1948 John Deere “B” WILL IT RUN??? Part 1 

Asleep for several years and wakes up ready to go, that's awesome. Just gotta have the right color of green to make it run, lol.

Love seeing these old work horses roar to life again after a slumber.

A guy told me a story about his dad He traded 2 horses for a John Deere B After a couple of days he tried to get his horses back lol true story

Your frustration with the B reminded me of the story of my grandpa who was handicapped from polio bought a B because he thought it would be easier with a hand clutch. He absolutely hated the miserable beast and it didn't last long. After that he stuck with the Oliver's and the bug must have carried on to the next generations 😆

I like old tractors

Loved the video. My parents had a neighbor with a B, I must say his always started until it got hot. Then forget it. I must say the highlight of the video for me was the old 70 starting and running. Took me back home in a heartbeat. Thank you.

We all have different stories and experiences with different equipment. My dad's family has been JD since the 20's. Grampa went from horses and mules to a D and a A. Dad said grampa's only regret was, when cultivating, if he dozed off the mules knew to stop at the end and wait for him to wake up.

That is exactly why I sold the 1939-styled JD-A that I was the third owner of. I put a 6' dozer blade on it using an electric winch to lift the blade. Blade control, throttle control, Hand clutch, and more barnyard sounds than you could dub in proved it not worthy of dozer work. The only thing it was good for was to let the grandkids drive it around and hear the putt-putt-wheeze-wheeze sound. Carb shafts were worn out, the mag had been converted to points ignition, and my patience was worn out. When the offer came it went to its 4th owner. The AC CA that I had with the belly mower started with no problem after sitting for years. My Father in laws IH-300 set for several years with a major hydraulic line leak. When I repaired the line the tractor started and I bet it would start today if I wanted it. I sold the AC due to money needs. Even the Sears Garden tractor (Juliet) started after sitting for 15 years. That (he-haw, baa-baa, cockadoodledo, freaking piece of twisted minds) JD-A went down the road on a chain but at twice the price I had in it. The one thing that JD did right was when they started selling boots and clothes. Those JD bikini panties created a lot of customer loyality. Maybe AGCO should sell Fendt panties.

The B my dad had when I was a little guy would start on the coldest day possible. I found my 60 in a barn and it was sitting for ten years. I dragged it home behind my dad's 70 Diesel. We had it running in half an hour. My personal opinion. Between poor gas, poor quality points and poor quality voltage regulators today I'm about ready to drop the hammer on switching it to an alternator. One option you have for the B is change to a distributor and convert it to electronic ignition. I did make this change to my 60 what what a difference. Changing points every fifteen or so years was ok with me. Changing them every fifteen minutes doesn't work the other thing is i hardly ever have problems with starting my 60 because I do use it all the time. It's when they sit to long. I always think i should drain the gas out but never get around to doing it and then the pain in a$$ begins trying to get it running even six months later. Diesels rule in my opinion. That why my dad's 70 Diesel and my 730 diesel were my favorite two cylinders, although not without their flaws in the starting department. I just looked up compression specs for a late B gas should be 110 psi while an all fuel should be 70 psi.

Our #70, when not in use, spent the summer parked on a hill next to the house. With just the magneto we used the hill to start it. It was our middle tractor, we had #88 for the big dog. The sound of rain in the background brought back memories of being chased out of the field and being in the machine shed listening to it. Always loved to listen to the rain. Our neighbor was John Deere farmer, we lived way back off the road but his fields were easy for us to see because of the hills; we see and hear his Johnny Popper often. Never a fan of John Deere; old or new. Good luck with yours; because of its history.

My grandpa told me a story about owning a JD back in 1950 when he bought his farm. He said he used it the first year and hated that tractor, he ended up selling it and buying an F12 to replace it and there has been Red since then. Anyway I know about sentimental value, we still have a couple of grandpa's old tractors sitting around here. I hope you can get it going.

I miss my 48 cyclone Deere B with fenders. I traded it for a 1956 Farmall 350 a few years ago that needed a engine overhaul. I don't regret it, but that B was just fun with the hand clutch.

And this is why Ross is the oliver man not the johndeere man 😅😅

Fifty percent success rate at starting the oldies not bad Ross not too much sadness

Spark+Fuel=Fire :) (i.e., carb, mag, timing...) But there's a part two so I'm sure you know all this :). Thanks for posting and bringing these old machines back to life.

Looking forward to P2 on the JD , good ole Oliver started right up , thanks for sharing 👍💨💨

I never did like to drive that tractor. Too hard to steer. But I always liked to hear the sound especially wide open.

As they say, Oliver’s are forever. They have to keep building John Deere’s. Can’t keep them running 😂

The other color of green didn't like you today LOL Pretty impressive that the 70 Oliver took off and ran despite some sadness!!!

Maybe have to put an oliver emblem on it. Then it will run.

Ross I believe the points still aren’t clean enough. I usually take a dollar bill and drag through the closed points and even after that if the spark is still not consistent use a screwdriver and flip the points in the closed position. Sometimes you have to sand the points a few times and be sure to clean then each time you sand

I have a 1949 B that was bought new by my Grandpa.

I've worked on lots of deere stuff but I will not touch the old 2 cylinders I just don't like them and never liked the sound of them , but being raised around Oliver's my whole life the run so smoothly and I couldn't figure out the hand clutch just to jumpy for me . Some people love them I hope you figure it out . From turkey creek farms be safe n thankful

I had been tossing around the idea of getting a 2 cylinder, but just haven't been able to make the jump. This video has reinforced the fact that it would be a bad idea. Besides, 1 deere is more than enough. My 6420 is more temperamental than anything else I own.

Well, at least the 70 started up. I have an old JD H that was my uncles. I have the same problem of no spark which I assume is a problem with the magneto. The young man who helps me with hay is possibly interested in buying it, so I may just let it go.

I have always wanted a Farmall H or M or an Oliver 70. I guess if I was going for a 2 cylinder I would prefer a later one. I know that is a styled one but I prefer the later ones as far as looks. I think a Farmall or Oliver looks and sounds better

The 1952 Bs may have had a water pump (I know the late '52 As did). So it may have a radiator out of a '52 in it. As far as compression goes, it doesn't sound super low based on how the starter sounds cranking it over, but it may not be at 100%.

Would a 47 a start the same way as that with the foot starter

It's jealous of the real green sitting next to it that will run.

come on Ross, don't be a coward, just grab that plug wire & see if you got spark😂

Nothing runs like a deere because most machines are built to run

If you don't have access to batteries then magnetos seem like a brilliant idea. Distributors took over the market for a reason, in spite of only slightly reliable batteries (you know the farm battery shuffle).

HI ROSS I check the condenser next 2 see if it's any good 2 I would the coil IVE seen that be 4 a another fellow I had 2 put new coil in his tractor it's was the same way no current 😮😮 U might as well take the carb off and clean it out W a air hose next thing is the drain all of the old gas in a 5 gallon bucket and throw the old gas away ROSS that adjustment screw should stay tight 😮😮 the points should open and close all the way on the oliver 7O I would take the manifold off and weld it up ROSS old tractors , cars ,trucks U can't let them set around and not start them is the worse thing 4 them the non E gas is better if U can get close by the non E gas doesn't gum carb up either 😊😊 U should have tractor start up days even if U have get friends 2 help U most of the time U take a another tractor W a chain and pull start them alot faster W out all of that cranking ROSS IVE seen tractors like that be 4 hook a chain 2 and pull them they start right up it's well worth the time 2 do some cleaning 1ST and the sparkplug should be cleaned 2 use a wire brush if U don't have a wire wheel U can use W a drill the gas 2 day is no good no more either it 2 gums up the sparkplug a flat file will work take a safety pin and clean the inside of the sparkplug as well that would be what I would do 😊😊 OMG 8 7 2O23

Now, people when I say that look at me and say, 'What are you talking about, Joe? You're telling me we have to go spend money to keep from going bankrupt?'. The answer is yes, that's what I'm telling you

I think the JD has 5 times the hours on it. Not to mention the fresh gas in the 70 versus gas that is how old? Was it all new gas last time it was started. We probably had roughly 20k hours on our A. Was only rebuilt once. Was a great tractor except for the lack of live power. I mowed and raked thousands of acres with it. Not saying that some were not lemons. But I’m guessing your B has a ton of hours.

Future reference take the dust cover off of the belt pulley and put a socket and a ratchet on the crank bolt turn it and watch the points

We had bought a '51 B a while back. Went to an auction it was going cheap so I bid on it and got it and a Model MT at the same time. Really disliked the MT. It was the worst tractor I ever had to get on and off of. Didn't like either of them well enough to keep them! Both were headaches.

Can’t tell what kind of plugs you have. I think sometimes they won’t fire under compression. I found that motorcraft plugs for a 360 fit in there. I had luck with that even in the next generation.

The number one problem with the first tractor is that it is a John Deere… nuff said! Lol

Johnny popper great tractor

Well… right about now it would seem that some sand and acorns for the B can’t make matters any worse. Ya either love ‘‘em or hate ‘em! Interesting to read some of the others stories about family johnnie poppers. Besides both my grandparents having them on their farms and an uncle running them too, I have another uncle who owned a fair sized dealership and my ex’s uncle also owned the dealership 30 miles away. When I think JD, those thoughts swerve into the ditch about how corporate killed the dealers off one by one.

How's your rotor and points setting? I was always told to set the points at .013 on a mag and .020 on distributor.

Hi Ross do you by chance have any videos of removing a governor out of a Ollie 77? Mine goes from a idea to almost full throttle in about 2 or 3 clicks on the throttle handle. I was told by quite a few people it sounds like the weights have come off. I'm not sure what I'm getting into doing that job. Any insight would be much appreciated. Thanks and keep up the awesome videos

Ross did great grandpa said bought new in 1948 john deere did sale lots? Where did you get Oliver bug ? Did great grandpa was only love john deere or did care names brand? Was 1948 john deere had issues lots do your great grandpa have time ? Thanks again answer my questions Ross great video keep up good work

With as many points you have to clean, maybe it's time to get a points file.

What head shop do you go to?

Yuo should run some seafoam and MARVEL MYSTERY oil in your fuel when you get it running. You won't have as many carburetor and fuel issues

My grandfather had a John Deere B. I thought he started it by spinning the flywheel?

torture is listening to a 6V battery turning over a 2 cyl JD

👨‍🔧🚜🚜👍👍

Distributor with electronic ignition and high voltage coil . No more frustration

👍👍👍☂☂⚡