Dexta Engine???

[charlie63]

My 1958 Dexta has been fitted with a Perkins P3 engine. Was wondering if anyone can give me some information as i have it stripped and am away to order complete rebuild kit for it. Ive still to get out the liners so unsure if they are the lipped type or straight. Ive been told that this engine has internal differences to the F3.144 but it looks the same to me only difference is its fitted with the Lucas CAV mechanical governed pump and the timing casing is different. It is gear driven as you will see from the pics. Also I have been told that this may still be the original engine as there were differnt variants Ford were trying out in the early Dextas as a cost saving exercise. Perkins records onyl go back to the early 70"s as well. Is the engine rebuild kit for the F3.144 the same?? Ive measured the bores of the liners and they are within spec measuring 3.501" to 3.502" but have found 2 small pits in the centre liner. Also im going to replace the crank and bearings as No4 main has gone. Engine Serail # 1129139. Any information will be appreciated as I dont want to go and spend all that money on a kit and find its wrong.

[Brian]

I would suspect your engine is one of these, not a P3 which had a chain drive timing arrangement, but an Industrialised Dexta engine possibly supplied by Fords Industrial Division. The one in the picture came from a company called Sutton Power Drives of Bassingstoke who are no longer in existence. They were buying these units to put in boats.

The differences on the Ford version of the engine as opposed to the MF one are the rear main seal/sump and the oil pump. There were also extra holes in the block on the Perkins version which are not there on the Ford made one. If it is indeed a Ford made block the liners will be very tight to remove, the easiest way is to machine them out. This will need to be done if you are getting the 152 liners that most people supply, these will need to be pressed in and then bored to size, you will also need new pistons. You may also choose to fit the later liners with a retaining lip. Your block will also need machining to take these.

Could a hone take out the pitting you have found?

[charlie63]

Thanks for the info Brian. I did see a pic of exactly the same engine as what is in my tractor for sale on e-bay but it has differnet mountings etc which is seemingly from a crane. I have access to a large press for removing the liners and also a line borer for finishing of the new ones. Wont get round to it though until I return from Angola on Feb25th. The liner is at its max tolerance and the pits are too deep to try removing them thats why I was going down the route of an engine rebuild with liners, pistons, rings etc as well as complete valve train kit. The engine is fitted with the rope type rear seal and also the oil pump is or looks identical to the gear driven ones that are being sold for the Dexta. Anglo Tractor Parts have one part # A58419. Some of the companies I have been in touch with say that the Perkins P3.144 is the same kit as the F3.144 and also some have said its an A3.144 this is what is confusing me as I thought the A3.144 was chain driven and not gear driven but I may be wrong.

[Brian]

As far as I know the A3.144 is the gear driven one. I would look very carefully at the oil pump as the Dexta oil pump went out of production around 1971 and we were having to modify and fit the Perkins version way back then. Not a big job but awkward if you are not expecting it.

I am not sure whether the kits supply the correct gaskets, seem to remember a post on here a few months ago about some gaskets being the wrong (Perkins) ones for a Dexta engine.