McCormick Deering T-20

[Joe Hugh]

My 1931 Mick D runs great. Looking for a manual. Oil level is checked by two plugs in the pan, one for low level and one for full........very cool!

[KeithW]

Some of those old tractors had two level plugs. If you were running on kero the level in the pan would get higher as the unburned kero collected there. As I recall you pulled the lower plug and drained it down to there then filled it to the higher plug with fresh oil. They would have two fuel tanks. A small gasoline tank for starting and a large kero tank for running. They didn't actually run better on kero. When gas was 12 cents a gallon kero was about a penny and a half.

keithw

[Titan1020]

Nice T-20, but I don't think it's a 1931 since T-20s were not built yet in 1931. What is the serial number from the plate? Should be ST-something. With that I can tell you the correct year it was built.

[Joe Hugh]

Any help on this toy is greatly appreciated. Yeah, the guy I got it from said '31, but he's probably the umteenth owener. The plate says "ST12617", so what does that make it? It's pretty much complete save for the exhaust/muffler......did they even use a muffler? It has a water leak on the bottom of the radiator, I've removed the core and now need to find a radiator guy that still cleans, rods and repairs radiators....hope I don't need a new one.

[Titan1020]

"The plate says "ST12617"

It's a very early 1938. First 1938 is ST 12518. The radiator core is the same as the F-20 wheel tractor which should not be hard to find a good used one. You can also buy them new if you want.

Anymore questions??

[Joe Hugh]

Thanks for clearing up the year. Did they ever put an electric start on these things?

[Titan1020]

Unfortunately No! Also they did not come equipped with a factory muffler, just a straight pipe out of the manifold.

[Joe Hugh]

Titan, it's becoming apparent my radiator my not be salvageable....too many blocked tubes is one problem. You mentioned useable cores may be available. Do you have any sources? Also, are you familiar with the way the overflow tube enters the top tank? I don't think it is threaded...it's not flanged or anything...is it just a press fit, or what. Thanks for the input.

[Titan1020]

The overflow tube is attached to the top tank by solder or leading. I have taken them out as sometimes they rust off in the top tank. You should just be able to heat is up with a small torch and melt it out. The flanges of the core have an enlarged hole in both the top and bottom that this pipe passes through. There will probably be a curve in the middle as this pipe needs to miss the end of the water pump. As for cores, if you want a used core, I am not sure of anyone in California, but I know of an excellent source in western Nebraska. Fellow known as the Nebraska Cowman. Do a google search. If you can't find him let me know and I will give you his email address. He's a A-1 guy to deal with. New cores are available at a number of places, but not cheap!
Mike

[MR.22]

So the cast muffler/sparkarrester under the hood is not factory? It looks like the one in the parts book for a T-20. I took mine off when I had to replace the manifold, untill a new old style manifold is found . here is a couple pics of my tail T-20 This is the factory yellow paint on this machine. I got it out of calif. thanks leroy

[Titan1020]

Leroy,

Very nice low seat orchard. I have a couple but they don't look like yours. Both of mine came out of California also. Could you take a picture of the spark arrestor? I know the style shown in the options books, but I have never seen one installed. It very well could be factory. It is described as a spark arrestor, not a muffler, although I imagine that it would tone down the bark a little.

[MR.22]

I will , it will be a week or so. It is in a few parts , as I need to rebuild it . This one sure does drive very nice and starts easy. It is one of my favorite tractors . thanks leroy

[Joe Hugh]

Leroy, just what year is your T-20? Yeah, mine is easy to start also....2nd pull and it's rollin'....and thanks to Titan for the tip on removing the overflow tube. Mine is straight down from the tank, no curve for the w-pump. Hey, how 'bout that thermostat!!! Must weigh 25 lbs!
Joe

[MR.22]

Don't know the year but the serial# is ST3700 leroy

[magicmikey]

Leroy
St 3700 was built in 1935.
mike

[Joe Hugh]

Before and after pics of the motor. Many thanks to Titan1020 for the info on parts. Nebraska Cowman came through with a useable radiator (one tube had a leak) and a replacement intake and exhaust manifold. Also the overflow tube was both threaded and soldered into the top tank. I threaded a new tube and used teflon tape instead of soldering it in. I made and used cork gaskets on the top and bottom tanks of the radiator, then when time came to mate up with the thermostat housing, it was too tall since I used form-a-gasket throughout the engine....so I had to make a cork gasket for the thermostat housing to bring it up a bit. Gas tank is off while I make a rotissarie and tumble screws in there to clean out the rust and gunk. The tank had some pinhole leaks that were from deep pits where the tank rested on a felt pad. I used muriatic acid and a silicone dam to clean the rust pits, then soldered up and filed flush.

[Titan1020]

Engine looks great. Joe! Wish mine looked the same. Your welcome for the help. Always glad to help someone on the things I really like too. The Cowman is a great resource for used parts so glad he could help out too. When is the rest of the T-20 going to look the same?

[T 20]

Did they ever put an electric start on these things?

I put an electric starting system on both my T 20's. I used a Honda starter and a Toyota flexplate. The flexplate is mounted behind the damper pulley using three bolts through the slots in it. The starter is mounted using existing bolt holes, and two homemade brackets. I added this system mostly as a novelty, as both tractors start the first or second 'click' of the mag...
It starts the TracTracTors about 75 times on a lawn tractor battery before recharging.
I have picts/drawings of the "Mo Baum Starting System" if any one is interested.
Quite considentally, the serial number of the restored 1936 TracTracTor (I call it "Trex Trax" for the material I used on the track pads) happens to be my birthdate, ST 6447!
The first picts shows the lower starter bracket, the second shows the upper bracket and flexplate. As ya can see, the whole assembly is tucked discreetly in the belly pan, under the radiator.
Mo

[T 20]

Originally Posted by Joe Hugh

Hey, how 'bout that thermostat!!! Must weigh 25 lbs!
Joe

My thermostat was rusted stuck horribly. I replaced it with Mazda 929 therm using a stainless plate and flathead screws in the existing 1/4" holes. Note that the washers are counter sunk and the edge of the washer has to be ground off to clear the outer housing.
Mo

[T 20]

Originally Posted by MR.22

This is the factory yellow paint on this machine. I got it out of calif. thanks leroy

Somewhere in my files, I have a IHC directive dated August 1931 that says that all T 20 TracTracTors were to be painted red, so I question that yers is factory yellow...
Mo