The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hello to all, hope everyone is doing great. I was able to put my power major to work a little this past weekend pulling some large trees. My girlfriend took some pics and filmed some on it. I hope to figure out how to get the pics and film on here. I still have not solved my lift problem, will not lift heavy weight but will lift my boom pole and it will remain up. I have had the unloading valve out several times and added shims with no change. If I have a pump problem, would the lift stay up like this? Also any advice on how to get the filming on here, would like for some to see and hear her run. Thanks to all for all the help in the past.
Gerald

Gerald,
Yes it could be a pump problem. Could have blown the "O" rings in the pump. The fact that the arms stay up with a load points in that direction. \\if your unload valve was leaking, the arms would drop.

Thanks Brian, I believe the unload valve was stuck closed when I started getting her back up and running because it did lift heavy weight at first. So for anyone out there, if your tractor has been sitting for several years as mine did you should go into unload valve and make sure it is not stuck closed. I will look at manuals on pump repair. Brian, if o rings are bad in pump, can they be replaced without major overhaul of pump or am I looking at trying to replace pump? Also a guy at work is looking at a 1961 Fordson Dextra, 32hp 3 cyl. perkins engine according to ad, $3500.00. I told him I did not know enough to say if that is the correct engine or not. As always your help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Gerald

Hi Gman icant help with your tractor problems but if you go on to the dexta site and go back i think about a page or so to photo trail there is agood bit of advice on getting photos to work from Bill Cox , there is a recent photo trail by myself Gerry but its not that one it will be back as i say acouple pages, the post is by Gerry but it is BiLL who has the know how , Gerry

Gerald,
Without seeing your tractor it is hard to say if just the "O" rings have failed but these are what usually go. Hydraulic pumps for Majors were discontinued back in the 1960's and the Super Major pump replaced them. This pump requires a right angle block to take the pressure pipe of the Major as the Super pressure pipe enters the lift in a different position. A block would have to be made as I doubt whether one could be found easily.

Best thing is to strip her down and find out what is wrong. At least then you know what you are dealing with.

Regarding the Dexta, the engine is NOT a Perkins. It was cast at Dagenham and assembled at Perkins. It was produced to a Ford/Perkins design. There are lots of differences between it and the Perkins engines of the time, however a similar Perkins engine was used in the M-F 35 once Ford finished with it.

Check for a cracked block behind the injection pump up near the cylinder head. This is a weak spot if the engine has been frozen through lack of anti-freeze. Check that it has a working manifold heater and that the primer pump in the fuel tap works.

If the seller says that she starts OK with a squirt of ether- run away from it don't walk! Ether kills these engines and constant use usually means broken rings, pistons and sometimes cracked cylinder liners. If the price allowed for a complete engine overhaul then it would not be a bad buy but from what you indicate, it is priced as a good runner and you would not want to spend a lot on it.

Gear sticks wear and they will sometimes jam in gear if you are a bit rough with them. Not a big problem, the gear levers come out easily and can be built up to stop the problem.

Watch for oil leaks:
Black oil between engine and clutch housing = rear main oil seal. Not a bad job but will mean splitting the tractor and while your in there, you might want to replace the clutch.

Clear oil leaking from split pin hole under clutch housing = Transmission oil seal[s] leaking. see above. You may also find that, with use, this oil leak will go away. Dotty leaks if she has been standing for a time but once she has been working, she is dry.

Oil leaking onto rear wheel disc/rim = Half shaft oil seals leaking. Bit of a job, not bad but involves pulling off bearings to get at seals. If it has been leaking, oil will have got on the brake linings.

None of the above is impossible to sort out if you have time and some mechanical knowledge but the price seems a bit on the high side to me. Your talking £1800 BP approx. A lot over here are going for less than that and some are priced at double that. Dotty is a bit of a rare beast and I paid £2000 for her, but there was a bit of "wanting" on my part and I had the money and was prepared to pay that price.

Thanks Brian and Gerry. I will pass on the info on the Dexta. My power major will lift my bushhog about 6 inches so hope to get some work before cold weather and have some more trees to pull out also. Although our winters are not too bad here believe she will be better in shelter so I hope to make some room in shop to get her inside, think I'm also looking at head gasket replacement and will address pump at that time. I have seen two different gaskets on Agriline, one says copper gasket. Any suggestions on the one I need? Hope to have some pics up later on.
Thanks
Gerald