Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

Somewhere along the way I’ve realized projects seem to have away of finding me. Here’s the latest example.
This is what I believe to be a 1947 2N
The PO said it has been sitting in that spot for around 5 years and it wouldn’t run right when parked. He didn’t have time for it anymore and wanted it gone.

Naturally I couldn’t help myself and brought it home Saturday morning! Looking it over it really seems complete. I had to find out about that extra lever on the side. thats a Sherman hi-low transmission! I was very excited to see if I could get it to pop off so I dragged it into the shop and took the hood off. Checking thing over the first thing I saw was I had no spark. Further investigation lead me to a bad wire and the gasket between the coil and distributor had gotten folded over and was preventing spark. Easy fix. I put my thumb over the spark plug hole and crank the engine over. It has good compression!
I went ahead and pulled the carburetor off and went through it. it has some cobwebs in it from sitting but all in all looked good. I reassembled everything and fill the bowl with gas and it started right up!
But no oil pressure! I shut it down quickly and talked to a friend of mine who is a Ford tractor guy. With his instructions I was able to prime the oil pump. Success! I had thought this would be a nice project to work on, I had no idea it would take off so easily. I’ve been driving it around all day and it seems to work fine I guess the next step will be to put a load on it and see how it does!
Sat in a field for 5 years and only took an afternoon in the shop and it back in running condition.
Knock on wood that it’s good to go!

This is my first Ford tractor and I have to say so far I like it!

Nice addition. They are pretty simple little tractors. We had a 8n with the Serman step up for a while, it would go way faster in forth than a tractor should go. I don't know how many of the 'N's my father has fixed or rebuilt so if you run into something, I know a guy.

Dad use to talk about Ford 8N and 9N tractors with added step up transmissions used to give the tractors about twice the road speed. I can't imagine trying to hold one between the ditches at that speed, or even staying on the seat for that matter. A quick look at this link https://fordtractorcollectors.com/sherman-products/ shows that there was also a step down version made by Sherman. Sherman was not the only aftermarket transmission supplier for the Fords.

@Timj @Spike188
Thanks Tim I’ll have to keep you dad in mind if I run into trouble.

Thanks for the link Eugene. This one is a step up. This tractor is a 3 speed, or I guess 6 speed with the Sherman.
I’ve tried 1st low and hi, 2nd low and hi, 3rd low. I don’t have the guts or the space for 3rd hi!

I’m kinda doing a crash course in old Ford tractors!

New project, exciting! And it works good too. If it were met I'd probably just put new fluids and a fuel filter and use it for a while.

That's awesome! Love it when it's an easy fix. Gotta love the simplicity of the old machines compared to what we have today. That Sherman setup sounds crazy, I'd be careful when shifting too lol.

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Great old tractors. Similar to my TEA20 Ferguson. I think some of those Sherman gear boxes were step up and down. So you had 9 gears forward and 3 reverse. Ferguson tractor had a similar set up. But was called a Howard. Can’t remember all the details.
Nice to get some like that Jeff.

Noel

Nice score Jeff and thanks for the interesting story of your fixing the old Ford. Also thanks to everyone else with the added interesting info about tranny’s. Harry

I'm pretty sure Howard also made the auxillary trans for the N series. There is a third maker that eludes me. Sadly, no aux on my machine.
The N series does a nice job cutting grass. They're excellent with a plow as well. They're geared a little high for a lot of jobs, but, people did those jobs with them anyway...

I've got an 8N. My uncle cuts all the grass for the most part with it all summer. It's been a pretty rock solid machine for us for 50+ years at this point.

Grass cutting is it's retirement hobby. We used to push it pretty hard with a plow in the spring, and overloaded dump trailer loads of firewood every fall. It also does snow clearing with a back blade when the snow isn't over 6". It could do more, but I switch to the loader at that point.

If you decide to put any PTO implements on it, get yourself an over running clutch for it. You can stomp the clutch, and brakes all you want if you've got a heavy PTO load going, and the tractor isn't going to stop moving. The over run setup takes care of that nightmare.

I expect you'v found this already, but there are 3 fuel filters on the N series. One in the tank, then the fuel bowl, and finally on the elbow that leads in to the carb. The one in the tank can be a pain if it plugs. I use some low pressure compressed air from the fuel bowl up to clear that. The other two are easy to get at. Also, the fuel tank cap isn't vented. Just something to be aware of if you have fuel flow issues. The tank itself is vented up under the hood, and they will clog up. I put a vent hole in my fuel cap, so no longer an issue.

@Toolslinger mowing, blade work and trailers are exactly what I had in mind for this tractor!

Luck this tractor has an overrunning clutch already installed on the PTO.

Thanks for the info on the fuel system I did go through it. Surprisingly the gas tank it exceptionally clean and I’ve been running the tractor quite a bit since Saturday, I don’t have any junk in the sediment bowl yet!

So far the only issue I have found is a ticking in the engine. I still need to check the valve lash. And I’ll probably need to make a gasket for one small oil leak. Not to bad at all!

You should start looking for front wheel weights. The N's are awfully light machines, and if you hang a 5' brush hog off the back, steering can become exciting. There's really no good way to put weight up front other than the wheels. The grill guards that are available really aren't intended to hang weights. Finding the 19" wheel weights took me a bit of time (I think you've got the 19's, and not the 16" wheels at any rate), and I don't recall if there's anything that makes mounting them on the big 5 lug hubs of the early N's harder...

The 9 and 2 N's only have draft control on the 3 point. Ford added position control on the 8N. There are some aftermarket gadgets out there that can give you position control on a 9/2. I have no idea how well they work, but I'd sure have to think about it. Draft is great for moldboard plows, but virtually everything else will run more easily with position, rather than draft.

I will also suggest looking in to the 3 point accessories. I use sway bars on almost every implement. They keep the piece centered behind you. Then there's stay bars. You use them with the drawbar to fix the height of the drawbar (lock the draft control all the way down when using), and also keep it centered. I don't really recall how the 9/2 dealt with a swinging drawbar. I know it existed for the 8's. I've got it, but I've never seen it mounted, or had a use for it on our machine since we always just used the drawbar/stay bar combo.

Very nice that the PO got the floor boards for your N. They were standard on the 8. I can't imagine running a tractor with just a couple pegs to rest your feet on. Way too unnerving for me.

With the configuration of the front axle I thought I might be able to make a weight bar if I need to but i haven’t looked into it at this point. The tractor came with sway bars so that’s good. I have to come up with a draw bar for it. I’m not concerned with a swinging draw bar, I’ve got other tractors with that feature if I need it. I’d have to look at the back of the tractor again but I’m not sure where stay bars would hook up. I would think I could make them fairly easy though.

The commercial stay bars run to the top link position. They are adjustable in length, so you can set them as needed. I've got one set like that I use on my MF (well, in theory as I've never actually used them on there, but I did sort them out this summer). The set we use on the 8N were built by someone before we owned the tractor. They're not adjustable, built from angle iron which makes them super rigid, and also run to the long pin below the top link position. As long as you don't need to adjust them, I really think that's a much better design. That, of course, all depends on what you're going to hook on there. I'm kinda half toying with modifying the commercial ones I have to run to the long pin as that's a far stronger connection to the tractor, and doesn't put any stress on the top link mechanism. I've seen a few machines with the top link casting broken over the years. Never knew why, but I sure wouldn't want to be sitting there when it lets go.

The regular bumper/brush guard just bolt on the front axle with 2 bolts. I've seen people hanging weights on there, and my uncle did for 1 season with the second N we had for a while. It works, but it's an awful lot of strain on those two bolts since the weight is hanging pretty far forward of them. Might be interesting to look at a way to hang a hunk of steel directly under the axle with a rigid mount. Loose a little ground clearance, but that's never been an issue for us here.

Toolslinger wrote: ↑Sat Jul 22, 2023 8:08 am The regular bumper/brush guard just bolt on the front axle with 2 bolts. I've seen people hanging weights on there, and my uncle did for 1 season with the second N we had for a while. It works, but it's an awful lot of strain on those two bolts since the weight is hanging pretty far forward of them. Might be interesting to look at a way to hang a hunk of steel directly under the axle with a rigid mount. Loose a little ground clearance, but that's never been an issue for us here.

That the idea I had too. I thought it might be possible to hang the weight under the tractor. I guess for now I’ll see how it does and what I think it needs for weight.

I noticed I had a small leak from around the valve cover so I wiggled them out. While I had them off I checked the valve lash. Made up a couple of new gaskets and wiggled the cover back into place. I have no doubt I should have removed a couple of things to make it easier but I got it done, and no leaks, at least not at the moment! With that done I really wanted to see how it handed the mower. Hooked it up with the sway bars and then I ran into the fist real problem. It seems there is an issue with the hydraulics. It wouldn’t lift.
I took the inspection cover off and found that if I fuss with the control fork off I can get it to move but something is definitely wrong. It appears the control valve on the pump isn’t being actuated n That’s where I quit for the day. I’m still trying to learn how this system works. Looks like tomorrow I’m going in! Looking at the fluid it needs to be changed anyway.

I had trouble with the Ferguson in there years ago. Didn’t have lift. There was a little part broke. Can’t remember what it was called. Tight quarters there to work is what I do remember. Had the pump out of mine.

Noel

I haven't messed with the engine at all on mine. We had it rebuilt by a ford place quite some time ago now, and all is still well.

3 point issues are far from unheard of... If you check in at the Yesterdays Tractors site/forum there are people that live and breath the N's. I believe there's a relief valve in there that can get stuck. I've seen a number of posts where people are able to just reach in (engine off naturally) and yank on it to free it up. After that, then you start getting in to linkages, or the pump. There isn't a whole lot going on down in there.

That looks like a 5' brush hog you've got. It shouldn't have an issue with that other than being light on the nose.

So I did a lot of reading and some video watching. Good info for sure but didn’t pinpoint my issue. As it turned out I had 3 problems.
I got the running board and brake out of the way so I had room to feel around in the belly of the tractor. Turns out the “ T valve” was not connected correctly in the control fork. The reading I did show that this valve was common on the 9N, 2N Fords and TO20, TO30 Fergusons. I was able to get one hand down in the hole on the valve and a long screwdriver in the other hand to manipulate the fork and get the valve back in place.
Now the valve was working but it still wouldn’t lift right. I adjusted the quadrant control and the top link spring which is part of the automatic draft control and we have lift! With that problem solved I went ahead and changed the oil and actually mowed a little just to try it out. It worked great. Seems to be quite comfortable to run. The mower is just light enough that the tractor can run without out front weights. It get a little light going uphill but I can still turn fine! Looking forward to some seat time with it! I even mocked up a little shade for the operator!

I bet fixing that feels good! Nice colours umbrella too!

Glad you got it fixed Jeff. That tee thing was what was broke on my tea20 Ferguson. That tractor will have no trouble running that. We have a 6’ finish mower on the Ferguson. Works great.


Noel

We’re in drought conditions here so not much to mow but there is one spot down by the road that always grows. I decided to take a ride on the 2N and play with the mower I bit more. I know the mower still need work this fall but for having stuck and worn out blades it still does a pretty nice job! I did find one problem on the tractor
The belt has been whining but I think it’s just old and need to be replaced. I figured I’d let it whine for awhile and let it shine up the pulleys! Well I got to looking at it while it was running and the pulley on the engine it wobbling all around. I guess I’ll start reading up on it tonight and see if and how I fix that. I assume it’s keyed but I don’t know that for sure. The tractor was so easy to get going I hope this won’t be a big deal!

That's just so that you won't get too bored now that Herbie's almost finished, right Jeff?

Eugen wrote: ↑Sun Jul 30, 2023 7:41 pm That's just so that you won't get too bored now that Herbie's almost finished, right Jeff?

That made me laugh! I thought, “ oh I hope the machines around here don’t have a meeting and decide I’m bored”!
Although if I didn’t have some kind of project around here I think I’d really be lost!

Your absolutely correct JSinMo. When owning older GT’s and equipment there is always something that need repair. The more of them you have the more attention they need. Harry