The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

any good recomendations for oil for oil change on 1960 diesel major?

also - anyone put a block heater in one of these?

I use 15/40W in all my tractors, in engines, gearboxes and rear axles here in England.

If everything is in good condition the excess fuel button on the pump lets them start first time every time so we do not need block heaters, even in our coldest weather. I have known farmers in past years, to keep a Major to tow start more modern tractors. I did this with Henrietta when she lived on a local farm.

However, anything that saves the battery is a bonus.

Brian wrote:I use 15/40W in all my tractors, in engines, gearboxes and rear axles here in England.

If everything is in good condition the excess fuel button on the pump lets them start first time every time so we do not need block heaters, even in our coldest weather. I have known farmers in past years, to keep a Major to tow start more modern tractors. I did this with Henrietta when she lived on a local farm.

However, anything that saves the battery is a bonus.

I don´t use the blockheater on my Major and my car because of possible starting problems or to save the battery. I use it to save the engines for unnessesary wear or damage that can be the result of starting in cold winter. I have damaged a car engine when starting it at -36 celcius by towing it with another car. I have learn a lesson. I use the heater if it´s below +5 celcius

by teh excess fuel buttom i assume you mean the lever under the fuel pump?

also,what does the lever do in front of engine near top , looks in line with camshaft?

thanks on teh 15w40- oil change done-
anyone know pn# for screw on style fuel filter?

I tend to favour a straight 30 weight oil for the engine but Dad has been using "universal" for years in his power major in engine/gearbox & backend without a problem.
Cold start button is on the pivot where the stop control comes out of the fuel pump. Should push in slightly and allow the rack to move to excess fuel position.
I think the lever on top of the engine will be for decompressing the engine, lifts the valves off their seats and allows some speed to be gained on the crank handle, then drop the decompressor hoping the inertia of the flywheel keeps it going. Watch out for broken fingers and wrists.....
Majors didn't have a "screw on" style oil filter it was a disposable element inside a steel canister. Two sizes one a bit longer than the other if I remember right.

Please, please, please, please, please do NOT use the decompressor as Roadless 63 says.

I have spent years trying to get people to read the instruction book and to use the decompressor ONLY as an aid to turn the engine over to break an oil lock on cold days and to get the oil moving.

There are so many people who have damaged their engines using the decompressor to start them. You have NOT got a single cylinder cement mixer here or a John Deere with compression taps!!!

(Rant over)

Brian what type of damage is caused by using the decompressor?

We had an engine fitted with one and used it but I guess we were very lucky to get away with it!

regards

Bent valves and pushrods, broken valve lifters. Originally the control was mounted at the back of the head so you could not reach it from the front.

It is a long time since I have looked inside an E1A engine, and maybe I'm missing something. We used to have an early model with the rear decompressor handle. I can recall using it for starting when the battery was down on power. Decompressed, the engine cranked a little faster, when released there was enough momentum to kick it over compression.
What puzzles me is that if it is safe to turn the engine over by hand using the decompressor, why is it not safe to use it for starting?
As I remember it, the exhaust valves were just cracked open a fraction, not far enough to hit the pistons.
I am prepared to eat humble flavoured pie if wrong!

Eric

not having experienced starting a fordson using a decompression lever I wont argue, they are used on other applications such as gardners for starting on the handle as well as the ubiquitous single cylinder dumpers/mixers.
As already mentioned if lifting the valves would cause contact when starting one would imagine the same scenario turning by hand to set valve clearances etc.
In any case in UK ambient temperatures at least any major should start with a half decent battery fairly quickly, if it doesnt start then, hand cranking is probably not the answer decompressed or not...

Just thinking about it a bit more, being cranked over at high speed decompressed using the starter would be bad news for the push rods which would probably not be fully engaged in the rockers. Hand cranking with it fully decompressed would probably help "free" up the engine in very cold conditions as sump oil gets rather more viscous at low ambient. May just help out before returning decompressor to running position and using starter or handle depending how many weetabix have been consumed in order to conjure it into life.

The handbook clearly states that the decompressor is only for turning the engine by hand, not by the starter.

The booksays "On production tractors where a decompressor is fitted, operate the control and crank the engine by HAND. BE SURE THAT THE DECOMPRESSOR CONTROL IS RETURNED AND LOCKED IN THE RUNNING POSITION BEFORE CONTINUING" (to operate the starter or start the engine).

A number of engines that use decompressors as starting aids have a seperate valve to do the job. The Major uses the main valves and cases have occured where the pushrods jump out of position and are bent and the rockers themselves get broken.

I bought a FSM that was started with the decompression lever for years.........
It had five bent pushrods and other ailments to prove it!

Richard.

[quote="Brian"]The handbook clearly states that the decompressor is only for turning the engine by hand, not by the starter.

The booksays "On production tractors where a decompressor is fitted, operate the control and crank the engine by HAND. BE SURE THAT THE DECOMPRESSOR CONTROL IS RETURNED AND LOCKED IN THE RUNNING POSITION BEFORE CONTINUING" (to operate the starter or start the engine).

A number of engines that use decompressors as starting aids have a seperate valve to do the job. The Major uses the main valves and cases have occured where the pushrods jump out of position and are bent and the rockers themselves get broken.[/quote]

Thanks for explaining Brian, I recon we were lucky to get away with it by the sound of things.