I just do not know where this year has gone to, it only seems like a few weeks since I was filling everything up with water in the Spring and getting tractors and machines out and ready for various shows and events this year.

As our USA Massey visitors from Iowa left on Thursday this weekend I have been "winterising" all my tractors except the red Pacemaker which is heading to the last show of the season this coming weekend.

We all have different individual ways of doing this, some based from experiences in the past, but the end of the day all our individual approaches puts our treasured tractors in care for the winter months.

So my weekend has been spent in this way:-

1. Running the tractor to get oil splashed around the inside of the engine.

2. Draining the water from the radiator and engine block whilst still warm, making sure there is no blockage in the taps with a piece of wire. (doing it this way the internal water passages soon dry from the heat of the engine)

3. After draining always crank engine for at least two compressions (My dad always insisted on this to ensure all water is out of the water pump)

4. Drain any petrol from the small starting tank and any kerosene from the larger tank into a container. (this mixture will be used next year in the Kerosene tank) Remove the sediment bowl glass, empty & clean out the glass bowl and refit.

5. Leave radiator and cylinder block taps open, also leave the carburettor fuel bowl drain tap open slightly.( this allows air to pass through to evaporate any residue of fuel left in there)
 
6. After a few days when all the oil in the sump as settled, just release the oil drain plug almost to the end and see if there is any water / condensation runs passed the threads before oil appears.

7.The few tractors I have on rubber tyres are monitored throughout the winter and re pressurised should they become flat, ( I don't like to see tractors sat with flat tyres)

All my petrol / kerosene tractors are completely drained of water in the winter, this is due to the fact that in 1987 after the full restoration of my red Pacemaker, I decided to winterise it anti freeze, thinking it was the best way to go, well on the first start up after painting, coolant shot up the exhaust, so I had to remove the cylinder head again, and could see where water /anti freeze had tracked across a slight flaw in one side of the copper gasket face.
I have never put  anti-freeze in an old tractor since that experience, but fully understand all the comments regarding water pump seals drying out. Although I do find in the spring they may drip for a while but soon take up once they are soaked again, or a tap of adjustment on the brass gland nut.

The tractors are now ready for winter but I must say I am NOT, its all come around far too quickly.

Malcolm.

With the forecast for a hard freeze, last weekend I did my annual coolant check of all the tractors.  Since I am a spreadsheet junkie, I printed out my spreadsheet from last year and tested every tractor in the barns for freeze protecion level.  There is typically very little change from one year to the next, but still worth checking,  

I run Prestone ethylyne glycol coolant in all of my running tractors.  50/50 mix of the concentrate with water.  I have never had anything bad come from running the antifreeze coolant.  There are several that will see use over the winter.  Those have to have antifreeze coolant.  Plus there is some beneficial corrosion inhibitor in the coolant. 

On the nice "original" tractors, I have been using a mixture of WD-40 and cheap engine oil to coat the tractor and protect the patina. 

Most of the rubber tired tractors get the tires aired up during the annual "Start/Run/Move week.  There are a few that tend to leak down that I have to refill occasionally over the winter. 

So, that's what happens here in Central Indiana.

Cheers,

JB

John,

I like your elevated photo across your barn, but I really must say the one green and yellow tractor poking it's nose in the picture really looks "out of place" and hopefully it feels threatened too from all the red, yellow and grey stable mates.

Great Winterising in Central Indiana.

Malcolm.

I’ve got 3 of my tractors still on 6volt and I have two battery maintainers that work on 6volt so I rotate one every month between two tractors, the third one stays on my 2n with rear blade that I use to plow snow with!!!  Those group 1 6 volt batteries have gotten so expensive and the maintainers have sure helped extend their life, so it seems anyhow!!!  Thinking as they go the tractors will get switched over to 12 volt!!!!   I know it’s not very “authentic” but it is what it is!!  

Having everything on 12V sure does make things easier. I have found (at least on my two) that 6V was not enough juice to engage the starter. That and at least in this area, its hard to find a 6V charger. See on the Deere I could have the generator converted to 12V so I kept the "orginality" of it and no one would know thw difference unless they asked. As for the 55, that particular generator couldnt be converted to 12V so I did have to put an alternator on it.

   I installed alternators but I kept and labeled all the generators and regulators so
if ever sold one new owner could put it back to original!   Other problem with generators is nobody local can (or will) test them anymore and both generators & regulators (if you can find good regulators) are very very expensive!!  I like originality as much as anyone but seems u alternators are showing up more & more!!!  

Theres a local shop here in town that will test and rebuild generators. Its not cheap but they are about the only ones that are local that still do that kind of stuff.