Exhaust System Question

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:44 pm

My Super Dexta has the down-swept exhaust system. While mowing, I struck some debris left in the weeds by the power company. In addition to the flat rear tire I reported under the Topless Dexta thread, it also pulled the exhaust pipe loose from the manifold.

Two of the three stud bolts that secure the exhaust pipe were in place with the brass nuts. The third, however, was missing and had been replaced with a ferrous metal cap screw.

Of course, when I tried to remove the cap screw, it broke off in the manifold. I am fairly certain I can drill it out/use a screw extractor, etc. so that I can save the manifold.

Now the bad part. I ran over the exhaust assembly and it is ruined. I have been unable to find a new down-swept exhaust pipe. I searched the net, this site and the archives (old forum) and did not get a lead on a source for a new one.

It is obvious from examining the recently destroyed assembly that is was a rigged up, homemade, solution and not original equipment. I can most likely get a replacement assembly constructed at a local muffler shop.

Now the questions. Will an MF 35 diesel exhaust pipe/muffler assembly bolt up to the Dexta manifold? They look similar in the photos, and if it is only a matter of "clocking" on the bolt holes, I can cut the tubing, realign the flange and weld it back up.

But...what I think I really want to do is buy a new up-swept manifold and muffler assembly. My reason is simple. All of the up-swept assembly parts are readily available, and that should make future repairs much more straight forward.

My machine does not have a hole in the cowling, and I do not know if it has the knock out mentioned in earlier threads. I will examine it closer the next time I go to the farm. However, drilling a hole in the cowling would not be a problem.

What do you guys think? I'll post some photos later.

JC · Post by JC » Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:10 pm

Bill,
If you don't want to cut a hole in your hood, there are a couple of companies that sell an elbow that bolts on to your under swept manifold, so that you can use a vertical muffler. I think they are for a Massey 35, but I'm not sure.
Here's a link to one of them. http://www.bare-co.com/files/ford2001/frd46.htm

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:53 pm

Thanks JC. I thought maybe an adaptor pipe was a possible solution. There is a part like that listed in the parts list (959E-9488) but it has a remark by it that says "FTO-E Petrol". I assumed that meant it was for the petrol Dexta. But I see that the BARE site shows the same original part number cross referenced with their replacement part B1858 and it says it is for the Super Dexta Diesel. If it will work, it will solve my problem handily. Thanks again.

Here are some photos:

Manifold

Broken Cap Screw

The Whole Assembly

The Flange End

Muffler/Silencer

The Culprit

JC · Post by JC » Sun Aug 09, 2009 6:49 pm

Bill
The 959E number would be for a petrol Dexta. All of the ones I've seen for sale say that they fit a diesel. Hopefully they fit both.

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:41 am

Well JC, I will let you know. I am going to order one tomorrow.

I got my manifold taken care of except for the new stud bolt. I tried a couple of national chain auto parts places that are open on Sunday but they did not have what I need. I know where I can get one tomorrow.

First I filed it smooth

Then I center punched it

Next I drilled a 1/16" hole

And I kept drilling it larger until I reached tap drill size "I". I think this shot is at 1/8"

Then I tapped it out 5/16 X 24. The tap cut out the remaining shell of the cap screw

I really need to get a drill press. It would have made drilling much easier and more accurate.

More to follow...

pottyperkins · Post by **pottyperkins** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:54 pm

Hi, The head is very similar on the mf 35x. On mf tractors there is a manifold with seperate elbow, it may be posibble that you just need an elbow and exhaust so take your old manifold to see it the elbow fits

Post by **Brian** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:12 am

The petrol Dexta manifold elbow is held on by two bolts rather than three. It is the same as an MF 35 petrol.

JC · Post by JC » Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:32 pm

That's good to know, Brian. The one that Bill is getting has 3 bolt holes, so it should fit his tractor.

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:50 pm

Thanks for the heads up Brian. JC is correct. After I read Brian's post, I called the distributor and asked them to check the part, and it does have a three bolt hole flange.

I called the local New Holland dealer yesterday afternoon and ordered new manifold nuts, gaskets and stud bolts. They said they would place the order this morning, and if the parts were not available they would call. It's 10:45 A.M. here and I haven't heard from them so I guess I'll be getting my parts.

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 2:16 pm

I have slowly been getting my parts together. All I was able to get from the local dealer was the manifold to exhaust elbow gasket. For now, I am going to reuse the manifold to head gaskets. They seem to be in good condition.

I found a place in California to order the brass manifold nuts. It was amazing to me they were so hard to find. I had to buy a box of 50, but that box, with shipping, was only $2.75 more than ordering seven nuts from another supplier. At the other place, the nuts were right at $4 and the shipping was $7.50! The box of 50 was $9.33 + $4.92 shipping for a total of $14.25.

The new exhaust elbow from BARE-Co arrived yesterday. It matches up nicely, but the bolt holes are 7/16". The studs on the manifold are 5/16". I do not think it will be a major problem to overcome.

I still need to pick up a muffler and rain cap, but both of those are readily avalible at the local discount tractor supply store. The O.D. of the muffler end of the elbow is 2".

The wife has been out of town visiting our newest grandchild and will return today with the camera. I’m going to put it all back together this weekend and shoot and post some photos.

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 10:36 pm

First I need to make a correction. I posted that the bolt holes in the flange of the new exhaust elbow were 7/16". They are actually 3/8".

My brass manifold nuts have not arrived, and I wanted to do some mowing tomorrow so I have put the manifold and elbow together for now using lots of anti-seize and ferrous metal hardware.

Here is the manifold with the new stud in and gasket in place. I had to make the stud from some all-thread rod because I couldn't find a proper replacement. Because it was all-thread, I applied a small amount of braze around the base of the stud to hold it in place.

I made these three bushings out of 3/8" od X 5/16" id copper tubing. I made them slightly shorter than the flange is thick. The flange is 1/2" thick and the bushings are about 7/16" long.

Here it is bolted up.

When I go to the farm tomorrow I will take some more photos of putting it on the tractor, etc.

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 10:09 pm

I finally got her all back together and running. I mowed most of the day yesterday. Just as I suspected, when I got home from the farm my brass manifold nuts had come in the mail. I replaced the steel nuts with the brass this morning and finished mowing.

Here are some shots of the assembly. I took them early in the morning and they have a little shadow problem. BEFORE I catch some grief from you guys, I did not put the stick-on letters on the cowling that read "FORD". They were already there when I inherited her.

The bare manifold

Bolted up with the steel nuts and plenty of anti-seize

With the new muffler installed. The muffler is an after market item that I purchased from the local Tractor Supply store along with the clamp and rain cap. It has a 2" inlet and outlet. It is supposed to be a replacement for a John Deere, but it works just right for me. I didn't take a shot that really shows it, but the top of the muffler is almost exactly the height of the air breather. The cowling can be opened and closed with the muffler in place. It's tight, and requires a little flexing of the cowling, but it's not a problem.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/agricultur ... -8-0234340

Her she is running, pushing up the rain cap. The exhaust fumes are going up in the air now rather than drifting up from underneath. It is much more enjoyable to operate.

Many thanks to Brian and JC.

JC · Post by JC » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:11 am

I'm glad you got her going again, Bill. You do quality work, not a baling wire and duct tape job. I hope the power company settles up with you.

henk · Post by **henk** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:46 pm

Great job Bill,

I like to do this sort of job out of hand and not under a drilling machine/press. Putting the centre hole in the middle is the hard part, because a broken threaded stud will always misled you. I always start with a 3mm drill and turn slowly and make sure it drills. Than go a bit larger and check constantly if I'm drilling in the centre of the hole. Most of the time the stud will come free when you drill the right drill size for the threat.

Jerry Coles · Post by **Jerry Coles** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 8:31 pm

That looks like a tidy solution!
Just a thought Bill, did you try your local muffler shop for the nuts? I'm sure they would have had some for you as they are standard nuts and a lot of vehicles use brass nuts.

JC · Post by JC » Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:36 am

I have a suggestion for you, Bill (most people tell me what I can do with my suggestions, so its OK

). If you put a long piece of 2" exhaust tubing between the elbow and the muffler, the hood will be easier to open and the exhaust fumes will be further from your face.

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:51 pm

Dang Jerry, that is a good idea. I never thought of it. I bet there is a good chance they may have had them. I had considered having one of the local shops make me a new down swept exhaust pipe, but decided that for the long term it would be easier to go with the elbow and off the shelf parts. It never crossed my mind to see if they had the brass nuts

Dang!

JC- I thought of that, but I like the height of the new assembly. Based on two full days of operation, I am not having any problems with fumes. I did with the old down swept setup. The short set up gets up under the fence row tree limbs well.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Tmac · Post by **Tmac** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:15 am

Read the thread through.
The welding method of removal is faster than drilling usually on your type would have been less than 5 minutes to weld and remove without the danger of wrecking the threads. As always some luck is needed too!

)

http://www.fordsontractorpages.nl/phpbb ... .php?t=544

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:42 pm

Tmac,

I have used the welding technique before but never on a cap screw as small as 5/16. I learned it from my Dad, who learned it during WWII fixing battle tanks. I got a good bit of experience drilling out small muffler bolts from aluminum lawn mower engine blocks when I was in high school.

I worked weekends and after school for about three years fixing mowers and sharpening saws at the local hardware store. I was talking with the new owner a while back and told him about working there. He said now days the government would put him in jail for letting someone under 18 work with machinery.

Another symptom of the decline of America.

Bill Cox · Post by **Bill Cox** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:17 pm

I met with the power company folks last week and they agreed to pay for the parts I used to fix her. The cost was $218.18 and the guy said it would cost them more than that to call a lawyer and ask him about it. All I had to do was sign a release, releasing them from any further claims arising from this single event.

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