The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

A friend of mine completely overhauled a Fordson Major engine complete with new pistons liners etc. Only to find that when idling the engine blew oil out of the exhaust even after the tractor had spent three days hard work on the land.

In desperation he stripped the engine down to find that the piston rings on two of the cylinders appeared to have become soft and to have lost their spring. New rings were fitted and the problem was solved.

The original rings had been supplied by a well known wholesale tractor parts supplier @ £6.00 a set. The new rings were genuine New Holland supply at £34.00 a set.

The moral of this story is that you get what you pay for. So don't be tempted by cheap complete engine overhaul kits, particularly with regard to piston rings which involve a complex manufacturing process.

Years ago we could buy Cords piston rings to re-ring an engine, where the top ring was stepped to accomodate the ridge at the top of the liner cvaused by wear. I don't know if this type is still available.

Gerald

"Quality is like buying oats. To get good oats, you have to pay a fair price. Oats that have already been through the horse are considerably cheaper."

I wonder if the parts supplier manufactured the rings or bought them from another manufacturer. Sometimes aftermarket parts are as good as OEM parts and sometimes not. Unless you know the quality of the aftermarket parts, you're better off buying parts from the original manufacturer, if you can get them.