The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I would have paid him the money before he finished speaking! Even if you find that it is too much for you to do it has to be worth more than that as a project for someone else, Here in the UK that price is 2 tanks of fuel in a family car!

That would explain the rear winch, thanks Rob

A friend got sent this photo today of a New Holland and trailer load of potatoes getting a helping hand. Any one know what the Major is? (We have no idea!)

The cam runs directly in the block and I'm pretty sure oversize bushings are unavailable now. If you did find any the engine would need to be removed and stripped and the cam drillings line bored to fit the new bushings. The wear tends to be at the bottom of the drilling from the downward pressure o...

Chap I used to work for had a Triumph TR6 with felt seals on wheel bearings, he used to leave them to soak in oil for a week (makes them compress easier and stay compressed) and then press them between 2 thick bits of metal plate in the vice before fitting them

Luckily they were nothing to do with me. But there are an awful lot of major engines that have been ruined by cooling system neglect, both corrosion and cracked blocks/heads.

Some good info there Sandy. With regard to radiator caps and pressure ratings, something I have seen happen twice on poorly maintained Majors (one on a log splitter and one very rarely used) was they both had unpressurised rad caps fitted. These rotted away and were replaced with pressurised ones, b...

agree it would be running rough Sandy, it was just a thought. Sounds alot like worn valve guides if it is oil being thrown out

Forgive me if I'm asking the obvious but are the black spots definitely oil? I have seen black spots which are unburnt fuel mixed with soot caused by bad injectors

Hi Sandy, I have fixed one of those badges on a friend's Super Major and it has held so far. Grind what is left of the pin flat but leave as much metal as possible. Drill into the badge as deep as you can without going through (lots of precise measuring needed!) with a 4mm drill (should be 4.2 but 4...

Sandy, from Jim’s earlier posts I think it’s a live drive. Do you think it’s possible that the lever has moved on the shaft and is hitting the cover before engaging low drive fully allowing it to jump out?

Agree with Sandy, 1 1/2” sounds very excessive. As for the play, have you checked the axle pivot and A frame mounts for wear? Last one I did had very worn bolts holding the A frame to the axle and the A frame pivot on the sump had an old bolt through it with bits of copper pipe over it to try and ma...

Well done, looking good! Some good pics there

Hi Sandy, came across this today in a tub of bolts, pretty sure it's an adjuster cover from the brake backplate of a major

I used semi hollow mild steel rivets on the latches when I restored a Major, worked a treat, easy to hammer tight when cold

If you know the oil capacity for your engine you could drain it, refill it with the correct amount and set your dip stick full mark to that level

You could always fit an electronic aftermarket tacho if you need to know your rpm, easy to remove with no modification to the.original tractor

Hi Emiel, I'm certainly no antifreeze expert but apparently some OAT has additives that can affect older type gaskets, seals and rubber hoses. It is recommended that only IAT antifreeze is used in pre 1998 engines

I would say head gasket, porous block tends to be water in the oil. Keep an eye on the oil level on the dipstick, if it rises you could have water getting into the oil. The antifreeze should be ethylene glycol IAT, not the modern OAT stuff. Although these engines will plod on for years with a bit of...

I can see the difference in size, I have put a couple of 6 cylinder engines in Majors but they were runners so I didn't get inside them. Would this pump not fit the 590e? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122031381653?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=FopIq3VmQRO&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ve...

As you say Sandy, if the oil pressure was bad you would expect the mains and big end shells to have at least started to ‘pick up’ and have suffered some damage. The oil pumps listed are under £150 which isn’t that excessive if there is any doubt about the existing one, considering the cost and time ...

If you are rebuilding the engine fit a new oil pump, they are not too expensive and it will be one less thing to worry about. The ridges in the crank usually occur from the oil groove in the shell bearing or in line with the oil hole, It’s very hard to judge crank journals without feeling them but a...

Mayhill tractors and Malpas tractors (both online) sell packs of shims. If the liner is too high then keep cleaning the shelf with emery cloth, I have never had one that was too high and didn't go down with more cleaning and a bit of patience. As Sandy says, when you dry fit the liners, keep rotatin...

Hi Sjors, sorry if I’m telling you the obvious but when you measure the pistons check the wear on the ring grooves too. If the liner o ring grooves are not too bad I find Wurth Super RTV silicone works well to seal them (they are old engine blocks now and unlikely to be perfect) and also acts as a l...

if the camshaft journals are worn make sure you have oil to the head and rocker shaft when you have it running again. The oil pressure gauge will read sufficient pressure but there can still be none at the head, the best way to check is to run the engine with the rocker cover off to check all the ro...