The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I have a 4 Cyl Fordson Major in a 35 ft trawler (Australia). I've had this boat for 15 years and other than put an 'in tractor overhaul kit' through it in 2000 because of a leaking liner O ring, it has remained completely reliable and starts every time.

The engine has a manual decompression lever coming out of the front of the rocker cover and the starter arrangement is by a manual handle which activates a lever on the starter motor. The lever on the starter appears to do two things; firstly engage the pinion gear and secondly make a contact that allows power to the starter motor to crank the starter. I'm not sure whether this is an arrangement that existed on the motor prior to it being installed in the boat or whether it was created as part of the installation to the boat.

When bought this boat I was shown that to start the engine, the decompression lever was lifted, the starter cranked and the decompression lever then lowered. That's how I've been starting for 15 years without a problem.

I recently read something on this forum that suggests this practice may not be correct and that I can indeed damage the valve gear rockers, push rods etc by lifting and lowering the decompression lever while electrically starting.

Can someone please confirm whether I should be lifting the decompression lever or not during electrical starts (I never hand crank; don't even know if I could).

Secondly it has a SIMMS inline injector pump with an air governor (two pipes runing around the front of the engine to the (carby or what ever you call it on a diesel). What is the correct lubrication requirement for this SIMMS injector pump? I was shown to put a very light machine oil in it to the level of the small leak off pipe coming out from the lower body of the pump. It has a small filler plug about half way up the upper body of the pump (not the bleed screw, its further up).

Again I've seen something on this forum that suggests that this practice may also not be correct.

Fordsons are not all that common around here so I would appreciate any advice in relation to the matters above.

Hi
From The description of your start procedure you have the original tractor style starter set up with the push handle.

I do not think it would be possible to start the major with a handle as compression would fight you on 4 cylinders being a diesel but there will probably be somebody around on here that will prove me wrong .

I have seen a few Majors over here bend push rods and things starting them with the decompressor but also there have been guys that have done it for years and not had a problem. Maybe that is down to luck but I never do it. If every thing is in top condition it should go without the decompressor lever It's supposed to be used to break the oil film on the crank bearings prior to starting in cold weather only I beleve .

Offically there should not be oil in the pump with vac governor it is diesel only lubrication. Brian being the resident dealer trained guy will tell you this.
unoficialy I will tell you that ford dealers in Canada put the oilers in the pump plate like you have. The reason being that our winter fuel is so thin to cope with - 50 winter weather.

The fuel has nearly no lubrication properties and if the oil was not added the cams in the pump had a habbit of wearing out quickly this was confirmed by ex dealer staff in Canada and my diesel guy when I asked him about re building an old pump.

I guess you dont have that problem with you so unless poor grade fuel was used with not much lube properties i dont know why it needs it fitted and oil to be added.
I hope that helps you a bit and I am sure you will get some more comments on your post. Good luck and could we please see some pictures of the boat and motor .
Regards Robert

Oh yes, PLEASE show some pictures. There are pics on this forum of a fordson powered side wheeler that is a treat!

The problem with oil in the pump and different ideas is interesting.

Given that the cam box is filled with diesel by the pump and any oil in there would be quickly diluted, I have doubts about its worth.

Certainly the instructions in the manual of both Ford and Simms clearly state that the only time oil is to be added to the cam box is for pump shelf storage or initially in a rebuilt pump.

I would have thought oil in the fuel would have been far better as the greatest wear in the pump would be in the pumping elements where oil in the cam box would have little effect.

Still we are always learning about these tractors! Who would have thought it nearly 50 years after they went out of production. Wonder if sites like this will still be discussing chips fitted to todays tractors in another 50 years.

Hi Brian
I Think the oil was added to the pump every day before start up. I am thinking that if the oil was added to the fuel in minus 50 weather it would go thick and cause a similer effect to waxing in the diesel.
This minus 50 weather is interesting stuff. I had to re build a front gear hub on a Belarus in that weather where the wheel fell off in a guys yard.
they use 80w90 gear oil. that is like tar in the summer. you can guess the rest in -50. To get the oil in the hub we had to put it in a steel can from the workshop then take it to the job. Then heat the can with a blow tourch and poor it in before it set solid again.

canada is a great place to live and work but some of the stuff you do and learn is a real eye opener and makes life interesting over coming problems with machinery in the 6 months of winter .
Regards Robert