The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hi,

I have drained all the oils in my machine and need to replace as new. I work for a well know blue tractor dealership and have take some advice but still not sure exactly what to use?

1959 FPM (Power Major)

Rear axle casing/ Hydraulics:
It has been suggested to me that an EP90 oil would be good as it holds well with the seals.
It has also been suggested to just use a 10w-30 super universal farm oil.

Capacity 60ltrs approx

Gear Box:
EP90
Capacity 5ltrs approx use dipstick.

Engine Oil
15w-40
Capacity not sure use dipstick to fill.

Thanks for any help or guidance.

Want to get it right.

Cheers

Will

The original oil specs were SAE 20HD winter and SAE 30HD summer in the engine, and SAE 90 in the transmission and steering box, from July 1959 universal oil was adopted, with SAE 20HD winter and SAE 30HD summer in the engine and transmission, and SAE 90 in the steering box. As you have a Power Major I recommend you use the old spec, but use what you prefer. The engine is 9 quarts, the gearbox 4 1/2 gallons and the rear axle (from where the hydraulics take their oil) 9 gallons. The steering box is 3/4 pint, but you should only need to top it up (unless you give it an overhaul). Ensure you get mineral oil.
Sandy

As Sandy says you can use specific engine and gear oils or a universal oil throughout. The recommended oils changed in 1959 to the use of a universal oil, such as Shell Universal Tractor oil. The Super Universal oils will have additional additives which may affect any phosphor bronze in the transmission, such as bearing cages if any of the bearings use phosphor bronze, but I am not sure on this, they may be perfectly fine and safe.

If you go for a specific gear oil for the gearbox and rear axle use a straight 90 mineral gear oil not EP, extreme pressure (EP) oils can cause issues in hydraulic systems. Anyone who has had a Ferguson will remember there is a specific warning in the handbook against using EP oils as they will damage the hydraulic system - if anyone has a Ford 2N or 9N look at the handbook and let us know if they have a similar warning as their hydraulic system is obviously the same as the Ferguson. The original Ford recommendation for the Major was a straight 90 gear oil not 90EP. I don't think you will find any suitable oils in the New Holland Ambra range! Morris Lubricants of Shrewsbury do a good range of oils for vintage and classic tractors, including a straight 90 gear oil and a straight Universal Tractor Oil, have a look at their website. Golden Film AG90 gear oil seems to be the one for these tractors. Back in the day when these tractors were in front line use the Morris Golden Film lubricants were widely used in the agricultural industry.

The gearbox is filled from the large plug on the side cover on the gearbox on the left hand side of the tractor, 4.5 gallons, fill to the lip. The rear axle is filled from the plug on the hydraulic lift cover and the dipstick is for the rear axle level only, not the gearbox, capacity 9 gallons.

Bearing in mind the fact that most Majors lose gearbox oil into the back end, it may be wise to use the same grade in both.

If you choose an oil for the gearbox you'll have to use it in the rear axle too, Old Hywel's point is a very good reason for not mixing oils.
Sandy

Hi,

I’ve been using ambra multi g 10w-30 with succes for years.

One should not think a 1950 style 90w oil lubricates better then a modern day 10w30 transmission oil.

It also works for our NH and the ford 8N, so it’s easy for me to have in stock.

Oil is always a discussion on forums like these, it usually gets as many opinions as there are posters.

Using the same oil in gearbox and rear transmission is a very good point.

Rgds emiel

Having researched a bit more, it seems that the older type dedicated gear oils are the ones to be careful with in regard to phosphor bronze bushes and components in the transmission. For example, Morris Lubricants have one straight 80/90 gear oil that is not recommended for use in older transmissions with phosphor bronze components, but they DO have a straight 90 gear oil that IS suitable for these transmissions.

Emiel, I absolutely agree with you about the modern lubricants, they are very superior to the older types. It's just that some people are traditionalists and prefer to completely live with the period of their vehicle. Oil companies like Morris Lubricants recognise that and produce their heritage and steam ranges for these demands. If you have a noisy gearbox or rear axle the heavy gear oils will keep it quieter but only until the oil warms up and thins down!
I am not that familiar with the Ambra range, we have always used Shell products for lubricants and for gas oil and vapourising oil fuels. In the days when we still had one or two TVO tractors when I was a child I can recall Vigzol and Morris oil drums that were for those tractors. The last TVO tractor, a Ferguson with Featherstone mid mounted mower that had been kept for topping the orchard, was sold in 1971. When the recommended oils for the Fordsons changed to a multi grade my father changed to Shell Universal Tractor Oil, in fact I still have an original 45 gallon drum with a few gallons left in it. The Super Universal Oils were introduced to meet the wet brake requirements and Series 3 engine requirements of new tractor models introduced in the1960's, but it is interesting to note that for many many years the oil companies continued to produce the original Universal Tractor oils alongside the new Super Universal oils, suggesting perhaps that the Super oils were not recommended for some older tractors??? I do myself always now use the Super Universal oils in my E1A Majors and Dextas and 6X models, also my 1960's and later Massey Ferguson, David Brown and sole International classic tractors, but the brand is Gulf, Shell do not do a simple SUTO. I use Shell Rimula engine oils in the later tractors and trucks and Shell Donax transmission oils - it really is a nightmare today with semi synthetic, synthetic, Euro 3, Euro 4, Euro 5, Euro 6 etc. ! What is more Volvo say that one particular Rimula type is suitable for their Euro 3, 4, 5 and 6, whereas Mercedes say that type is suitable for their Euro 3 but not for Euro 4, 5 and 6!!

An interesting point when the 6X tractors were introduced. The initial approved oils included simple existing Universal Tractor Oils and engine oils for the engines and transmissions of the 2000 and 3000 models and the engines of the 4000 and 5000 models, but of course the Super Universal oils for the transmissions of the 4000 and 5000 models with the wet brakes. After a few months use Ford was experiencing some engine problems with some tractors, problems that had not been experienced in the development and testing stages of the new models such as rings sticking. It eventually dawned on them that the engines were designed and tested and developed in the USA, where the use of Series 3 engine oils was more or less standard and the engines had been developed using Series 3 oils. A service letter quickly went out in 1966, I have a copy, advising that with immediate effect if the older type oils were to be used in the engines the oil change service interval must be slashed to half of the previous recommended interval, but that if Series 3 oils were in use or if use was changed to Series 3 oils, which was the recommended course of action, then the original recommended oil change service interval could be maintained.