Hello from Colorado

welcome to the forum.

Looks like you are off to a good start.                          MACK

JohnColo wrote: Hi Ster1, Welcome to the forum!  I'm north of you near Niwot.  I bid on that tractor yesterday, $526 was my high bid.  Figured the tires were worth that but don't really need another tractor, have 35 AC's already.  It should be a good tractor with a bit of work.  I think it had a trencher on the back, but maybe it was a backhoe.  Those two carriages brought good money and $2600 for a VW Rabbit pickup seemed a bit rich to me.  The box trucks were cheap enough and someone got a real deal on those 4 semi boxes with thousands of bucks of electric supplies for just over $1000. I think having to get everything out by Friday afternoon didn't help prices, plus the ride down Floyd Hill.   I hate Rollers buyers fee and 3% credit card fee.

Hi John! You probably didn’t miss a good deal, those tires are dry rotted and torn in a few spots. Yeah they hold air - that’s their saving grace. The pickup was awful. The “yard” was way back in rich people country and once you got on the property, the “roads” were steep and tight. The yard was so small, really only one guy at a time could get a rig back there to load up. The guy who got the dump truck was right before me and took hours. My appointment was at 10, but I had to wait ‘till noon. The roller guys there were helpful, but they really couldn’t do much, or knew anything about the lots. Lots of guys stacked up waiting, by the time I got out of there. I’ve done this before, snd I’m glad I set all day fir jobs like this. What a day!

In looking at the site on Google earth and the location being where it was and time allowed to pick up items made it an easy decision not to bid higher or bid on one of the trucks.  I thought about that Ford with the Swartz implement bed.  The steel plate on it was worth over a thousand $ and the bed would be handy even if the truck was junk.  Did you find the missing hood for the tractor?  I need one for a D15 I have and they are kind of rare.  I don't think you were hurt on the price but I'm glad it was you spending most of the day picking it up instead of me!

I did not find the missing hood. I looked all around that tiny little area, and I didn’t feel like wandering around all over the place. It coulda been anywhere. The lever is on the left, not the right. I’m thinking that is forward / reverse, because there’s no reverse gear in the transmission. At least I hope that’s how ya reverse it. I mixed up a batch of 50/50 ATF and diesel, and shot that into the cylinders. Hoping that will get er to turn. If not, it’s not the end of the world. That engine is apparently sleeved. Piece of cake to rebuild.

It is a sleeved engine, depending on damage it may not be too bad. Was the exhaust covered or left open to the elements? A lot depends also how long since it was run and condition it was left in when it was stopped being used.

After a few days of squirting oil into the spark plug holes, and even dragging the tractor while in gear, I decided to pull the head today. Water was still in the exhaust manifold, snd the center 2 cylinders were seized. I was able to feel slight movement on the outer 2 when I rocked the machine, so they seem like they’d move. What bothers me, is with the outer 2 being loose and the inner 2 seized, and with the head off, when I rock the machine, I would assume those middle 2 sleeves would bust loose. They didn’t. That is a bit troubling. I haven’t taken the pan off yet, but that’s going to happen soon.

Thanks for saving another A-C!  Many of us on here, jump for joy when this happens.  Don't get discouraged, we'll be here to provide encouragement.  Good luck!  Thanks again for saving another!!

Making progress on the D15

https://youtu.be/AlHztLmcJqU