[tayjtrade]

Hey there, I've been spending a lot of time researching with very little success. I have recently purchased a case tractor for what I thought was a great price. As far as I'm able to find any/all identification plates have been removed previous to my purchase. There's the stamp on the engine that is: 112M04196

Any help with identification would be incredibly useful and appreciated.

 

[pogobill]

Welcome to the forum. Looks like you have a 1956/7 Case 300 series (maybe a 310) Utility Tractor.

 

[tayjtrade]

Welcome to the forum. Looks like you have a 1956/7 Case 300 series (maybe a 310) Utility Tractor.

Thank you very much. I'll do some research on what you said. Seeing the condition of this tractor it's been difficult for me to even compare it to pictures to identify. It runs great though, needs a little TLC but for $500USD I don't think it was too bad of a deal. Thank you again, I didn't expect such a quick response from anyone.

 

[pogobill]

Good luck in your search, and don't forget, we are all in this together! Any questions, feel free to ask!
Looks like there have been a few home made alterations on your tractor. The brace in the middle of the grill area seems to be one, along with the homemade dash insert with the gauges.
Mine looks more like this.

 

[Garylou]

I have to disagree with Pogobill on the brace in front of the tractor. I have a 58-57 model and that brace was original and used to secure a metal mesh grill. The grill looks like someone made it after the fact, but when you look at these 58-59 pictures available, you can see.

 

[pogobill]

I have to disagree with Pogobill on the brace in front of the tractor. I have a 58-57 model and that brace was original and used to secure a metal mesh grill. The grill looks like someone made it after the fact, but when you look at these 58-59 pictures available, you can see.

I never saw one without the grill! LOL But I thought I saw one with the oil bath aircleaner in the center, behind the grill.
Mine is a '57 industrial... looks more like the previous years bull dozer!

 

[tayjtrade]

If you look closely you can see that my oil bath air filter is right behind that center vertical metal brace. If that helps, hope it does. What other nomenclature would be of help? I took some pictures of different casting stamps but I might need to strip it down and run a paint pen or something over the numbers to get them to stand out better. I've only really operated a 1964 Ford 4000 series and it's fairly different. I guess my next question is about the levers. Obviously one is to shift gears (center lever). One of the other is for High and Low? And the third one is for locking up the rear end? Or is to control pto or an accessory pto located up by the right foot?

 

[tayjtrade]

Oh by the way, I'm Jonathan (Jon). I'm 34 years old and live Northern California. About an hour West of Sacramento. Always liked tractors and got the chance to buy this one so I did. I'm fairly mechanically inclined and do all my own work on my vehicles, small engines, electronics, etc. Also i am considered the neighborhood maintenance guy. From plumbing to swamp coolers to fences to lot clearing to tree work and even landscaping/landscape design and planning. Thanks again for your time and involvement. I will try not be stagnant and keep the talk going. I'm always in the pursuit of knowledge so feel welcome to start throwing anything my way. More or less 'thinking out loud onto a keyboard to be shared with others' is what I'm looking for in a sense. I'll shut the hell up now and put up some more pictures

 

[tayjtrade]

 

[pogobill]

Can't say for your tractor Jon, but on my 320B the center shifter is for gears, the one on the right is hi range / low range, and the one on the left is forward and reverse. I push it forward to go backwards, and pull it back to go forwards!?! Go figure! LOL

 

[tayjtrade]

Can't say for your tractor Jon, but on my 320B the center shifter is for gears, the one on the right is hi range / low range, and the one on the left is forward and reverse. I push it forward to go backwards, and pull it back to go forwards!?! Go figure! LOL

Yeah, mine is a bit different. I did a quick sketch of what mine is like. By looking at my sketch it's almost a duh the way it works. Lol. Sometimes I guess ya gotta draw it out! Doh!

 

[tayjtrade]

Yeah, mine is a bit different. I did a quick sketch of what mine is like. By looking at my sketch it's almost a duh the way it works. Lol. Sometimes I guess ya gotta draw it out! Doh! View attachment 81299

Lol, it just clicked what you said about pushing it forward to go in reverse and pulling it towards you to go forward. To be honest, I think that would be a very easy motion to get used to. I don't know why but in my mind that would be a pretty smooth way to go forward and reverse - on a tractor at least. I would imagine if you were trying to do something in reverse you wouldn't necessarily want it pulled towards you because if you're looking over your shoulder, it would, in my mind be easier to have your arm extended out and go in reverse rather than pulled in towards you and going in reverse and trying to turn and look behind yourself at the same time. If that makes sense....

 

[tayjtrade]

What would be the recommendation for motor oil type and weight? Any particular brands that would be the best compatibility for an engine this old? Any other recommendations in regards to fluids? My tractor is low on oil and I'd like to drive it (only 14 streets up from me) to my friend who has a nice sandblasting setup. I cannot believe the garbage people spray out. I'm practically embarrassed because it looks like such..... Well ... You know....

 

[pogobill]

I'm not sure what the manufacturer recommended, probably a 10W in the winter and a 30W in the summer. I use a 10W-30 motor oil in mine. If you are working it, get something like a Shell Rotella T 10W-30 or a 15W-40. Just my opinion. Others may have suggestions as well.

 

[LouNY]

Summer oil my go to is 15w-40, a tractor that's going to be working in cold (below freezing) temps I'll likely use 5W-40 for the cold weather.

 

[tayjtrade]

By summer, you mean what temp at your location? Summer here is HOT. Like typically above 90⁰F and many days are above 100⁰F. I didn't have much selection, the shelves were pretty bare at Walmart and Tractor Supply Co so I bought the Walmart brand 10w30. I'm still having a little bit of a hard time figuring out what I exactly have. There are a lot of little differences in tractors i research compared to what I have. I can pretty much for sure say it's between 1955 and 1960 lol. I'm sure I'll eventually figure it out but that sort of delays specific maintenance etc that I'm sure this thing needs. Does anyone know about the rear wheels? Seems to be a couple of different wheel variations for the ones that are as close as mine in the appearance. I'm thinking maybe some wheel info could help point me into a closer direction on figuring out exactly what I have. I see less of the wheel type I have compared to the others....

 

[pogobill]

The front axle will narrow down your search, along with the transmission configuration and perhaps the fenders. Also look for a stamped number on the engine, rather than a cast number.

 

[tayjtrade]

The front axle will narrow down your search, along with the transmission configuration and perhaps the fenders. Also look for a stamped number on the engine, rather than a cast number.

Well, you were correct about the vertical grill center..... I'll put up a picture that'll show ya why. (The picture is of the backside of the vertical grill center)

The number set I listed in the original post was from the engine's right top rear side, it's a smooth flat rectangle area that looks to be the only stamp on the engine. Searches online yielded no results but I'm slowly making progress here. So far I've came up with what I think might be a 1957 case 300 round nose