I very much like the demonstration of calm and analytical wrenching. No tools tossed around the shop. No foul language. No whining. Just getting to work! This is just another aspect of why I like this channel so much. You do your best to provide a good example of the right way to get stuff done. There are a lot of 'pros' that could learn those lessons too.

I would love a video of senior explaining how he goes about tuning & timing the distributor & carb on first startup.

The H jumped to life. Bummer that a noise showed up, but I'm confident the Squatch team will get it figured out.

That paint is so nice it almost doesn't even look like cast iron in spots

Some days you bite the bear, some days the bear bites you. Such is life.

I love watching all of your videos from working on the tractors bulldozers and your new building

What a beauty! Imagine buying one of those brand new off the lot in the 1940s -50s?

Thank you both for sharing, Squatch Love the honesty of your content 👍

My rule is to put all tools away, tidy up, and have a beverage before a first start. This ritual keeps the gremlins away. Your shop looked very organized as usual, so I’m a bit mystified why this problem cropped up. Maybe you didn’t have a beverage?

My dad bought a Farmall Super M at auction. The Super M was supposed to have about 5 more horsepower than the M we already had but it would not pull as much and smoked a lot. M has 4 inch pistons and Super M has 4.25” pistons. Some supposed mechanic had rebuilt the engine and used 4” M rings on a Super M piston. Corrected and worked as expected. Strong old tractors.

Happens every time when you paint something.... you have to take it apart. I think the Farmall has been taking some pages out of x231's book.

Great update! Interesting to see what develops! Good Luck👍🏼

Definitely needs looking into! It's got two of the best guys investigating it!!

very cool to see it running

Well, ain't that a kick in the nuts after an incredibly thorough rebuild

Like there was any doubt it would start. Nice job!

If it makes you feel any better Toby I’m in your exact shoes. I just completely restored my ‘58 350. Engine, T/A, paint, tires, you name it I did it. Went and mowed a little to break it in and blew the head gasket on cylinder 1. Now it has to come back apart right after I put it all together.

When you walk around the Tractor in the first minutes.....damn.... does that Red Shine.

Interested to see what you find. Bummer that you have to look.

Sorry things didn't go as planned. At least on the positive side we know what a couple of the upcoming videos will be!

No smoke No rattles No knocks Great Work

watching you and SR work this through is great

Oh my, the joys of old iron. Hoping it all goes well.

An old mechanics trick to find that pesky noise…..take that large flat blade screwdriver blade and put it on the suspicious area. Put you ear on the other end and odd noises could be revealed . Maybe put your palm between your ear and the handle end. Great for finding bad generator bearings. Hope you find the issue.

Master class in tracking it down! While it’s frustrating to spend all that time getting something perfect and then a wrong sound pops up, it’s ALWAYS best to catch a valve seat “going rogue” early!

I had the same thing happen in my M. What happened was the head was cracked under the valve seat, in a circular pattern with the recession of the valve seat. When the engine got a little warm, that crack would expand and drop the valve seat onto the valve head and it would hang the valve open. With a borescope you could see it hanging like a wedding ring on a necklace.

Yes I agree the valve seat insert lossened up sounds like most likely. But do not count out a slipped valve guide. Pressing on the valve directly softens the hits of the valve head on the valve guide.Exhaust really should have tightened up an insert as the exhaust seat would be running much hotter than the head. So the insert should have expanded and tightened up. Slipped valve guides are really common now a days especially in mopar v-8's and Kohler and Briggs engines lawn tractor engines. Guides are known to loosen when the head heats up. Not experienced with an H engine as these valve guides could be ones that have a step that will prevent the guide from dropping down and hitting the value head. So my thoughts may not apply. Just trying to help. Now the question is is there a valve guide insert that is slightly larger in od? If not you maybe having to get a new head. Fixing a valve guide is easy as you a machine special valve guides. I have done this many times making special custom valve guides. There are no early model gravely valve guides so I make my own. I am hoping it is a slipped valve guide.

I bought a 1942 M with a transmission whine, wanted it fixed and had our local trusted shop go through the rear end and refresh some stuff. Still has a whine to it. Brought it home and pulled it in the shed. Went to back it out the next time and felt a binding. Bull gear spat a drain plug out that definitely didn’t belong to my tractor out through the rear case. So back it goes and somehow this plug evaded being seen by the shop twice. They had a left over M transmission from years earlier that they frankenstined together to make a new housing and internals… still has a whine to it. Im gonna assume its just 80 years of wear and tear tiredness and new gears that aren’t 100% meshing to eachother the right way

My guess would be the valve seat. If they're stellite seats, they have to be super tight on the exhaust side to keep them from expanding and then falling back out. Depending on how good the quality of the cast iron is in the head, it may not hold a stellite seat. I believe they have regular steel seats that will probably stay in better. You guys did a really fine job restoring that old H. I spent a LOT of hours on one of those when I was a kid, pulling a 5 ft. bush hog!😉

Great to see the machine back in action after all the work, amazing to see the veteran tuning the machine like a musician tuning without an instrument!

yep. 29th year as a mercedes mechanic. still get that fear feeling when I go to start after a big repair. glad to know I am not alone.

We encountered a bad batch of hardened seats a few years back. After a few years of running they would self destruct. Didn’t mess up engine, pistons got a few marks but the heads had to come off and get redone. $600 later we got them back. Wasn’t fun since it was a customers car that was stored and he wanted to sell it.

Found a propane tank car in Plainville CT With sqautch signed in cursive. I wonder

Sound good, just like the one I did in 1975

Wish I could say that this is unexpected but preparation H holds true again. Pain in the back side

Now I see why you needed the new building so you don't have to take the muffler off the exhaust system plus not having to duck when you are going in and out of the old shop

May I suggest a different gear oil to quiet the gear train ? A company called Redline, makes a gear oil that is called shockproof. The one I use in my Harley is Shockproof Heavy . It’s about as thick as 40W But has an SUS rating of 85-250. It’s incredible how quiet and smooth shifting it makes an older Harley Davidson Transmission. You won’t be disappointed 👍

Wonder if you Could pull a plug and bore-a-scope the valve seats before tearing apart. Awesome to hear it run again tho, I know you and senior with get it figured out one way or another fingers crossed its nothing crazy.

Thanks for the update Toby! Nice to hear Preparation H running. Boy that seems just like my luck with that happening just like last night I had no water but ended up being a starter compositor was bad so en easy fix. Hope it’s nothing major for you. Can’t wait for the next video!

Good morning Toby, is was brilliant how the 'H' jumped straight into action but then when that tapping started my thoughts were has something come loose. what ever that noise is I have every confidence that you and senior to sort it out. I keep meaning to ask about the seat as noticed that you haven't got the red and white striped seat on. Although I can just imagine a permanent dirty hand mark on the white stripe.

Sounded so good when first started. With that much work done to the engine one never knows what it is. I hope it is nothing to serious. I chased a noise like that on my 1945 M. Lucky for me just a valve setting. Hope you find an easy fix. Really do appreciate how you handle it. Many lessons for many years lessons you have learned. Thanks.

Appreciate your diagnostic approach. All the best!

Put a timing light on the valve springs you can pick up faults like that

You just never know what could happen during those first starts. In the airplane world, I would be tempted to look at the seat with some type of fiber optic scope just to verify the “smoking gun”. I’m holding out for something simple though. Love the channel!

Good to see that your eyes are better now

Looks beautiful well done.

Love your videos🤩 Hope not the tractor punish you with the valve seat problems because of the orange peel paint job 😬 You better hurry up sand and buff that orange peel away 😄 Best Regards from Oslo Norway..

Consider using a stethoscope to locate the louder/shaper tappet in the rocker arm, valve seat, valve lifter, camshaft … areas.

Ugh, sorry Toby. Hopefully this is just a minor speed bump. We are at the same point with Lefty right now and the word nervous is a tremendous understatement! 😳

I dread first starts as well, 15 years a mechanic and I feel the same as you about it. I’d get a borescope in there and confirm your theory but that was my first thought once you found it went away and came back.

Great video!!!! Thank you for sharing!!

Being that the noise comes and goes after it warmed up I’ll be optimistic because it’s the exhaust valve and say the valve is sticking due to too close of tolerance between the guide and stem. Either way the heads coming off.

I always enjoy hearing an engine come to life after a rebuild. It's disappointing to have to disassemble again, but I sure appreciated your methodology for troubleshooting and it sure makes sense. I'll be interested to see if you confirm your suspicions. I'm sure you and Sr. will have it resolved quickly.

Why experienced mechanics hates first startups!

Might be the valve seat had it happen on 8 hp briggs exhaust pricked seat bore with punch JB welded back in and flat punched around top edge ran another 8 or 10 years on wood splitter finally just wore out replaced with a 12 hp good luck interested to see what you find

That thing is beautiful man! Hope you get that tick figured out and gone. I just finished tearing down a 1942 H and slowly starting from the rear working forward.

My first thought is...what tick, ha. You guys, besides teaching the master mechanics, have way more patience than I do. Sorry for the problem, but it makes for a good lesson for us viewers - thanks for sharing Toby.

Absolutely love that sound!

Well that stinks. This is part of the reason I don’t like painting my tractors. Every time something goes wrong you have to take touch up the paint. Between you and Sr, I’m sure you’ll figure it out!

Thanky you for sharing!

Great Video! Glad it started!

I feel for you Toby. I hope it’s an easy fix. My fingers are crossed for you. Other than the tick she runs great. Enjoyable video. Thanks

I've been there. Call me weird but figuring out stuff like a mystery tick or knock is actually part of the fun for me. Aggravating up front but really satisfying in the end.

More suspense! I love it! Oh, and also bummer. (Can't wait for the next episode!)

Looks good! Hope it isn’t a major issue! You had it in the shed next to the Christine!

Must have been a Majestic Feeling when you first time drove it after all the Work.

Excellent video Squatch 253 SR , JR I say hope it simple fix of bit adjustment to engine and transmission quiet down too more use it plus tweak of adjustment too!

It popped off after only a a couple revs. Amazing. You did a great job on 2924 pieces - it was only the 2925th that caused a problem...and maybe that piece was out of your control. Sounds like you're on the hunt and will get it to ground soon. Good luck on the fix. Hope to see you at Nowthen.

Great troubleshooting and I will be surprised if you are the cause of the ticking sound.

Nice work on tractor you have done a beutimous job on the tractor don't let this little problem defeat you I know you'll gfigure it out. I would get one of those cheap horoscopes on the jungle site an take a peak in that cylinder.

You must really love to paint, beautiful work. I don't have that touch. You and I used to talk about snowmobiles back on ACMOC years ago, JoeG from NW PA. I just found your channel. It sounds like a seat to me too, should be an easy fix.

man i love your vids! What a wee beauty she has turned into and what a bloody shame about the noise! Awesome work anyway!!!

Nice work on that old H. Bummer on the tick. At least it is on the top end.

Thanks for the update!

It’s a little bit comforting to know you guys have the same feelings about first starts that I do. I pretty much start shaking every time I do something like this! Good luck troubleshooting the exhaust valve. I’ll be interested to know how the machine shop fixes the seat if that is the culprit.

Nice shop

My 1st thought was a sticky cam follower but it's an unusual one, Toby. I must have missed the episode where you mentioned the head having new valve seat inserts and when you mentioned that, I thought, aha! Very possibly a dropped insert as you say. Man, that transmission is not happy either, hope it beds in a little in time 🤞🏻🤞🏻 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧

Is there some sort of building code that says that every shop main door has to have another building right in front of it? I see this everywhere. Big open yard, nice big workshop and some other buildings right out the main doors to the shop.

Time for a little camera scope in the spark plug hole

paint job looks great

Looks like "Christine" had been giving "Preparation H" some tips... Still, hope you would be able to find the culprit and fix it...

Guess if the valve seat has gone awry you'd see lack of compression in that cylinder or increased tappet clearance on the affected valve.

I would get the boroscope out and have a look through the plug hole and watch the seat as you turn it over by hand. If it is as loose as you mentioned with the occasional dull thud, then you will be able to see it dropping.

Bent push rod? collapsed lifter, maybe a spring is cracked. this is the first video i watched of the series so i dont know if you replaced those during the restoration.

The threat of being opened up. That's why you don't use rtv unless it's really necessary.

Well hopefully you find something else before you have to take the head off! Tractor is looking beautiful keep up the great work

Good first start It very well could be a insert loosening up under heat it's not likely they het up the heads when they placed the inserts in and pressed them into their recessions. Still they shouldn't be to bad and they may wear in.

Oh you might look at the tops of the valve guides and compare them to see if they are all at the same level or is one lower than the others. If it is a valve guide I would have all pressed out and pressed back in with locktite sleeve locker. Just a friendly suggestion,

Did you hold off on putting antifreeze in to avoid potential leaks on the new paint ? I've made that mistake. In the late 60s we evidently couldn't afford antifreeze. All summer we ran water. During autumn we drained two tractors every night. We caught the water, and carried it into the basement for re-use. High lime content on the farm. The 6 volt batteries spent the winters in the basement on a board. My folks were a product that the depression. Tussen Takk !

Just needs a little more Preparation H on Cylinder #3.😂

Quick thought check valve lash with it running and ticking on that one valve if it is way loose then you know its either a loose seat or something stuck on valve strange it is intermentant noise

Hey up mate good bit of early diagnosis there, your next M video will be an interesting one

Aww man, that sucks. Hopefully it isn't too terrible news. I'm sure you will let us know either way.

Man what a bummer.

Not bad ⚡️

Another quality no holds barred video though I’m sure you edited the expletives, I know that after all the immense amount of work you’ve put in to then have a knock which looks like a failure of a part that you had no control over must be soo frustrating. Mind you whilst this is awful for you and senior it means that we get bonus footage though we feel you pain.

Tough break. Can you bore scope through the spark plug hole to confirm your seat suspicion?

Well darn, that's the way the ball bounces sometimes. Seats always worry me, they gotta be done just right, or there will be issues, usually expensive and time consuming ones.

Beautiful :-) 👍

WELL-L-L-L-L As my dad used to say after a long sigh ….. PLAN B !!!! At least it is just one valve & not all eight !!! It has to be something relatively minor !! Valve seat, valve guide, rocker shaft shim or bad spring, rocker arm face, cam lobe, tappet face, push rod the list goes on. One of those situations that when you do find it, you will say OF COURSE, why didn’t I do that FIRST !!! Does this engine have valve rotators ? Had one of those drive me nuts until I replaced them. Intermittent ticking at idle. Would go away mid throttle when oil was abundant.