The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I finaly have my '54 major running. I purchased it 9 months ago, in very rough shape.
seized engine, split sleeves, cracked oil pan, locked up pressure pump, bad injectors, the list seemed endless and is still quite long. I want to thank every one who asks questions and shares their knowledge, Alot of great tractors would be in scrap piles if it wasn't for this forum.
Here are some pics and I have a couple questions.





This is my first tractor and first diesel.
It seems to run well, but with low oil pressure. 5lbs psi at a low idle and around 30-35lbs psi when working.
I didn't grind the crank,Probably a mistake. I did mic. it and it was round and showed little wear.
I was able to free up the pressure pump and put fresh oil it it. all four ports seem to work but it makes a lod "ticking" sound when it's at an idle. Is this normal? Like i said, this is my first time dealing with any of this and don't know how it should sound. Now for the fuel shutoff. When I push in the "button" to release the shutoff I have to hold it in until the engine has ran for a minute. once it is warmed up it works like it should. If I don't hold it it starves itself.

Thanks again for the help and the forum.

Tom,

You have done a nice job.
The ticking is normal as you have the old coupling at the diesel pump. It's part of the Major sound.
You have a Rest-O-Ride seat with a normal pan on it and you have put it higher to fit on the rear end cover.
Don't understand what you mean about the shutoff button.

Thanks for the compliment. I don't have heat in my barn, so I brought inividual pieces into where i work and painted them with aeresol cans. I wish I would have saved all the cans, It would have been an imressive pile. I'll try and eplain the shutoff better. On the end of the pump (driver side) is the fuel shutoff with a cable attached to it. when you pull it back, to shut the fuel off to the pump, a little button on the side of the lever pops out. I push it in, the lever goes forward, and It's getting fuel again. When I start it cold, that button pops half way out and starves the engine. If I hold that button in for a minute and let the engine warm up it will stay in and every thing is fine.

This button is for cold-start. You should not have to hold it in to keep the engine running. Only for starting purpose in cold weather. It shares its components and function with the stop-function on the injection pump.

Remove the cover with the eight bolts and check if the shaft in the bottom can move freely back and fourth. My guess it is a little stuck. I have seen this on several Majors if they have been sitting for a while. Soak it with wd40 and rock it back and fourth by hand to free it.

any more pics of the engine rebuild ?

Looks like you are comming along. Nice Job on the old major. Dandy Dave!

Regretfully I didn't take pictures of the rebuild. Thanks for the info on the cold start and the ticking from the pump. It sound like their working as they should.
I searched the forum and found a couple references saying the majors tend to have lower oil pressure.
As for my oil pressure, should I be concerned? How low is low?
Again I'm running 5 psi at low idle and 30 to 35 psi when half throttle and running down the road.

Thanks again!
Tom

Tom P wrote: painted them with aeresol cans. I wish I would have saved all the cans, It would have been an imressive pile.

How many cans? 10, 20, 50,

Tractor does look good. Rest-o-ride seat, raised pto, and nice wide tyres.
What are you going to use it for? farming, hobby farming, show?
Keep up the good work, photos and questions.
Kiwi Kev

I would guess at least 50 cans of paint and primer. I plan on using it to mow my pasture and keep my small winter pen clean.
I'd loike to go to a show or two and some local farmers do a 30 mile country tour once a year. That is going to be a must!

Hi tom, have to say your major is looking very good, keep up the good work! With regards to oil pressure, before i re-built my engine on my major the oil pressure read similar to yours, i miced the crank and found mine to be ok with only slight wear, however, now it reads 40 psi at idle and nearer 60 when working. I take it you replaced the big end shells?

Are the shells the bearings? If so, then yes. All new main bearings and rod bearings.

I was reading some posts about oil pressure and saw some references to the oil gallery. I did't add oil to the gallery during assembly. Last night I pulled off my pressure gage and the tube was oily but not full. (I have a 6" nipple with a 90 on the end that I atached aliguid filled pressure gage to.) I filled the tube with oil and put on the gage. It was running 30 psi at an idle, However It was very cold and I didn't have time to let her warm up. I will look into it more this weekend.

ah, now thats interesting, i didnt fill the gallery up either, i wonder if mine isnt full with oil. How did you take the pressure gauge off?

The oil gallery is just another name for the oil passages in the engine. You don't have to fill it with oil, the oil pump will do that for you. If there's air in the pipe to the oil pressure gauge, it won't matter, the gauge can read air pressure as well as oil pressure.