John Deere Spitfire

Here's my son on our '78 JD Spitfire:



We've been riding the heck out of it the last couple of weeks with all the snow here in NE Ohio.

Funny story... I've had this sled for 15 years, and every year I pull it out of the barn, and with a couple shots of ether, it starts right up. Well, not so lucky this year.

Since I've NEVER had the carb apart, I decided it must be sludged up with 2-cycle oil & who-knows-what.

To my surprise, it was clean as a whistle, but I found the needle was stuck. But more surprising, the needle was in upside down!!!

The needle has a spring loaded pin on the end that was about the same size as the port in the carb body, so it must have done and OK job of sealing for the last 15 years.

Anyway, I put the needle back into the carb in the right direction, adjusted the float, and she runs better than she ever has.

I can't wait till spring so I can put this back in the barn for another 9 months...

Glen

gn6027 wrote:    But more surprising, the needle was in upside down!!!

You never know what you're going to find when you tear into something for the first time. Couple years ago, after my boat started running poorly after running fine for 4 years, I took the carb off. I have a square bore carb on a square bore to spread bore spacer on a wedge. The PO had the spacer turned every possible wrong way it could be turned. Didnt even have the gasket right.



Obviously it didnt hurt performance too badly, but I was convinced I was going to pick up a few rpm/mph with my "restrictor plate" out of there when I put it back together right. I didn't.

David, I'm a member of the LaGrange Engine Club (www.lagrangeengineclub.com), and currently have a '45 JD H that I bought from the daughter of the original owner. I've also had a '44 JD B. Acutally, the H is my wife's... it was a Christmas present for her one year. ;) My newest tractor is a '52 Ferguson, and is the workhorse around the house. I wasn't raised on the farm, but I've taken a liking to the older technology (simple & robust).

75, Amazing it ran so well, but again, the robustness of the older technology.

Don't get me wrong, I embrace state-of-the-art, but I like to keep things simple whenever possible and where it makes sense.

John, He's 13 now, and taller than his Mom. Looks like he's hitting a growth spurt right now as well. The sled is a 20-footer... it looks better from 20-foot away, but it runs well, and has been very reliable. (knock on wood)

I don't take if out of our yard for a number of reasons, but mostly so if it breaks, I can walk back to the house to get warm!!

Give Patti our best as well. Hope to see you guys this summer.


Glen

My family had a bunch of John Deere sleds back in the day:
1976 Liquifier
1978 Spitfire
1982 Liquifier

Raiders, TrailTwisters, etc. Neat stuff.
That Spitfire was a fun sled. Very light.