The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Dear all

The injection pump coupler pad disintegrated on my Super last night; luckily the timing was perfect: it had just got back into the barn. Engine died and no restart. In the daylight, the cause was obvious: there were bits of the fibre disc in the pump coupler, in the engine and on the floor.

My questions are: what's the correct replacement? This is a Simms pump with a vacuum governor (FSM, Jan 61). Also, presumably the timing settings are now totally out, so it's a from-scratch to set it up once I replace the coupler?

Chris

You want a fibre drive pad as you had, this one should be fine:
https://injectionpumps.co.uk/product/dr ... mps-82071/
If you're lucky the timing should be fine, if there are scraping marks on the adjuster where the bolts move when setting the timing you'll need to re-set it. Post some pics so we can see what it looks like.
Sandy

Thanks.

Does it matter that the link you posted is for the minimec pump while mine's a vacuum governor version? Are the couplings the same across pumps?

Next question - how do I replace this? Presumably it is a pump off job? And if so, how do I go about it without messing up the timing?

Chris
The disc or pad Sandy has found will be right for an early super like yours with the vacum governer.
As soon as you are ready to fit the new disc one of the experts on fuel injektion gear will be glad to guide you
Svend

The drive pad is the same from 52 to 64, the pump needs to come off, but before you remove it line up the flanges so that the drive pad would fit (hopefully with the correct timing), ensure no dirt can enter the pump and fit the drive pad, allowing 0.01" end float between the drive pad and flanges. Once you've got the pump back on (and tight) look at the timing (if there's no scraping marks try to start the engine after bleeding the system, if there is you'll need to loosen the bolts and return the coupling to the correct position, then do as if the timing were fine). Please post pics as it will be easier to see if something is badly wrong.
Sandy

Thanks.

Will this one work? It's half the price: https://old20tractorparts.com/e1a-major ... 10068.html

23 quid (inc postage) for a circle of weatherboard with a few notches cut in it is like money for old rope, or fibre even!

Chris

That one is plastic, it won't last as well as the fibre one will, nor will it behave the same either. You should only use fibre ones, you might find the cheapest one is second hand.
Sandy

Stick to the fibre one as Sandy says, the link to injectionpumps.co.uk shows the correct one for a vacuum governed SP4A pump

Thanks all. You guilted me into not buying the el-cheapo one! I've order the replacement. Where are the securing bolts for the fuel pump? Please tell me they are not inaccessible like the bloody governor housing bottom back bolt...

C

The pump bolts are underneath the mounting bracket, and a PITA to get at!
SvendH

John, the EBay listing is the same company, injectionpumps.co.uk the prices are a bit cheaper going direct £16.43 plus vat equals £19.71, carriage is the same whether EBay or direct.

I have been buying bits off them direct for a few years now, good firm.

Ahh ok, thanks Shepp

Here's an old pic of Super Billy's pump bolts.

Sandy

Oh gawd help us; how do you get those off? Will a socket get on there?

A ringspanner 9/16 + patience + Beer and its dooable.
Try a rachet-spanner if you can get one.

You were spot on with the 9/16 spanner!

Did the job; very easy compared with getting the blinking governor housing off an in-situ pump, which was awful!

I managed to preserve the existing timing and fit the pad by just sliding the pump back along the mountings by half an inch to slot it in.

When I came to re-prime it started on 2 cylinders before I'd had a chance to nip up the other two! Runs a treat.

I reckon the old pad was quite badly worn because the pump's noticeably quieter now; previously it was really clattery and the running at tickover was uneven. Now it's lovely and smooth, and almost quiet enough to hear yourself think when standing next to it.

Rate I'm going with all these spare parts, I'll have a new tractor by Christmas.

Good work. Now enjoy the engine!
Sandy

The thrash it had cutting foot high grass with the big topper has, I think, improved the running quite a bit. That's a seriously heavy mower and it's possible to bog the tractor to a stall with it even in first gear; it seemed to enjoy the experience though because the running is definitely better since!

My new problem is that the split pin failed on the rear LH upper lift arm union with the connecting rod (to the lower arm); the pin partly fell out, so it was lifting half a tonne of mower with half the lift arm bracket; result is that the outer half has bent and twisted, so I now cannot get the pin through.

I've tried heating it up and hitting it, and I've got it a bit better, but it's still about 3mm off so pins won't go through. I'm thinking it's going to end up being a replacement job.

You could cut off the bent bracket , then with the bolt in place weld the bracket back on.
Things are easy to fix ,at a distance

I recommend you have another go at what you tried, it sounds like you're almost there.
Good to hear you're running better, these engines need hard work.
Sandy

It's difficult to get the pressure on the right part of the bracket because it's twisted; hitting it with a mallet tends to just close the arms of the u together rather than correct the twist. Welding it is one suggestion, but I don't trust my welding skills sufficiently for this, given the load that thing is going to take. I've got a good MIG, but no thick wire, and this sort of job obviously needs a big current to make sure it melts in properly. Really needs an arc welder doesn't it?

I'll phone a friend and see if someone has a hotter torch so we can get the thing to a higher temperature. I'm trying to correct the twist by shoving a big old bolt through the hole and hitting that, which torques it, but it's tending to deform the hole more than the bracket itself.

Use a suitable lever and keep at it. You can make a spacer and get it hard on so it fits right.
Sandy

Luckily I made friends with the man who delivered the topper. He is local to me and a bigger machinery geek than I am! He's got a forge, so I phoned him up and he kindly obliged by heating the piece to a nice bright orange colour, enabling him to manipulate it back into true with a long wrench.

Result is we're back in business and mowing grass!

Excellent stuff.
Sandy