Self-help engine repair and maintenance tapes and DVDs

Learn by example

October/November 2004
By Richard Backus 
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Self-help books and tapes are nothing new. Wander into any major book outlet, and you'll find a dizzying array of titles claiming to help you with just about any imaginable aspect of your life. From dealing with your spouse to working with your boss, there's a book - and often a videocassette tape - to help you along.

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Not surprisingly, there are also a host of tapes designed to help the aspiring mechanic. After all, just because someone's interested in old gas engines and tractors, doesn't necessarily mean they know how to work on them.

I've been wanting to watch some of these self-help videos to assess their worth, so with that thought in mind, I picked out a couple of titles and gave them a run.

The Tractor Tape
When it comes to self-help videos for the tractor enthusiast, a good selection of titles are available. Most of those titles seem to come from one source: J&D Productions out of Metamora, Mich. With 30 different videos covering tractors ranging from the Allis-Chalmers WD 45 to Oliver-Cockshutts of varying stripe, J&D has established itself as a major how-to resource for tractor enthusiasts.

Above: J&D Production's 'Engine Rebuild for Oliver and Cockshutt Gas Tractors' is one of 30 titles available from the Michigan-based company. J&D also has tapes on painting, general tune-up and hydraulic repair. Tapes are $24.95, plus shipping and handling. For more information, contact J&D Productions Inc., P.O. Box 38, Metamora, Ml 48455; (810) 678-3960.

Given my weak spot for Oliver-Cockshutts, I decided to watch J&D's 'Engine Rebuild for Oliver and Cockshutt Gas Tractors.' Covering the Waukesha-powered Oliver-Cockshutt models produced after Oliver's purchase of Cockshutt in 1962, this tape guides viewers through the basics of an engine overhaul.

It's impossible to cover every detail of an overhaul in 70 minutes, but the tape - narrated by 'Scott' and 'Dan' (no last names are given or listed in the credits) -provides the aspiring mechanic with a basic overview of the major elements making up an engine overhaul.

From initial engine removal all the way through to the first fire of the newly-assembled engine, Scott and Dan guide viewers through elements unique to the tractor they're restoring (an Oliver 1650), noting elements common to most any gas-powered tractor along the way.

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