The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I'm working on a Super Major (1963/64) the rear wheels won't turn at all. It has been sitting outside for a long time (In Scotland)

I put it in gear and turned the engine by hand using the bolt on the crankshaft (there is no starter motor fitted at the moment). The wheels are jacked off the ground and even with it in gear the engine turns but the wheels don't. When I engage the belt pulley it will turn with the engine.

I took the cover plate off the brake assembly in case its something to do with that with no success. I took one wheel off and tried turning the transmission with a bar across two of the wheel studs but its rock solid.

Any ideas what may be wrong?

Did the brakes turn when you had the covers off? Sounds like a very big problem, but can't pinpoint it yet. You'll need to look at various gearbox and rear axle areas to see if you can find an issue. Some pics would be great too. It's a very strange problem, I don't remember a similar one. To start with I would remove the selector plate and top cover, then look in and see if when turning the engine you can find where things stop moving. Did you try the PTO? Do make sure no dirt gets in.
Sandy

No, it didn't turn with the brake covers off. The PTO turns freely when its not engage and cant be turned when its engaged

I'm struggling to get my head around the fact that we can turn the engine with it in gear. The owner told my he turned it by hand about a year ago and hasn't tried it since, so I'm hoping there isn't a sheared shaft in there somewhere
I plan to do what you suggest and get a look into the gearbox tomorrow and see what I can find..hopefully we can get to the bottom of it

I'm wondering if there's a differential in there (maybe someone in the past wanted to swap the crown wheel and pinion for the other ratio and only took the original one out), as the issue has to be between the front of the gearbox and the bull pinions (on which the brakes are). Super Major's did have more issues with bull pinion wear but I don't remember such a serious problem, the common one (not that common at that) is the stripping of the hardened coating causing lots of wee particles to ruin the hydraulics, but I'm not aware of that going as far as causing a complete failure. Did you see if the engaged PTO turns with the engine? It should, and with the hydraulics set up to raise it should show signs of movement.
Sandy

Hi Sandy, finally got the wheels turning.....it was the brakes binding on. After some heat and judicial use of a hammer and punch we manager to get the outer disk and actuator plates out. The inner ones are not playing ball but I'm sure I'll get them out too, got them loose enough to allow the wheels to turn.

I'm still confused as to why we could turn the engine when it was in gear and the brakes bound on ...perhaps the clutch is slipping? Anyway it's moving forward now.

The latest issue when fitting the starter motor is that the rotor turns when the battery is connected to it, but with the gear engaged with the ring gear the starter won't turn the engine over.. getting the starter motor checked tomorrow but have been assured that its been reconditioned

The fun continues...

I'm more confused but well done. Did the belt pulley or PTO turn when engaged and in gear? If not it's probably a clutch issue, if it did it's a bigger problem. Check the free play is ok (1 1/2"), if it's a live clutch there's more work as the PTO is separate. NP Super Major's really show up the issues with using an aluminium clutch cover as used on the live clutch so possibly that's the issue. Look in through the hole for the starter and see if there's a really damaged clutch. As for the starter check the brushes move nicely and the condition of the commutator, also make sure the battery is ok.
Sandy

Isn't something as simple as the range lever knocked into neutral is it?
Been there and done that!

Not likely if the belt pulley turns with the engine.
Sandy

Looks like you resolved it but reading down from the start it had to be the brakes, with both wheels off the ground even in gear with transmission brake applied the rear wheels should spin in opposite directions through the diff. Disc brakes are notorious for seizing on when stood for any length of time.

I would have thought so but the comment of it being in gear was what made me doubt (especially when he seemed to say that the belt pulley did turn at the same time although I'm less sure it was actually now), as there's no way you can turn the engine with the brakes seized and in gear unless there's something wrong in between (clutch being most likely). I agree disk brakes are likely to have such issues.
Sandy

Now that the wheels are turning. We have turned our attention to getting the engine running. Fitted the starter and got it turning but no fuel up to the injectors.
Turns out the fuel pump cam followers are seized up. We have them all out now, and once they are moving smoothly again and sure we can get her to fire up.
Progress is being made

Make sure no dirt gets in and that all parts go back where they came from (watch out for the tee pieces). Probably no bad thing to run it on a calibrating machine even if only to get everything moving nicely. Be careful to ensure you time it correctly, ensure fuel comes out of no 1 delivery valve holder just after the timing mark and that the coupling clamp bolt is below the auxiliary shaft indicating no.1 cylinder is about to fire. Minimecs are timed at 21º BTDC, assuming that's what you have.
Sandy

All back working now, brakes renewed and set up. Injector pump freed up and pumping -- and it starts up from cold without a problem... What a good engine these are.
Thanks for all the input, its been a lot of work to get it going but well worth saving from the scrapman

Glad it's going, now it needs work! The Major engine is too good to allow more recent designs to dent its position as brilliant starter and more versatile than anything else.
Seen a dieselised 500E engine on ebay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326377838913 ... olid=10050 Doesn't sound too bad! Unlike most lorry engines that need urgent damping valve adjustment. A fairly late one, only just before the Mk2 appeared with 500E-46803, the final Mk1 was a diesel (502E-46802). Who can spot the differences?
Sandy