The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hi guys,

I am planning to give my 590e a clean up on the outside.
I guess it's better to remove the vacum governor first?

Do you have any advices, since it will be my first time.
I guess I will remove the pump for the vacum brakes (former truck engine) too? It's on the left from the vacum governor on the picture below.

Thank you in advance!

Hi guys,

Here's a little update from me.

First I removed the pump for the airbrakes.



Does anyone has idea's how to fill up this gap? Are there any plates for it? At this moment I don't intent to place the pump for the airbrakes back on the engine.



Then I removed the vacum governor.





The bolting was pretty easy.
In an email Frans metioned the timing of the governor.... I really didn't think about that...
Hopefully it can be done afterwards???

Don't think you will find that the pump has to be timed, it only drives from the end of the pump shaft and is not connected to the running of the engine.

Thank you for your answer, Brian!!
That comforts me.

Since the engine has been "dry" for 30 years, a friend of mine fears to get out the cylinder liners without breaking a piece of the engine (liner rusted stuck to the engine), I filled the space of the cooling fluid with diesel for 2 months to remove (most of) the rust.
Now it's filled with kerosine for a month. Maybe after that period some Coca Cola?
After that I let all the kerosine out, lay the engine on her side and get out the pistons.
Last but not least, I'll try to get out the liners.

If you have any advices, please let me know.

Hello Pascal,

For the gap there is a normale plate may be some one on the forum has got one just laying in the shed....

you can see it on the pic

Hi Frans,

Thank you for your advice and picture.
If someone has a spare one, please let me know.

I see, the shaft between the governor and the distribution on your engine is different from mine.
Any idea why? Maybe because I have a vacum governor? Or because my engine came from a truck?

Look who's talking....




It's the first of three pistons I removed this afternoon.
Do they show worn? Or maybe like new? Are the black (oil) spots on the pistons normal
I haven't got a clue.

They do not look too bad but the way to check is with a new piston ring in the groove and see how much clearance you have up and down.

Otherwise the colouring looks pretty normal.

The clearence should be 0,002-0,004 or in metric 0,051-0,102. The top ring gets the biggest clearence in an old engine.

Thank you for your reactions, Brian and Grani!

Hi guys,

Tonight I tried to pull out the cylinder liners with the puller, I borrowed. He managed to get out liners from his own tractor.
Big difference is probably, that my engine has been "dry" (without cooling fluid) for 30 years.






Unfortunately the tools were not strong enough...





Do you think it's worth while to try it again with better tools? Or do you think, the liners will not come out without damaging the engine?

Can anybody please help with the correct measures of the piece of metal, that will have to press the liner up?
Than I can ask a black smith to make me one.

Thank you in advance!

Hi Pascal,

My experience is that anything less than 13 mm thick round plates top and bottom and a full tube at the top is the minimum.

When engines were new you could get away with the gear you have, but rust has it's way of making things much harder. A friend with a lathe to turn the top and bottom plates is a very good thing and you need a piece of pipe to go around the outside of the liner to make sure it will release. The tube with a flat disk is so much stonger than a flat bar and a couple of spacers. It also puts much less point pressure on the block too. Expect a loud bang when it all lets go.

Regards Frank.

Hi guys,

Thanks to the equipment on the right, I managed to get out all the six liners.I am very happy with that!



I also got the rubber rings at the bottom of the liners out.
I noticed there are also rubber rings at the top of the liners. I didn't know that, but it seems quite logical.

Nice work Pascal,

Glad you got them out at on peace.
What's next?

Make sure you check which liners you have when you replace them. The ones with rubber rings on the top are a different liner to the normal Major ones. They are the New Performance liners and have an extra machined area at the top for the ring to fit against.

They are not interchangeable.

Brian wrote:Make sure you check which liners you have when you replace them. The ones with rubber rings on the top are a different liner to the normal Major ones. They are the New Performance liners and have an extra machined area at the top for the ring to fit against.

They are not interchangeable.

It is to old to have the upper rings, and the lower ones are the smaller model. (3/59)

Hi Henk,
Thank you. I am going to bring the engine to a specialised company, which will face the head (in Dutch "kop vlakken") and check the pistons, etc.
The company will probably place the new liners.

Thank you Brian and Grani.
I think Grani is right, since my engine is from 1959 (vacuum governor).


I will keep you updated.

Hi guys,

A short update.
Yesterday I have bought 6 new liners (New Performance), 6 sets piston rings, new rubber rings for the liners (under & above), a complete set con rod bearings and a replacement for piston number 5 (was slightly damaged).

I guess that should keep me busy for some time.
But first I will have to do some paintingjobs on our house.

I will keep you updated.

Hello Pascal,

Nice Job, I think you are happy with it, hope there is some nice weather next days to do your paint job.

Regards Frans

Hi Grani,

Next week I am going to place the liners (at least I am going to try ).
I was wondering what you were spraying on this picture.

Hi Pascal. I am spraying tar to prevent corrosion. I can tell you if it works if you ask me again after 25 years or so.
I replaced the original O-rings with Viton O-rings that last longer and are more heat resistant.
Make sure that there are no corrosive spots at the bottom of the grooves. You have to look very carefully with a mirror.

Hi Grani,

Thank you for your quick response.
I will ask you in 25 years, then.

I thought you were spraying to keep the rubber soft, but apparently I thought wrong. Thanks for the advices! I will take a good look.

To get the liners in, I can use dishwashing detergent at best, as you did, to get the liners smooth through the rubber rings?
Any other things I should pay attention to?

There is a theory that modern washing up soaps increase the risk of corrosion and should not be used. This comes from leyland and John Deere dealers.

What is recommended is silicone grease or soft gasket sealer.

I use hand washing gel when I do it. Tyre soap would aso be good.

Thank you for the advices, Brian.

I will keep you guys updated.

My own theory is that the O-ring wipes the soap of the sleeve and leaves it in the cooling water section. Then it will be washed away by the coolingwater. The tar will not let the soap or the cooling water in to the groove.