I may well give up soon...

[billy]

Hey guys,

Another post...some of you may be thinking I'm out of my league here, restoring an old ford son...


Anyway, I have just changed the gearbox to back axle seal, went alright in the end.

Now I'm starting her up after a fair amount of sitting there. Firstly, I'm struggling with turning the engine over. Its like I cant draw enough ampage from a battery of boast pack. it just turns the engine slow. I have pulled out the injectors, and span it over, and shes spinning very quick. Its like I'm getting too much compression (I rebuilt the engine about 10 hours ago). any ideas?

Secondly, I tried to bump start the tractor, this lead me to find out the clutch will not did-engage.
So I put it into 2nd gear, foot on the clutch, got pulled forward and the rear wheels were locking up. Back in neutral the wheel span.

does this means I'm going to have to split the tractor?

[AdrianNPMajor]

Don't give up. There's lots of help here.
From your description it is a clutch issue - it's not disengaging.
First thing to do is split the tractor between engine and gearbox and look at the clutch. If you could take photos at this stage, that would be helpful.
Good luck.
Adrian

[oehrick]

Was that 2nd Hi or Low range Billy ? if Low, try High, if High, try 3rd or 4th

If the clutch is sticky, a push might be safer, along with a chain so the push tractor / vehicle can act as an anchor until you get her out of gear.

I've never tried one of those battery boosters, I'd check the high current cable connections between battery solenoid and starter as it may be a dirty joint robbing your current.

Above all don't give up.

If you have a pulley on it, belt starting is another and possibly safer option

[Daves rusty bits]

When I rebuilt mine the starter was really slow but it improved after a few weeks, I put it down to increased compression and a tight engine.

[billy]

So ive split the tractor,





I think it looks a little seized. I'm guessing now itll be pull it off, clean up, and re-attach?


I think the starting issue is probably dirty connections. But ill come back to that....

[billy]

also, I forgot, one of the fingers is very slack. it has a lot of movement compared to the other two.

[billy]

And oehrick, ive tried in all gears, and high and low...even attempted to free it in reverse....

[mathias1]

also, I forgot, one of the fingers is very slack. it has a lot of movement compared to the other two.

while you're at this stage, maybe it's better to buy some new parts for the clutch. If the fingers are not good anymore, it 's better to replace.

[oehrick]

Fair enough Billy you've done what you can from outside - judging from the photo it looks pretty rusted on the flywheel and friction plates (a brighter shade of horseshoe) yet the clutch pressure plate and housing look clean and bright (unless its plated) - either someone has chucked a new clutch at it relatively recently without cleaning the flywheel properly or water is getting in somewhere over the flywheel, hopefully the first option !

Yoe are certainly getting a close aquantance with your Major's internals

Hope nothing other than adjustment adrift when you get the clutch off

[billy]

Thanks for getting back to me.

I took the pressure plate housing off, the clutch plate was stuck to the flywheel, had to use a tickler to remove it!

I fitted the clutch about a year ago. At the time the flywheel was spotless. I'm concerned of How much water has got in in a year. The tractors been stowed outside.

Is there meant to be a gasket between the bell housing and gearbox? If not, to stop the water ingress, can I use hylmar or other sealant?

[oehrick]

I'm not certain about a gasket Billy but someone will know, can't see Hylomar or similar causing a problem.

It explains why the clutch looks so new, and it must have had a fair bit of water or condensation in for that amount of rust.

I was thinking back to when a car of my mums popped a core plug behind the flywheel, which was rusty while the clutch looked OK we reckoned the water could get up to starter level (where it then leaked out) which was a fair bit of the flywheel but not quite up to the clutch......

You are heading in the right direction although you may be a bit late to get your spuds in for this year

[scarecrow]

Hello Billy
Bring it up to Derbyshire & we'll push it down a hill that'll start the b----r
I fear no major

[blackbob]

That reminds me... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY1YndLmbXQ

[billy]

Sorry I haven't been on here for a while. Work seems to rule over the tractor, or rather the internet

Anyway, the clutch now feels good. I've had lots of progress on the old girl. I'll try to get round to uploading some pictures! The paint is on, works are near the end, just got little bits to do. I'm also waiting on parts!

My mate is finishing the loom next Saturday, so hopefully she will be finished (I know it'll never be finished). But it will be as close as!!

Does anyone have the details about re-registering a Fordson. I did once see contact details of some one but I cant find them now.

Also odd question. Does anyone know the dimensions and what not of the starter handle spring, that throws the bar out. Mine came off in four pieces and there is no way I can figure out what I need!

Thanks everyone for chipping in!

[billy]

I haven't been on this site for a long while now. And to be honest I've barely looked at my old Fordson for about 10 months.... this week in the rainy night I've got into the workshop with it and been getting it back together.

This is a long story...

So 10 months since I got fed up with it. Back then it was because of a sparex stater motor wasted hours of work.

Basically the tractor was left outside, in a half complete way. Tried to turn is over after sitting for a month or 2, it just set fire to the starter(agriline one). So I took it off and got a friend to overhaul it but I turns out the forks had bent and all the insulation burnt off. So, new starter needed.
Sparex this time...I know still cheap, but I get trade on them through work....
Any bolted it on, and the tractor wouldn't crank, just kept jamming. So ran through the motions like ya do, anyway with injectors out it would turn over much, so, sump off. Ran through the main bearings and found the one near the flywheel was jamming the crank. So cleaned it and retorqued it to the lower setting, still stuck. That's when I thought let's have the engine off and figure this out.
With the engine off I then retired to pull the flywheel off. I tried also red, and could shift it. So then I started studying the flywheel, it had a deep score around it. Turns out the new flipping started motor was digging into the flywheel. So had it off and to a grinder to the badly case area....bolt it back on...free engine!

What a waste of my life!

After that I left the tractor to it.

Anyway back to now. She's all back together and running!! Like a dream!!
I'm thinking of using it to help with haymaking this year.

However the hydraulic link arms went up, and now have stayed there, anyone got ideas....hoping I don't have to take the top cover off, it's bloody heavy!

Thanks
Billy