How many hours before an engine rebuilt?

[ncfcdexta]

Hello

I am interested in hearing your views on how many hours a Dexta engine will go before needing a rebuild - or is this the same as the common saying about a piece of string? Obviously it depends on what the tractor has been used for and how it has been treated but is there any general rule of thumb? Or, does it simply boil down to engine knocking or smoking and needed a repair?

Thanks
ncfcdexta

[Brian]

Think there are too many variables like service intervals, oil and filter changes and use of ether to start.

Fords used to suggest that an engine should do between 10.000 and 15,000 hours before major overhaul. I have done them at as little as 150 hours through to nearly 20,000 hours.

Off topic but I got 400,000 miles out of a Ford Sierra Diesel before she broke a ring, I replaced the engine with one I bought from the local Ford dealer who had removed it from a new car, under warranty, because it used excessive amounts of oil. It was meant to be a short term measure but infact the car then did another 250,000 before a gearbox failure as my son drove it back from Spain. Never burnt more than 1/2 ltr per 10,000 miles but I did run it very hard on a loaded trailer for the first 1,000 miles.

[conar22]

Well mine has a genuine 2100 hours and im currently rebuilding the engine-the tractor sat in ahedge for 21 years though ,but remarkably wasn't seized . After getting her running the engine was breathing very heavy...i suspected stuck piston rings,but when opened i discovered water had entered the exhaust,as a result corroding the valves and the liners very rough-thus wearing my piston rings aswell. The joys!
On the other hand our mk2 mf 65 (a working tractor) has covered 11000 hours and the only engine work carried out was the cylinder head has been off once because it was getting a bit carboned up-a good clean and was as good as new!

[BlueThroughAndThrough]

We overhauled our 62 Dexta last Winter. The clock stopped the day after i bought her ,( July 1983) , reading 7,893 hours! I cant begin to imagine how many hours she's done since then, but needless to say, a re-furb was somewhat overdue

[GERRY]

There is no set hrs as all the posts have said , the engine will tell you its self , when it gets hard to start
blows oil out the dip stick, becomes a real pain ect ect needs more than the normall heat to get her going
you will know its time to give her a rephamp, and it is probley better to do the job right rather than a ring and paint boge.
Gerry

[ncfcdexta]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your replies. I am looking at a Dexta that has 9.500 on the clock. It starts and runs smoothly and does not smoke so I was rather happy with it. No work has been carried out in the past other than services etc. Should I be confident enough to go for it?!

[russelm]

Reality is that a Dexta engine re-build is not a hugely expensive affair if you can do the labour yourself.

Mine came in at 600 notes with a crank re-grind, new sleeves, pistons etc and that included the cost of a new head