Grey Fergie Restoration

[Andrew]

I've potentially got one of these to get working again, the head gaskets gone and the gearbox is getting stiff so you can't get 1st and 2nd gear.

Is there any good websites or workshop manuals available with torque settings for head bolts etc?
Where's the best place to go for spares for these?

 

[REStracTORATION]

Google the make and model for torque specs loads of results come up
Parts wise nearly anywere can get them including yours truly haha...... try this if its a tef ect

 

[Mursal]

Head off yet?
Diesel?

 

[Andrew]

I'm not exactly sure on the model - I don't have much to do with things like this normally.
It's a petrol / paraffin engine.

 

[REStracTORATION]

On the dash behind the steering wheel there will be a vin plate at the bottom of that there will a model number like 3 letters then numbers

 

[Mursal]

Looks tidy, pity the gasket popped ............
Though not a major undertaking.
I'm just not feeling the love, sounds like a reluctant classic fixer

 

[Andrew]

Looks tidy, pity the gasket popped ............
Though not a major undertaking.
I'm just not feeling the love, sounds like a reluctant classic fixer

You're right, I'm not doing it for love. It's at a sailing club where I do some work part time. Gasket was done 2 years ago, but it runs on petrol the whole time and gets too hot. The gasket shouldn't be too much trouble, and I'm told it's easy to advance the timing so it runs cooler, it's just the gearbox that concerns me.
The club do not know whether to pay me to get it working again, or sell it and replace with an MOT failure. It's only for moving boats about on shore.

 

[Mursal]

Probably the selector shaft in the top of the gearbox seized, due to lack of work
The big fan out front, you would think it would run cold enough.
How has the head gasket failed, its not the thermostat?

 

[MrNoo]

Yes, it'll be the selector fork shaft, the alloy gearbox housing against the steel shaft causes the alloy to corrode, you can take the gear lever out and gently move the offending shaft back and forth, try and get some oil along it if you can. I always normally take the top cover off but it's a ball ache if you're not restoring it completely, as the dash/steering comes off with it.
Mine were seized solid on one of the ones I did and it took a fair bit of persuading to free them off but they came eventually, lack of use (lack of oil spayed around the G-Box) causes it to happen.
Good old bus, values I reckon have risen slightly over the last few years so worth looking after.

 

[Andrew]

Haven't checked the thermostat yet, was talking to a mechanic about these and he said it's fairly common on these as petrol burns hotter than paraffin. But I could easily be wrong.
I haven't had chance to have a look at it properly yet.

 

[Andrew]

As I may have said before, I've never had much to do with engines. I've done a lawnmower before, and helped a chap with a 6cyl Scania head gasket, both about 11 years ago so I'm a little rusty!

Anyway, they asked me to strip the head off to see what the internals were like.
The oil in the sump is really milky and full of water. What little water remained in the radiator had no coolant whatsoever. The tractor lives outside 24/7.

The gasket actually looked intact, but what do you guys think about the crack between cyls 2/3? Where would you go from here?

 

[MrNoo]

Wouldn't worry about the crack, check it's not the same down the bottom of the block, it's linered so should be getting into the oil. I'd skim the head, pull the liners out, check the seats are ok, get them machined if needed and get the top of the block decked, new liners/pistons and away you go.
The furthest chamber in the head away from your hand looks like there may have been water in the combustion cycle, it seems cleaner than the rest and water normally will cause this, so maybe (if no signs of the head gasket given way that end) it might be worth getting the head pressure tested. Sometime you get a very small crack that is not visible to the naked eye but opens up once the engine gets up to temp.
Am sure there will be others chime in shortly!

 

[Mursal]

So your no further on ...........
Crack will be fine.
Clamp the liners down if you intend to turn the engine over ........
I'd fill the block (kink/plug the bottom rad pipe) with diesel to see if it goes into the sump?
Maximum wear will be on No 1 cylinder next the water pimp and No 4 next the back of the block, so will give you an idea of wear.
New head gasket, (or even the old one to test), wont be that expensive, see how she runs?
Otherwise you'll be spending or something and adding very little value.

 

[Andrew]

Would this be enough to leak?

 

[Mursal]

Not enough to say you definitely have the problem ....................
Seals on the bottom of the liners?
The diesel will find if there is an issue, fill to the top and leave it a few days, you'll see it going down/filling the sump. That's if its leaking when cold ...........

 

[Andrew]

There's corresponding marks on the head and the liner so guessing that's one of the problems. However, I've filled the cylinders with diesel and the level of the back one has dropped 10mm in 15 minutes! Front has dropped about 2mm so think that's a bigger problem?

 

[Mursal]

But is it running out the sump drain hole?
With that amount leaving you should see it coming ..............

If it is coming to that extent, you can strip out with confidence, knowing that its necessary ......
But leave it a while, so your sure its definitely leaking.

 

[Philip Watkins]

There's corresponding marks on the head and the liner so guessing that's one of the problems. However, I've filled the cylinders with diesel and the level of the back one has dropped 10mm in 15 minutes! Front has dropped about 2mm so think that's a bigger problem?

If you filled the cylinders it will be leaking past the piston rings. @Mursal said fill the block (the water galleries) to see if that finds its way into the sump.

 

[Mursal]

Sorry @Andrew, I didn't explain properly ......................
Put the diesel into the water jacket in the block, to see if the seals at the bottom of the liners are leaking .............

Thank you Philip .............

 

[Andrew]

Thanks for your help, but they've now decided they don't want to spend a penny on it and are going to buy something else instead! Don't you just love comittee run businesses!