Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

Good morning everyone. Here from southern Ontario. I have a 73 case 444 in pretty good condition with the 48" deck, sleeve hitch, and hydraulic PTO. The engine could definitely use a new piston and rings. The lift circuit is a bit weak I'll need to diagnose. And I'm going to start a thread about a mower deck issue but otherwise I had always wanted one and last fall I found it for a good price.
Hopefully I can find some like minded owners and can eventually contribute to the community

Vicv07, You have a nicely packaged 444, much better than the first Case I brought home. Yours had the original exhaust layout, PTO, and sleeve hitch. Just be forewarned that this single 444 might spark a desire for more Case, Colt, or Ingersoll tractors. The only known way to ease the pain is to hunt for and purchase more.

You have joined a great group that are willing to help in the chasing the CCI dream.
Spike

Welcome to the forum! Actually that paint on the tractor looks in pretty good shape! I'm rebuilding at K321 myself, maybe we can share experiences if you end ip doing it. On the other hand you may need just new rings. We're a pretty good gang from Ontario here, and even more so American expertise!

See the aluminum sitting on the top of the block? And missing from the piston? Don't think just rings is going to do it!

Thank you for the welcome. Ya I like this machine. Looks so cool. And great at pulling too heavy trailers around

Welcome vic07! Nice to have another Ontario member here - whereabouts are you? That's a nice machine with some great attachments/options you have too. As others have said, be careful they multiply (I have 2 444's). A great group here, lots of helpful advice and a great place to learn/contribute.

Enjoy!

Chad

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Thanks Chad. I'm in wainfleet. It's about 30km south of saint Catharines in ontario

vicv07 wrote: ↑Sat May 01, 2021 6:37 pm See the aluminum sitting on the top of the block? And missing from the piston? Don't think just rings is going to do it!

Carbon build up and pitting on top of the piston. Detonation? Have you cleaned up the top of the piston and block yet?

Hm, you're right, you might want to rebuild it, and have it run nice for years to come. That's my plan; Mike already did my block to the next size, and touched up the valve seats. I'll post updates in my rebuild thread. Stay tuned folks..

Welcome to the group Vicv07 glad to have you here, nice looking tractor. Get that motor in shape and you'll have a trusty machine for years to come.
Tim

Welcome vicv07. It's always a pleasure to see new members that have a similar hobby, Case Gt's. The 444 is an excellent machine and the Kohler is a good engine. With a little work your K321 should be back running fine. I also have a 444 that needs some attention, which I hope to get to and post some pics this winter. I'm looking forward to ore posts of your machine.

Keep the Peace
Harry

Thanks. The problem for me is no shop to work on it. I'll figure something out in the fall. So far this year I've been using a push mower due to deck issues but I'll get it figured out.

Thanks. The problem for me is no shop to work on it. I'll figure something out in the fall. So far this year I've been using a push mower due to deck issues but I'll get it figured out.

Welcome to the forum. Startup a post for the mower deck if you need help.

vicv07 wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 7:57 am Thanks. The problem for me is no shop to work on it. I'll figure something out in the fall. So far this year I've been using a push mower due to deck issues but I'll get it figured out.

Let me guess, a green one?

Same problem here with the workshop. I have a tiny 12x9 shop so full of stuff that it's impossible to do anything in there. I setup one of those 20x12 portable garages hoping to use it as a work area and it quickly filled up too. Terrible disease I have, hoarding . We wanted to have a 2 car garage built this year but prices of materials went up almost 400%. Insane. My good wife knows that I need to be able to work even a few minutes a week on something tractor related for mental health so I do some work outside if the weather allows.

Vic, if the engine runs well now no need to rebuild. If you run a wire brush all over the head, and piston top, that should be fine. I think you can have preignition due to big carbon build up too. The rings and cylinder might just be fine. Someone said on a machinist forum that in his experience of rebuilding hundreds of Kohler small engines like this, it's the valves and guides that most often is the problem before the cylinder and rings. True or not, I don't know. I usually listen carefully to what people with experience have to say.

vicv07 wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 7:57 am Thanks. The problem for me is no shop to work on it. I'll figure something out in the fall. So far this year I've been using a push mower due to deck issues but I'll get it figured out.

Let me guess, a green one?

Same problem here with the workshop. I have a tiny 12x9 shop so full of stuff that it's impossible to do anything in there. I setup one of those 20x12 portable garages hoping to use it as a work area and it quickly filled up too. Terrible disease I have, hoarding . We wanted to have a 2 car garage built this year but prices of materials went up almost 400%. Insane. My good wife knows that I need to be able to work even a few minutes a week on something tractor related for mental health so I do some work outside if the weather allows.

Vic, if the engine runs well now no need to rebuild. If you run a wire brush all over the head, and piston top, that should be fine. I think you can have preignition due to big carbon build up too. The rings and cylinder might just be fine. Someone said on a machinist forum that in his experience of rebuilding hundreds of Kohler small engines like this, it's the valves and guides that most often is the problem before the cylinder and rings. True or not, I don't know. I usually listen carefully to what people with experience have to say.

Oh no I feel like I'm being stalked! Lol. Yes a green on. A lawn boy.
The engine runs well but had insane blowby so Id definitely say it needs rings. I did clean up the combustion chamber and flattened the head. New carb and valve adjustment. Could use new valves and recut seats but it works. These things happen after 50+ years

vicv07 wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 11:37 am Oh no I feel like I'm being stalked! Lol. Yes a green on. A lawn boy.

We actually spoke in private on MTF and your post about the lawn boy got my attention because I have an old lawn boy that I like a lot too. I'll post a picture when I get around it.

oh I recognized you. I also have another "weed eater" brand 4 stroke push mower that works well. But I could never understand why they bothered putting valves in the motor. Seems like a way to overcomplicate a perfectly engineered engine

Vicv07,

I am picking up 3 parts tractors this week that should have usable deck parts that might make your repairs simpler.

Spike

thank you spike. I've had a Kijiji post going for a month looking for parts machines and have not got a hit. I am jealous