Is my power major one of the last?

[fordsonstreet]

I have a Power Major I am restoring with the serial number 1615716 stamped on the right hand side of the engine, is this one of the last before the Super Major's were rolled out?

I know from looking in a book it is a 1961 model I think from Sept/Oct 61.

It has drum brakes and the dials under the steering wheel.

[Brian]

You have a strange one there. The last Power Major was built in November 1960 and the serial number was 1578885. Supers were in full production from number 1578886 although a number were built from October 1960.

Check and post your casting codes from the clutch housing and under the seat on the lift.

I would suspect you have an earlier tractor with a later engine that has been fitted by a previous owner.

[fordsonstreet]

I wondered that, so I have an early Super Major engine. Were will I find the casting numbers on the gear box, and you say the transmission numbers are under the seat. Don't know if this is good news or bad!

I will post the numbers tonight.

Thanks Brian

[Brian]

Don't get too excited about having a Super Major engine, the early ones had the same engine as the Power Major The main difference between the two was the hydraukics and brakes.

There should be a date code on the clutch housing where the clutch linkage piviots are mounted on the selector plate. It will be something like A20C for example.

[fordsonstreet]

On the gear box is L170 or it could be L17D and in the transmission under the seat is E1ADKN 994787 L15D

Hope this sheds some light on it all

[Brian]

September 1960. So the original tractor was indeed close to the end of the Power Major run.

[fordsonstreet]

Thanks Brian,

So I have a power major which has had it's engine replaced with a later Super Major engine which is in fact the same as a power major.
Nice to know the full story.

You are a wealth of info where do you get it all from?

Thanks again

Lee

[5000blues]

Hi all,

I am restoring a power major which doesn't have the original engine or plate on the bulk head. The engine number has an E in the middle of it, I think this stands for evaporation which would mean that the block was originally a petrol engine. The tractor is now diesel, the numbers are as follows
engine 500E5074
Head has DDN F 4 on the side
tombstone C 23 C with 72 over that
gearbox C 3 C (this is upside down)
Back axle housing C 7 C
right hand side brake A 13 C

I cant read the lift cover under the seat, it could be C 7 or C1?, but it is very rusty. I may be wrong about the tractor being a power major, but it has the instruments up under the steering and doesn't have disc brakes. I suspect that the engine is older than the rest of the tractor.

I would appreciate any help on this as I can't open the pdf for 'date your tractor'
I only found this site last week, congratulations on a fantastic source of information

Keith

[henk]

Welcome 5000blues,

Prefix A is January, C stands for March. The number is the date and the last C stands for 1959. First Power Major was August 1958. Don't know the engine number.

[JC]

Hi Keith,
Welcome to the BB.
The 500E number means that your engine was originally made for a Thames Trader truck. It should be the same as a Major engine. There is a casting number on the front of the left side of the engine block, behind the generator. If you find that number we can tell you when your engine was made.

[5000blues]

Hi Keith,
Welcome to the BB.
The 500E number means that your engine was originally made for a Thames Trader truck. It should be the same as a Major engine. There is a casting number on the front of the left side of the engine block, behind the generator. If you find that number we can tell you when your engine was made.

Thanks Henk and JC
the number behind the generator is C26V underneath a 4,
The engine is still seized, I have been soaking the pistons with wd40 and parafin (kero).
Today I tried pushing down no 3 piston with a jack and chain wrapped around the sump. Nothing moved. Is there any way of knowing if a piston is seized on the upstroke or downstroke? Or does it matter, I dont want to bend a con rod.
Also I think the transmission handbrake is stuck on. I have removed the cover in front of the clutch pedal, and sprayed wd40 on the brake plates. The handbrake lever moves freely about halfway along the ratchet, but the plates all seem to be stuck together. I have photos of the plates and spring in the gearbox, how do I load them up here?

Thanks again
Keith

[henk]

5000blues,

I'm not sure but a stuck gearbox handbrake could block the engine.
The V in your last number indicates 1954. A bit strange I think.

[Brian]

Handbrake won't affect the engine as its on the output side of the gearbox. Just tap a screw driver or long chisel between the plates. This will help. then when you get her going, low gear and gently rock backwards and forwards. If the plates are welded together because someone has been using that as the main brake, the gearbox will have to come out to sort it properly.

Two things to try on the engine. WD40 is a waste of time and money and paraffin is good for cleaning but not really for freeing things off. Neat Automatic Transmission Fluid in each bore would be ideal or put some diesel in the bores and set it on fire. This works well too.

Some people also use Coke in the bores and claim good results. I know it works on coins so they might be right.

[Aussie Frank]

Hi Keith,

A word of warning, do not try coke to free aluminium pistons, leave it too long and there will be none left. Coke is great on early cast iron piston engines like the model F through to the E27N, both the peptic acid and sugar do wonders with rust but it will completely destroy aluminium pistons. Auto trans fluid or burning diesel are the way to go. A lump of 4 x 2 hardwood and a decent hammer can help get things started too but only if you have the big end undone. Time is the key, give it a few taps if it does not move give it more time with the trans fluid or diesel. The first thing I would do though is get the sump off, if any pistons are free you will be able to push them up with a piece of timber once you have the big ends undone. Don't use metal rods as they will break things. The secret is patience, keep pouring in the trans fluid or setting fire to the diesel on a regular basis and the piston will give up in the end. Just remember any movement is good even if it seems to be in the wrong direction first. I don't know how much work you were planning to do on the engine, but the least I would do is new rings bearings and a crank regrind if the bores are not pitted and I would definitely look at new sleeves and pistons for a proper job. Just my 2 cents worth.

Regards, Frank.

[5000blues]

5000blues,

I'm not sure but a stuck gearbox handbrake could block the engine.
The V in your last number indicates 1954. A bit strange I think.

Hi Henk,

I think the 1954 engine block makes sense. There are only four bolt holes, not six as on later engines, on the(square) truck mounting brackets near the fly wheel. I think the original diesel block was damaged when my father bought the tractor in the 1970's. A petrol engine had everything stripped from it and parts from the original diesel engine were fitted to the petrol block. This gives the 1954 engine in the 1959 tractor. Thanks also to everyone else for their comments, I will keep you posted on the progress.

Keith

[5000blues]

Hi Keith,

A word of warning, do not try coke to free aluminium pistons, leave it too long and there will be none left. Coke is great on early cast iron piston engines like the model F through to the E27N, both the peptic acid and sugar do wonders with rust but it will completely destroy aluminium pistons. Auto trans fluid or burning diesel are the way to go. A lump of 4 x 2 hardwood and a decent hammer can help get things started too but only if you have the big end undone. Time is the key, give it a few taps if it does not move give it more time with the trans fluid or diesel. The first thing I would do though is get the sump off, if any pistons are free you will be able to push them up with a piece of timber once you have the big ends undone. Don't use metal rods as they will break things. The secret is patience, keep pouring in the trans fluid or setting fire to the diesel on a regular basis and the piston will give up in the end. Just remember any movement is good even if it seems to be in the wrong direction first. I don't know how much work you were planning to do on the engine, but the least I would do is new rings bearings and a crank regrind if the bores are not pitted and I would definitely look at new sleeves and pistons for a proper job. Just my 2 cents worth.

Regards, Frank.

Thanks for all the tips Frank,

I think the sleeves are ok, but everything else will probably have to be done, I won't know for definite until I get the pistons out. I will try and get the pistons free before I take the engine out, the tractor needs a lot of time, I am not in a huge hurry, and I am learning as I go. I will be back to this site as I encounter problems.
I have made a woodburning stove out of the back end of one of these, some of you guys will think it was sacrilege but if anybody who has finished a restoration and has donar bits left this is a link, hope it works
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthre ... 057&page=6

Keith

[Dandy Dave]

Well now I've seen bout everything...... even a Fordson wood stove! Looks like a good recycling project for a part that may not be perfect for a replacment tractor trans. I'd say, "job well done." Dandy Dave!