The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Just learning the ropes around here, seems like a good place to share/find info on these old beasts.

Just picked up a '55, new to Fordson but not to tractors or mechanical things. I've spent most of my life tinkering on mowers, tractors, motorcycles, cars, 4x4 trucks ECT. My other tractor is a '66 Case 190 (think full hydraulic sub-compact tractor) and it's down for a main pump and a head gasket right now.

I'll rattle off a few problems I've encountered and my thinking, anybody who wants to add to or correct my lack of experience feel free.

Brakes are functional but cables are sticky. I'm thinking penetrating lube might help, then pull wheels and drums to check out the rest.

Transmission and rear axle lube are same consistency, color, and measured level. Thinking a seal is bad between the two and it all runs to the back of the tractor. Temporary fix might be to add some sort of transmission stop leak to the upper system and see if the seal will swell up a bit. Otherwise, is it easy to split the tractor and replace the seals?

Rear tires and wheels need to be replaced. Tires have plenty of tread but are separating like a re-tread would, but these are not re-treads. And from calcium use there are rusted areas on the rims that might fail if I put the tractor into heavy use. They are 14-30 tires, rim centers are pinned and could be easily removed and fitted with new, non-rusted rims if the inner diameter were close enough. Maybe even re-drill a different set of wheels entirely, such as USA style Ford 8 lug, or some old backhoe wheels from a Case or something.

Engine is STRONG but smokes. White smoke, and smells of unburned fuel. Checked inj. timing, which is right on. Doesen't matter on throttle or load, always smokes the same. No water usage has been noted, no mixing of fluids. Previous owner said it did this just the same when he got it 12 years ago and a friend who was a diesel mechanic fixed it by adjusting the timing. I'll try removing the air cleaner for a test run, but I think changing the oil in the Inj pump and running some Diesel Purge is going to be in my future.

That's all for now, I'm sure I'll find more to think on.

Tell me what you think!

Rob

Hi Rob, welcome aboard!
I'm Just going to give you some of my thoughts here, first off I would never recommend adding stopleak to anything. The majority of these products merely soften up and swell the seals, then after a while they dry back out, shrink and get brittle....and leak worse.... and now its every seal in the transmission/rearend including the hydraulic system.
Your on the rite track with the brakes, I soak mine down with penetrating oil to loosen them, and then a light grease in the zerk in the middle.
I see people get overly obsessed about bad rims. it is quite common to have the calcium eat up the rims around the valve stem, we weld a patch in that area and then drill a new hole in a solid part of the rim. and then we use them for every thing from plowing to pulling with no problems.
Your on the rite track with the engine as well, start with the basics, timing, fuel filters, air filter, temperature, etc. make sure the thermostat is working and its coming up to temp, if its not it will smoke. if you've covered all your bases and it still smokes, take it out and work it, and work it hard, these things need a good workout from time to time to keep the carbon out of the rings and lands. if it still persists you may want to start checking compression, injectors, pump etc.

Pat
I wouldn't worry about the pump oil, they are lubricated with excess fuel working its way past the plungers and then eventually runs out the little pig tail overflow tube on the bottom right hand corner. it wouldn't hurt to make sure this tube is open as well.

Those rear rims are more rusted than you are thinking. I know what you mean about patching and re drilling and this is more than that. About a third of the bead on each is rusted to the point of failure. If I tap a rusted area with a slag hammer I might poke a hole in the metal.

As far as my smoke issue goes I will check the obvious things first but likely will end up running a few rounds of diesel purge. Sure worked great in my pickup engine.