coolant level in the Fordson Major?

[Heartless]

Howdy all! New here.

We just picked up a 1954 Fordson New Major with a Sherman F8 Backhoe and a Wagner Iron Works front loader. Overall the old girl is in pretty good shape, but there are still a few minor things that need to be sorted out..

top priority is going to be getting working gauges in her.. right now the only one that works is the voltmeter. oil pressure gauge was disconnected due to it leaking the PO said, and the temp gauge does not appear to be working either.. both are on my shopping list, along with a proof meter that the hubby wants.

Anyway.. checking all fluid levels to see what we need to take care of right away and what can be put off a little bit longer.. popped the radiator cap and not seeing any coolant in the neck, but it is not too far below and the underside of the cap was wet from when she was run earlier in the day... So how high should the coolant level be when the system is cold?

trying a picture... lets see if this works...

[Billy26F5]

You should be able to see the coolant.
Don't renew the oil pressure gauge until you've got a good oil pressure line as the original gauges are much better than the repros.
Expect this oil pressure (original gauge).

How long did you run your Major and how hard did it work? Give him a full day's work before looking for a temp gauge, if the needle moves at all the gauge is fine (It's a capillary gauge and the failure is a broken tube, which means it doesn't work at all) and if it doesn't get that hot it means someone removed the thermostat. The thermostat is the shrouded type.
Original gauges are well worth seeking out on eBay or a breakers or similar.
If you want a tachometer, make sure it's the right one (the bands only read in first, second and third;there's a Smiths one and an AC one and they're both available in mph or km/h), and you get the bent throttle lever and bracket as well.
Lovely Major, hope you can post the serial number and casting codes so we can see its age!
Sandy

[Heartless]

Hi Billy26F5 - and thanks for the info!

so for the oil pressure, if I get a new line, we should be ok? that would be great!

Temp gauge - it had been running a little bit, but I didn't really look at it after working for a little while - will have to try to remember to do that. lol
We popped the cap off the radiator that evening.. was still lukewarm at the time - not hot at all. the bottom of the radiator cap was wet, so I am going to guess that the level is ok, but if it should be seen, will top her up this morning. She never smells hot, even after running the back hoe for a bit at a high idle

She runs very well - the fuel system had been worked over very well.. new main pump, new fuel filter housing, new injector lines, and a new pad for the injector timing. Starts right up even after sitting for a couple of days.

Not working her real hard yet until we get oils changed, and filled to proper levels. Engine oil is pretty black, and the gearbox and rear end are slightly low.. but not knowing what is in there, we want to change it - looking a tiny bit milky in the rear end, too.. so moisture is getting in somewhere.. not a lot, but enough to notice.. the dipstick appears to be bent, so that could be where it is getting in.
(changing fluids is one of the first things we do with any new to us vehicle, LOL)

Her numbers are as follows
Serial - 1277576 - manual she came with says Jan 1954
Trans casing - P30U
Rear end - P9U
Front Axle - 7A4 < was told this may have been changed at some point as it is newer than the rest

[Billy26F5]

Rain gets in the rear end, as the bolt holes go right through. It's certainly a good idea to change the fluids on a new addition. Lots of rear axle dipsticks are bent.
The front axle beam code is typical, here's Billy's one (14C5)

Some codes might be older because they're stock castings that get used up later; Billy's front wheels are P6L and P20L (1948)!
Sandy

[Heartless]

so topped up the radiator yesterday... she took between a half gallon and 3/4 gallon before it just stayed in the filler neck.
Will keep an eye on things - dont want her to get overheated.

Have not run her in a couple of days now.. was seriously sore yesterday after getting those weed trees cleaned up (i am seriously out of shape! lol)
and this morning we woke up to thunderstorms and power outage - probably not a good time to be outside on the tractor,

Billy - yours looks kinda naked with no end loader on there! LOL

[Hair Bear]

And an E27N axle.

[Billy26F5]

No, the axle is a 1955 (14C5) one, the part number didn't change until the Super Major.
Have a look at your own axles to see.
Sandy

[Hair Bear]

I was just going by the E27N in middle of the casting, mine is 18J7 (?) and has E1A in the middle.

[Billy26F5]

That is strange, the parts book gives the E27N part number for the pre Super Major one. The number in the book however is different, the book is E27N-3004B, Billy's one and others are stamped E27N-3010B.
Could you post a pic of your one please?
Your axle is 18 of July 1957.
Thanks.
Sandy

[Heartless]

ok, now you two have me curious about ours.. light is too far gone to get pictures tonight, but I will take one tomorrow.

[Hair Bear]

I just hope I'm right in what I said now, could be a few days before I can go back and check.

[Heartless]

mine is like Billy's - has the E27N - 3010B number on it..

[Billy26F5]

Your axle is 1A4, one from the first day of 1954. It looks reinforced substantially; you loose the adjustable wheel track, but well worth it for a front end loader.
Sandy

[Heartless]

the adjustability I believe is still there, but yeah, she has a lot of reinforcement in various places due to the loader and backhoe installations.

We just got a manual for the front loader yesterday.. not a lot to it, but every little bit of info is useful.. will be scanning it for long term safe keeping, lol
I have a manual for the backhoe coming.. but it is taking it's sweet time in getting here. Will be scanning that one as well.

[Heartless]

Well, pretty sure the temp gauge is definitely dead.. after about 3 - 3.5hrs of running, mostly backhoe work (higher revs) and a little scraping of the driveway, this is what it looked like..



Now to figure out where to get a new one from, and try to make sure it will fit properly...
also want to get that oil gauge fixed, which is going to mean a new pipe as well as gauge.. PO kinda mangled the stock one..

[Timeee]

If you want to check the temperature gauge, just take the sensor bulb end out of the housing on the cylinder head and put it in a bowl of boiling water. See if the gauge moves accordingly. Usually, the capillary tube back to the gauge has been damaged/broken.

Timeee

[Billy26F5]

Make sure you don't get a repro gauge. They're not made to the same design and are not reliable. You'll have to try breakers as eBay ones only come with no capillary tube.
Don't dip the bulb straight in to hot water, these tubes are so delicate that they can't take such a shock. Dip the bulb in water that's not that hot and heat it up gently, reaching boiling point in five to ten minutes. If the gauge registers at all it should be right, but if not, the tube is punctured. Also be very careful removing the bulb.
If the gauge works, you'll need a thermostat, as the fact it didn't register while working could mean the engine was too cold because of no thermostat.
As for the oil pressure gauge, try it with compressed air up to the higher reading (80psi) and see if the gauge registers, they often get clogged up when they're disconnected. They're nothing like as susceptible to damage by shock pressure as the temp gauge, so give it a good blow, not exceeding the max pressure on the gauge, although you should clear it with much less; new pressure pipes are available. Again, don't get a repro gauge. eBay is much better for them, I remember some there not that long ago.
Sandy

[Hair Bear]

Hi chaps, sorry for the sudden disappearance. With great thanks to the staff of the Eye Department at St Thomas's in London for fixing a partly detached retina. Scary stuff.
My hands are up, I was wrong! E27N, heaven knows what made me think it was E1A.
Anyhow, back to topic...