The next time a hand-lapping valve job arises, try this little trick.  Instead of using the suction cup handle that always seems to slip and make a mess of the compound, try using a cordless drill.  Set the head on its side and insert a valve. The top of the valve will stick out of the guide far enough to chuck the drill up.  Valves are made from very hard material, so the drill’s chuck won’t damage the valve stem.  This is also very light-duty work for the drill so there is no reason the chuck’s jaws should ever dig into the stem.  At a slow speed, run the drill back and forth until the job is complete.  I’ve done this several times, and it seems to be a lot faster than the suction cup handle.  After all, we’re dressing valve seats here, not making clay snakes! --Mike

When the need arises to remove the carburetor from such models as the H, M, 400, etc., you'll need to remove the 2 nuts securing the carburetor to the intake manifold (after unhooking the governor, choke cable, fuel line and air inlet). I always found it difficult to remove the inboard nut. You can't get a wrench in there because the carburetor is too close to the engine block. Additionally, because of the carburetor's body, you can't get a socket on the nut either. My farmer fix: Take your basic 9/16-inch open-end wrench (or whichever size fits the manifold nuts), preferably one that you don't mind sacrificing. Cut the wrench into two pieces, placing the cut approximately 1-1/2 to 2 inches from the open end. Weld the pieces back together at a right angle and you have a nifty tool for dealing with that bothersome nut. Don't take the 1-1/2 to 2 inches as gospel. Because tractor models and wrenches vary, you should determine what length will work for you before cutting and welding. Lastly, keep this specialty tool in a place you can find it again so you won't need to waste another wrench.--Bill

Trying to troubleshoot electrical problems can be aggravating.  A lot of these problems can be traced to poor connections.  I find that the electrical components used on tractors are poorly designed. Almost every terminal (battery, regulator, generator, dash component) is exposed to weather.  Whenever you mate two dissimilar metals together and expose them to weather, they will start to oxidize and ultimately ruin a good connection.  Sometimes this can be difficult to see, especially battery posts. A post may appear to look clean but might have a dark, gray color to it.  This means that the post is starting to oxidize.  The best way I have found to deal with poor connections and head off any potential problems in the future is to use an Anti-oxidant. This product can be found at any good hardware store or electrical supply houses. There are several different brands, and all are very good products. The brand I use is made by Ideal, called Ant-oxidant Joint Compound. and it comes in 8-ounce squeeze bottles. All you do is separate the problem connection and thoroughly clean the area with a wire brush. I use a brass brush that fits in my die grinder. Make sure you get all the contact points shiny. Coat the entire surface of both connections with the joint compound and re-connect. I also like to use new fasteners and coat them as well. Clean off any excess but be sure to leave a thin coating over the entire connection. This will ensure long-lasting, weatherproof protection and also keeps the fasteners lubricated in case you need to disconnect them in the future. -- Mike