rebuild

[willy wagon]

the super major i have is going have to be rebuilt. looks like the head wasalready done. it has the older motor with the throttle shaft thru the block. i feel that the picup tube failed or something like that. anyway the crank needs regrind. so i have a couple of questions. where is the best to get parts? also should i leave the linners alone, and just do the crank? it was supossidly not an old rebuild. however all these quesses are exactly that, whwn you do not know the correct history.

[Brian]

Be very careful, you do not have a Super Major if the throttle goes through the block, that style went out around 1956 and the Super did not come in until 1960.

You may also have an original cast iron crank which is very fragile and cannot be ground to the same level as the later cranks.

Oil pump will be different to a Super, so will things like rockers, camshaft, tappets, timing gears, injection pump drive shaft and many other small parts.

Your engine sounds like an FMD so check all date codes before ordering. They are out there for both tractors as long as you ask for the correct parts.

[willy wagon]

thanks brian. well that poses more questions. i have what i thought was two super majors? now the one that has the govenor shaft thru the block is stamped on flange by starter no. 1228526. now the other tractor has i know the engine changed. it has the stamping on rite side of block. it has an s in the no. which i was told was the later engine. also fl head and minemec pump. no shaft thru the block. so both tractors physically appear the same. there was no hood on the one with the newer motor. the one with the newer motor is blue, red wheels, disc brakes. diff. lock gages rite under the steering colum. now the other one with the bad motor was more complete. it has the serial no i mentioned. disc brakes, diff lock, gages rites under the steering post. it is blue with grey fenders and wheels. does this help identify just what they may be? thanks again.

[Brian]

The serial number you have found is a June 1952 tractor so it will have a cast crank. It is not a Super Major engine, it sounds like someone has put an old FMD engine in a Super. You may also find that it has staggered ports on the manifold not in a straight line like your other engine.

The one with the "S" in the number is an industrial engine from a combine, compressor, generator or some other form of diesel powered unit. Ford sold thousands of engines for those sort of applications. As you say, it has all the later components and will be around 55 hp where the earlier engine will be around 40hp.

You will find the earlier engine has a rib running down the block on the starter side.

As I said, be aware that there are many differences between those engines, pistons and piston pin diameter and positioning are a few more.

You have two tractors that are what we call on here, Fordson ASP's (All Spare Parts). That does not really matter if you use them but it does make a real difference when ordering spares. You are going to need Super spares for the back end of the one with the Major engine and early FMD parts for the engine.

The one with the "S" engine will be all Super Major and depending on which back end you have it could have a Super back end or a New Performance one. The easy way to tell is if you have a metal knob in line with the High/Low lever, on the front of the lift, it will be New Performance.

[willy wagon]

thanks that clears up a few things. i have a chance to get a tractor with the newer motor and may do so. so am i rite in assuming only the super came with disc brakes and diff. lock? or was this feature available on the power major as well?

[Brian]

It was only Supers, they also had a different hydraulic system with Qualitrol (Draft Control) and Position Control.

[willy wagon]

thanks once again brian, this site has been so helpful.