The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

After nearly 3 years of doing many things, but not working on my partial stripped Major, I recently started working on her again. Do have a few bolts I don't even remember taking off, but most of the memories are coming back! She's almost completely bare now, with everything that can be taken of lying on the shelf.

Do have a few questions though. Those three years ago, I removed the injection pump and the injection nozzles. Pump is lying open on the shelf, the nozzles I put in numberd boxes. Recently I was reading through the repairsmanual and read that when nozzles and pump where stored for a longer time, they must be filled with "calibrating fluid"? What is this stuff, and what wil happen when I put the nozzles and pump back on the engine to fire it up (hope it won't last another 3 years ).

After three years of not doing Major things, I was delighted to see this site still running and active! Posted a few questions then, and always got a satisfying answer!

There will be more questions following! I promise.

Johan

Johan,

It is possible that, after leaving your pump and injectors on the shelf and open for a long time, that they may now be wrecked.

The internal components of both are machined and polished to very high tolerances indeed, most of the internal measurements are made in microns. With these sort of finishes, should rust form on the surfaces, it grooves them, diesel will then leak past under the high pressures generated within the pump and the pump will not work correctly. This is why I never recommend working on your own injection equipment as a single scratch can do so much damage. I have seen pumps scrapped after being left in a damp atmosphere for a few days. The fluid that the manual says to use will protect all the internal components from this damage.

It is also possible that you might get away with it if your pump and injectors have been stored in a dry area.

Brian,

Maybe there is some hope for me, when I said "open on the shelf" I mean that it is not protected by some piece of cloth or a box. The injector pump intelf is intact, I removed it as a whole from the engine. Only removed fuel pipes and coppling. Nozles where stored in a plastic closed container.

The room they are stored in, is dry, but not completely free of moist, depending on the weather.

Is there anything I can do at this moment, to stop the damage (maybe) already done, or to prevent? What is calibrating fluid? Can I use just diesel to soak the parts?

Johan

There is not a lot you can do now. I would just put it back on the engine as it is when you are ready. Or if you intended to, get it checked by a diesel service shop.

The pump should have been filled with something like Shell Fusus oil then all the openings sealed. Diesel is not good for storage. We used to drain combines and fill them with this oil just between harvests.

Well, I just leave it on the shelve then. Hope I can work on from now on and get the chassis painted this year. This should leave all the things that have come of for the next spring (better spraying time then the winter months in an unheated garage!). I hope to get her running againg next year.

I do also have a '73 Landrover 88 Series III that is transporting me daily that might disturbe the planning of the Major a bit, but we will see!

Greetings, Johan