to get the air out of the lines. Also, rails and lower the three-point arms several times.
After getting it all done I discovered hydraulic oil bubbling out of the top of the remote valve body. I have three remotes which makes the repair of this assembly a pain in the bottom.
A project for another day.
And now I am going to go plant something.
Have a nice day.

A random thought on a Sunday

I have had a couple discussions about guns with a few neighbors who were avid supporters of our dear leader.

I find it quite amusing. There are two statements I keep hearing: "oh they will never take peoples guns away!" and the conversation continues to were I then learn they are getting a concealed carry permit or hoarding ammunition and 20 round mags. And so I try to point out humor which is met with, "Well, I'm not giving up mine..."

There is a disconnect between what we want to believe and what we actually think. Very interesting.

Sort of like the number of dedicated anti-GMO and self proclaimed supporters of our dear leader who sell produce and eggs which they label "Organic," but they are not.

I think it is a bit funny and quite a bit annoying.

I'm opposed to everything.

Loosing my mind?

Sort of like the George Clinton album, "Free Your Ass and Your Mind Will Follow."
Wonder if it works with donkeys?
Get it? Loosing your mind, widening your horizons, George Clinton, Balaams Ass, um perhaps my free association thoughts don't quite work like yours...
Apparently "loosing your mind" starts with your spelling abilities. Who would have thunk?