63 or 64 Super Major?

[crasmith]

Hi guys! Craig Smith here. I found this forum and am blown away by the wealth of info and all of the knowledge about these beautiful tractors. I have lots of questions but would like to start with a couple if some kind gents would please help.

1. My serial number is 08-C975084. Is this a 1963 or 1964 Super Major. It does have the "FL" marking on the head. I am thinking 1964.

2. I have a leak that seems to be hydraulic oil that is coming out of a hole with a cotter pin in it that seems to be in the oil pan of the engine. Does this make sense? I will try to take a photo and get it posted. What could be causing this?

3. I noticed that I have some oil coming out through the crankcase breather on the timing cover when under heavy load. Is there a blockage somewhere perhaps? The valve cover breather does not seem to be stopped up?

4. I found a couple of parts suplliers for these tractors on this board a few weeks back but cannot now locate the thread again. Does anyone have this info handy?

Thanks a bunch for the help guys! I know that this board will be a very helpful resource to getting all the "kinks" worked out!

[Emiel]

Hello Craig,

Welcome to this board.

To your questions:

1 08-C975084, the C makes it definitely a 1963 tractor. The C is 1963, D would be 1964.

2 The cotter pin is in the clutch housing bottom hole. The cotter pin keeps the hole open, so leakage oil from the transmission oil seal and engine oil seal can leave the clutch housing, instead of greasing the clutch. As you indicate "hydraulic oil" that would be transmission oil. Then the input shaft seal of your tranny is not sealing well. If it were black oil, it probably is engine oil. Problem can be solved without to many trouble, but then the tractor has to be split, which means quite a lot of work.

3 When the timing breather spits oil, you might have some pressure in the crank room of the engine. This is usually caused by blow by gases on the cilinder/piston. Working the tractor hard may give a better seal, when the tractor has only done light work lately. Try it.

4 Parts suppliers are listed on the main site.

Good luck and best regards

Emiel

[Dandy Dave]

Welcome aboard mate. Beware, some of us are a little (Fordson) crazy. ... Dandy Dave!

[crasmith]

Thanks a bunch for the warm welcome guys!

Emiel,

I noticed the leak around the clutch housing bottom hole after starting the tractor when it had been sitting up for some time. It was definitely transmission fluid. If a little running it doesn't clear it up then is there any type of sealeant that can be added to the fluid? I'm sure that is a no no.

Concerning the timing case breather, I will work it hard and see if it clears up any.

I also have hydraulics that seem to be leaking down slowly and am really confused about where to start troubleshooting. I think I have read too much and am now unclear where to start. Any suggestions?

Concerning the parts suppliers, I may have overlooked them on the main page. I am interested because even though the tractor runs well, I was considering selling it until I stumbled across this site. There is so much info on here and evryone seems so helpful. Anyway, thanks so much for your help!

[Brian]

Leak from the clutch housing drain is from the input shaft seals. This is usually caused by standing up as you say. It should clear with running but if it does not then it is a reasonably easy job to split the tractor and put a new seal in.

There is no additive that will do the job.

Timing cover breather leak could be either back pressure in the sump.

In theory, that breather should be letting air into the engine. The pipe from the valve cover to the air cleaner should be causing a vacuum in the engine and air should be drawn through the breather.

Work and a careful selection of engine oil can sort the problem. Some of the modern engine oils with brake additives are not good for these engines when they are not doing hard work.

It could also be that the oil slinger on the gear directly under the breather could have broken off or is missing. This would cause the oil leak and is again a common thing.

Hydraulics leaking down.

First we need a bit more information.

How long does it take for them to leak down?

Have you an auxiliary valve chest with a knob that pulls out for external services?

Super Major Hydraulics were meant to leak down, they were never designed to hold up with an implement on. It was one of the big upsetting things when the tractors were new. We got lots of complaints about dropping an implement overnight. If you had an MF, the main opposition, the implement would hit the ground as soon as you switched off the engine and this was sold as a safety measure!

A simple test. see how long it takes for the lift to drop with the aux. service chest knob in and then lift the arms and pull the knob out and check again.

This will let us judge where any leak will be.