First I'd like to say what a wonderful site this is and many thanks to all of you behind the scenes that put forth the time & effort to make it happen,I appreciate it!
I recently purchased a 1959 Fordson Dexta and like most from what I've read here,it's a bear to start.It's always seemed that the engine just wasn't turning fast enough to start it as if something was dragging or bogging it down. I just discovered that the rear lift is constantly trying to raise no matter where I put the position lever and the arms wouldn't go down at all unless I bleed the pressure off through the auxillary attachment port and then they go down and the motor spins over very well until the arms lift all the way up and it puts a load on it and it slows/boggs it back down.I'm thinking there's a pressure relief valve stuck or something of that nature.I'm hoping that someone has dealt with a problem like this before and can tell me more precisely what may be causing this. I'm trying to avoid pulling the top plate if possible as I'm disabled from a back injury and can't pull it by myself.Can anyone tell me what and where the most likely culprit will be and what I have to do to correct it?.....I think the tractor will start fine once I get the rear lift to stop trying to raise,if I can figure out how to accomplish that.Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me,I appreciate it!
Andy in Florida
1959 FORDSON DEXTA ~ HELP PLEASE!
Hi Andy,
Welcome to the forum. I can't help you with the hydraulic problems - don't know enough about that. As for the difficult start: given that you live in Florida, the engine should start right away. Possible causes can be the starter motor (at some point those need to be overhauled), the battery (you need a lot of juice to start a Dexta, though in a hot climate this is less of an issue), injectors in need of service, fuel pump wear, valve problems, the timing of the engine may be off or there may be compression problems.
If I understand your message correctly, you seem to assume that the bad start is related to the hydraulic problem. Personally I have never heard of a connection between the two, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to tell for sure. I seem to recall that on my own Dexta the hydraulic lift would only function with the clutch pedal fully up. I can't remember for sure, but it would make sense otherwise a defect in the hydraulics might render the whole tractor unusable.
Regards,
Oscar
Welcome to the forum. I can't help you with the hydraulic problems - don't know enough about that. As for the difficult start: given that you live in Florida, the engine should start right away. Possible causes can be the starter motor (at some point those need to be overhauled), the battery (you need a lot of juice to start a Dexta, though in a hot climate this is less of an issue), injectors in need of service, fuel pump wear, valve problems, the timing of the engine may be off or there may be compression problems.
If I understand your message correctly, you seem to assume that the bad start is related to the hydraulic problem. Personally I have never heard of a connection between the two, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to tell for sure. I seem to recall that on my own Dexta the hydraulic lift would only function with the clutch pedal fully up. I can't remember for sure, but it would make sense otherwise a defect in the hydraulics might render the whole tractor unusable.
Regards,
Oscar
Hello Andy,
When you have a Dexta, the hydraulic pump unit is build into the rear axle housing. This pump needs a lot of power to be driven in your case, and causing the engine to start poor.
The hydraulic pump is driven by the PTO. If you disengage the PTO the hydraulic pump wil not be driven and you tractor should start more easily then.
About the problem in your hydraulic lift I can not tell you anything usefull to solve it. But you have to sort that out. Otherwise you will ruin you hydraulic pump, ruin you hydraulic system and overheat the rear axle oil and waste your expensive fuel.
I'm sure there are people here who can help you with your hydraulic problems. We have a real expert "in house".
When you have a Dexta, the hydraulic pump unit is build into the rear axle housing. This pump needs a lot of power to be driven in your case, and causing the engine to start poor.
The hydraulic pump is driven by the PTO. If you disengage the PTO the hydraulic pump wil not be driven and you tractor should start more easily then.
About the problem in your hydraulic lift I can not tell you anything usefull to solve it. But you have to sort that out. Otherwise you will ruin you hydraulic pump, ruin you hydraulic system and overheat the rear axle oil and waste your expensive fuel.
I'm sure there are people here who can help you with your hydraulic problems. We have a real expert "in house".
Best regards
Emiel
N 1937, E27N 1948, 8N 1949, E27N 1950, E1A Diesel 1953, E1ADKN PP 1956, Dexta 1959, NH Clayson M103 1964
Emiel
N 1937, E27N 1948, 8N 1949, E27N 1950, E1A Diesel 1953, E1ADKN PP 1956, Dexta 1959, NH Clayson M103 1964
Hi Andy
I have a '58 Petrol Dexta who was a real pain to start - I put on a brand new heavy duty battery, had the starter motor overhauled (had a mate do it for a carton of beer) and put in new spark plugs. Now the old girl has a new lease of life and only find I have to use the choke at all on the coldest of mornings.
Can't help with the hydraulics, as have never ventured into that territory yet.
Cheers
I have a '58 Petrol Dexta who was a real pain to start - I put on a brand new heavy duty battery, had the starter motor overhauled (had a mate do it for a carton of beer) and put in new spark plugs. Now the old girl has a new lease of life and only find I have to use the choke at all on the coldest of mornings.
Can't help with the hydraulics, as have never ventured into that territory yet.
Cheers
Cheers
Laney
Laney
Thanks everyone for the replies, I appreciate it. Maybe I can make it a little more clear,....my lift arms are constantly trying to go up if the motor is turning over ,i.e. starting or running ,even when they're at the highest point and can't go any further and even when my PTO isn't engaged.When the lift is all the way up there's an extra load on the engine because of the strain from the hydraulic pump trying to raise the lift arms,then it won't spin over very fast.When I manually bleed the pressure off at the auxillary attachment port the lift arms will go down but that's the only way I can get them down,they won't go down by putting the the lift control lever in the down position.While they are down, the tractor spins very well and it will start fairly easy as long as the arms haven't made it all the way back up to the top. The lift starts rising as soon as I start turning the starter over. The 3 cylinder Perkins Diesel runs well and the starter spins very good until the lift arms create a strain when they top out. I suspect the problem may be a stuck pressure relief or unloading valve which will require pulling the lift cover assembly/ housing I'm afraid. I'm really hoping someone has encountered this type problem before or may know what valve or other control may be causing this and if indeed the top plate/housing needs to be opened and the lift cylinder assembly pulled to find & fix it or if there's another alternative. I'm not very familar with hydraulic systems and don't even know if my train of thought is even on the right track for finding the solution.I really fell for this old tractor as it was made very close to when I was born,but being disabled from a severe back injury I may have bitten off more than I can handle .
This site and it's members are great,Thanks Everyone!
Andy
This site and it's members are great,Thanks Everyone!
Andy
-
Jos Cuypers
- True Blue
- Posts: 127
- Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:06 am
- Location: Tongeren - Belgium
Presume you have a Live PTO ?
If yes, this clutch may be sticking to the flyingwheel or that the clutch connection-bar has to be adjusted.
how to detect if you have life PTO => check this picture : the connection with the 2 holes of the clutch-pedal-rod to the clutch-housing (2 holes => life PTO / One hole : no Life PTO)
(Picture from Stefan site !)
Dis-engaging the PTO by the lever at the left side, will not stop the hydraulic pump to be operated until you push in the clutch-pedal.
rgds
Jos
If yes, this clutch may be sticking to the flyingwheel or that the clutch connection-bar has to be adjusted.
how to detect if you have life PTO => check this picture : the connection with the 2 holes of the clutch-pedal-rod to the clutch-housing (2 holes => life PTO / One hole : no Life PTO)
(Picture from Stefan site !)
Dis-engaging the PTO by the lever at the left side, will not stop the hydraulic pump to be operated until you push in the clutch-pedal.
rgds
Jos
Rgds
Jos
My dexta has 32 Horse power, but a donkey behind the steering wheel.
Jos
My dexta has 32 Horse power, but a donkey behind the steering wheel.
Thanks everyone,with the help from you great people and the help of a great neighbor the hydraulic problem is fixed.It was indeed the control/unloading valve that was stuck,it works perfectly now,it's not constantly trying to raise the lift arms. The starter does spin faster now since that strain isn't there,but it still won't start without a little blast of starting fluid.We've tried everything we can think of and it doesn't seem to be burnt valves or compression as the old girl runs strong once it's fired up.Does anyone know if these old tractors had some sort of primer device(mister,atomizer) that would put a mist of diesel atop the glow plug when trying to start it? Mine doesn't have one if it's supposed to and I'm just wondering if that may be why we can't start it normally.
Thanks again for all the help,my condition leaves me with few funds or the ability to do alot of the work,but with the knowledge you guys offered about these old tractors I was able to get a willing hand to help me check where you informed me to and fix the hydraulic problem anyway.
If any of you ever make it to the USA ,Florida specifically,let me know,the least I can do is point you in the direction of some very, very good fishing holes and some nice old antique tractors!
Best Regards,
Andy
Thanks again for all the help,my condition leaves me with few funds or the ability to do alot of the work,but with the knowledge you guys offered about these old tractors I was able to get a willing hand to help me check where you informed me to and fix the hydraulic problem anyway.
If any of you ever make it to the USA ,Florida specifically,let me know,the least I can do is point you in the direction of some very, very good fishing holes and some nice old antique tractors!
Best Regards,
Andy
Andy,
Glad you have got the hydraulics sorted. They are not complicated, even I can understand them
All Dexta diesels have a cold start device in the manifold. It is a glow plug and has a pipe connecting it to a pump incorporated in the fuel tap. The idea was to heat for 40 seconds then prime, this causes a flame in the intake manifold, press the starter and the tractor will start easily.
On later models with a Minimec, mechanically governed injection pump, an excess fuel button was incorporated in the stop lever of the pump. The throttle was set at halfway and the button pressed in. Once the engine started the button flies out.
DO NOT USE ETHER to start a Dexta!
This causes catastrophic damage to these engines and will cause major repair bills. The piston rings and even the pistons themselves break up. Your first priority is to get the heater/pump system working as soon as possible. If no pump-in-tap available, a cheap pump as used in the starting of petrol engines or boat engines can be adapted.
Glad you have got the hydraulics sorted. They are not complicated, even I can understand them
All Dexta diesels have a cold start device in the manifold. It is a glow plug and has a pipe connecting it to a pump incorporated in the fuel tap. The idea was to heat for 40 seconds then prime, this causes a flame in the intake manifold, press the starter and the tractor will start easily.
On later models with a Minimec, mechanically governed injection pump, an excess fuel button was incorporated in the stop lever of the pump. The throttle was set at halfway and the button pressed in. Once the engine started the button flies out.
DO NOT USE ETHER to start a Dexta!
This causes catastrophic damage to these engines and will cause major repair bills. The piston rings and even the pistons themselves break up. Your first priority is to get the heater/pump system working as soon as possible. If no pump-in-tap available, a cheap pump as used in the starting of petrol engines or boat engines can be adapted. Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian
Brian