The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I have just bought a Dexta from the internet (www.marktplaats.nl)
and she is not without problems. I think she is from 1961 because she has got the lights in the grill.

She has to be started with ether, and I understand from this site that that is not the best way to do. I think that the glow plug is not working and there is no fuel supply to the inlet manifolt and for this reasom I guess she has to be started with ether. Will have to look into this later and fix this.

When she runs everything looks fine, not that I have noticed any leakage or somthing BUT I noticed that from the rocker head there is a pipe going down till below the engine and there is a constant stream of white smoke comming from there. The same smoke that comes from the exhaust when she has not started yet. I did notice that the rubber connecting the rocker head to the pipe going down is new. This could indicate that the precious owner has taken this appart and thougth oeps to much problem, close quicke and SELL !!!.

The question is now, does anybody know what this could indicate to or is this normal. There is a constant visible flow out of there.

Thanks for now and will keep you posted of my repairs...

,Welcome to the board.

Steam or smoke from this breather is not a good sign. If the tractor has been started on ether it could indicate broken rings major bore wear, need for resleeving or even damaged pistons. It needs investigating as soon as possible to avoid further damage.

It will mean a strip down of the engine and, if it were mine, I would take the engine right out and have the crank checked as well.

Sorry to bring bad news.

Well done Dexta61 hope you have lots of fun.

Brian, my dexta also discharges a bit of smoke but not as much as discribed by Dexta 61. She starts very quickly so I'm not sure whether she has ever had ether at the previous owner. If I can remember correctly someone reported earlier that hard work might solve mild smoking

Kind regards
Meryn

Hi,

My Dexta also discharges a bit of white smoke from the breather even though she starts first time on the button without heater and runs as smooth as anything. I asked on this board some time ago about this and was told it's normal to expect this??

Barry

Thanks Barry, I'll monitor the situation as we go along.

Mervyn

Chaps,

A little is fine, all engines breath even when new but when someone says"starting on ether for some time" and "smoke the same colour as from the exhaust when cranking over" all alarm bells go off and warning lights start to flash

Work them and enjoy but if the smoke/fumes become heavy and dense, prepare to spend money.

Hi,
Went to a ploughing match today and the 'Classic' class was won by a Super Dexta, driven by a professional ploughman.
His tractor emitted a continuous and quite noticeable stream of white smoke from the breather; exhaust smoke seemed to be normal, some grey smoke when the throttle was opened not much otherwise. I asked him about the white smoke from the breather and he said it had always done it, his tractor didn't use unusual amounts of oil or water and the smoke didn't seem to be a problem. His tractor is not for sale! So if oil or water are not disappearing, maybe some smoke is OK?
BTW he was using a Ransomes Robin two furrow plough, which he said was ideally suited to the Dexta.
All the best,
Ben

well I am now between good hope and dispare....

The plan is now to fix the heater first with the fuel supply to the manifold and than see what happens with the bad start.

All so far thanks for the info and in perticular the last that has asked a user with same (ploblem) what he thought of it...

Bensdexta wrote:His tractor emitted a continuous and quite noticeable stream of white smoke from the breather. I asked him about the white smoke from the breather and he said it had always done it, his tractor didn't use unusual amounts of oil or water and the smoke didn't seem to be a problem.

One comment on my friends smoking Super D that I've since heard from a knowledgeable mechanic is that this tractor is 'getting weak', so it seems like it will keep going for a while but is not ideal.
All the best,
Ben