Fordson new Major - oil

[Gav101]

Hi I was looking for some advice on the controversial subject of oils – I’ve got a Fordson new Major 1954 - I need to change the engine oil soon but understand that the same grade oil can be used on this tractor for engine, transmission and hydraulics – in the UK the choice is quite limited but I’ve received a lot of different recommendations including…..



CASTROL TRANSMAX AGRI MP PLUS 10W-40

CASTROL CLASSIC XXL40

Vintage Millerol 30 Engine Oil https://www.millersoils-shop.co.uk/vintage-millerol-30-engine-oil-sae-30



Any recommendations from you guys?



Gav

 

[davidroberts30]

Straight 30 I think is in the book

 

[TripleSix]

The cheapest SAE30 engine oil you can find.

Oils have come along way since 1950

 

[Exfarmer]

You dont want engine oil in the gear box surely, but I would not use a universal oil in the engine , just an old fashioned Diesel engine oil

 

[dundee dave]

Hi I was looking for some advice on the controversial subject of oils – I’ve got a Fordson new Major 1954 - I need to change the engine oil soon but understand that the same grade oil can be used on this tractor for engine, transmission and hydraulics – in the UK the choice is quite limited but I’ve received a lot of different recommendations including…..



CASTROL TRANSMAX AGRI MP PLUS 10W-40

CASTROL CLASSIC XXL40

Vintage Millerol 30 Engine Oil https://www.millersoils-shop.co.uk/vintage-millerol-30-engine-oil-sae-30



Any recommendations from you guys?



Gav

i run my majors on sae 30 or 40 engine sae 90 tranny and backend.ford changed specs for super majors to sae 30 in them all but i have never done that. worthwhile look up brian on ford forum top man on all things fordson

 

[76masseyman]

Diesel engine I presume, so Series 1 HD SAE 30.
Transmission either SAE 90 gear oil or SAE 50 engine oil ( both the same )
Or if you’d prefer one oil, then an old Universal 20w/30, as it’s a series 1, right through it ( readily available )

 

[Cowabunga]

You dont want engine oil in the gear box surely, but I would not use a universal oil in the engine , just an old fashioned Diesel engine oil

These things ain't fussy as long as the liquid is wet and the seals can hold it in. There's no wet brakes or clutches in the transmission and just engine heavy engine oil was used in them from new. Today I'd use a 15w/40 engine oil all through, unless it shared some implements with hydraulic rams, such as tipping trailers with more advanced tractors. In which case a 15w/30 super universal all through the engine and transmission keeps things compatible without cross contamination through implement sharing.

The oil used originally in these will be very hard to find today and you really don't want to buy much different to what is in stock on the farm already

 

[TripleSix]

All our majors have what looks like calf scour in the back ends, they don't care...

There is a gearbox filler and a back end filler on a major

 

[Exfarmer]

All our majors have what looks like calf scour in the back ends, they don't care...

There is a gearbox filler and a back end filler on a major

calf scour is because water has infiltrated, it really should be changed. Very common issue on David browns where there boots on the gear levers have perished. from memory Fordsons did not have boots

 

[Cowabunga]

All our majors have what looks like calf scour in the back ends, they don't care...

There is a gearbox filler and a back end filler on a major

A high proportion of them will not have had a transmission oil change in many decades and are contaminated with water, which forms an emulsion like mayonnaise.
I had a neighbour who once boasted that he had never changed transmission oil in his life. Next Winter was a cold one and he went to start his 35 and wrecked his hydraulic pump, because the water in the transmission had frozen and seized the pump. It is a major strip-down to change the pump on old Massey's. I couldn't help but feel a bit smug when I heard. Had to stop lending him a trailer for harvest, because it came back with white shite in the pipes.
It was the same farmer who had a twelve year old MF290 and one day he brought a filter out of the shed and asked me if it was OK to fit on the 290. It was the oil filter that was fitted new at the Perkins factory and changed out at the first 50 hour service twelve years earlier. OMG!

 

[TrickyT]

In my 1956 Ferguson TEF I use 20w50 in the engine and 10w30 in the hydraulics.

I know some fellow Ferguson owners use either 15w30 or 15w40 in both the engine and hydraulics.

Make sure you get mineral oil and not synthetic.

Trevor

 

[TripleSix]

calf scour is because water has infiltrated, it really should be changed. Very common issue on David browns where there boots on the gear levers have perished. from memory Fordsons did not have boots

I'm fully aware it's caused by water contamination, probably from condensation.

Still not gonna change it

 

[startinghandle]

All our majors have what looks like calf scour in the back ends, they don't care...

There is a gearbox filler and a back end filler on a major

All our majors...,. How many??

 

[Ley253]

I'm fully aware it's caused by water contamination, probably from condensation.

Still not gonna change it

Ah well, every bearing in the gearbox/rear axle is slowly rusting away.

 

[TripleSix]

All our majors...,. How many??

Did have 4, down to 2 at the mo.

 

[TripleSix]

Ah well, every bearing in the gearbox/rear axle is slowly rusting away.

I doubt it, it's a Major, it doesn't care, you could run caramel sauce in the back end and it wouldn't bother it.
Never seen one that doesn't have calf scour in the back end, they don't get used long and hard enough to keep the moisture at bay.
This is a backend that will cope with 800+ hp, crappy oil at 52hp doesn't make it suffer

 

[Cowabunga]

Basically, if just topping up the transmission, I’d use oil drained from a modern tractor during routine service change. In fact I’d be quite happy using such oil for a complete oil change if that was considered necessary maintenance.

 

[Exfarmer]

I doubt it, it's a Major, it doesn't care, you could run caramel sauce in the back end and it wouldn't bother it.
Never seen one that doesn't have calf scour in the back end, they don't get used long and hard enough to keep the moisture at bay.
I would be more concerned about the pump screen getting completely blocked, but possibly all the gearbox and backend relies on splash , long time since I had much to do with these
This is a backend that will cope with 800+ hp, crappy oil at 52hp doesn't make it suffer
cope with 800 hp? Tell that to the many county owners who had issues at 100

 

[roscoe erf]

always used 15/40 in the engine and multipurpose in the rear on my old major

 

[TripleSix]

Look at which backend most UK tractor pullers use.
Nearly always a major.