Robert
Because you are reading this article, then its clear that you have an interest in vintage tractors.

Make sure that your tractor performs all the basic tasks properly, so check the steering, gears, forward and reverse, PTO, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you plan to work on it straightaway, you probably won’t be interested in a full renovation for some time and need to reduce the number of upfront jobs. Your check list should included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. If you don’t have these tools, don’t panic as these tools can end up costing more than the tractor itself.. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.

How easily does it start from cold? – A tractor that starts easily from cold may eliminate several items in one shot Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn’t start quickly, it still may be a good machine but you won’t escape some work on it. One thing you should be watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up when you arrived, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..

How does it run when warm – Getting it hot is a must if you want to find out how it will work after you plowed the first row. There a number of problems to watch out for that can cause the tractor to run poorly after it warms up. You should run it for al least half an hour. Look for leaks, antifreeze and both oil. Once warmed up, stop it restart it again..

How well do the brakes work – Although the brakes are inexpensive to replace, they are difficult to get at on many tractors and will require extensive teardown to get the new ones in.

Does it generate a lot of – Blue smoke means a repair job like rings, pistons, or valve guides. Smoke that looks black or white can often be fixed with carburetion or ignition changes but still means work.

Does the engine run smoothly – A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve readjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would show very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load. This may be a sign of problems with the bearings, crankshaft or piston rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.

Use the hydraulics – Check the full extent of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load stand in the hold situation for a period of time to be sure that there is no leakdown. Clacking noises from the pump while lifting suggest the pump is getting insufficient flow of hydraulic oil. The pump may have experienced excessive wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be about to fail.

While some of the above examples may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research make sure you are aware of the particular issues the model of tractor you are looking at before you buy.



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