Loftyrule’s TEF20

Ley253

Member
Location
Bath
Speaking as a retired mechanic, it is my opinion that at least half of the damage was caused by the attempt to tow start.This method of starting highlights the incompetence evident in being unable to locate the root problem. As you say, it didnt run before, but neither was it smashed to pieces! For your information, a diesel engine needs fuel at the correct time, and compression to heat the air to provide ign, if these are present, it will run, perhaps not well, but it will run.If a mechanic cant find out why these are not present in such a simple engine he needs to put his tools away!
There are restorers and "restorers" one comes to mind who has a magazine column, in a past one of which, he is happily beating an adjustable spanner with a lump hammer in order to remove a crankshaft pulley nut!
 
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Mursal

Member
Also just keep in mind the "actual value" of the item when fully restored.
I know it might be of sentimental value to keep it, as it was, but would the original owner really mind if a different engine was fitted? After all they were practical people that knew the value of money ............

Hope it goes well for you ..............
 

Ley253

Member
Location
Bath
Opinion revision, leading to Cat and pigeons time. Looking at the photos again, I am now of the opinion that the damage is down to a "Run Away". I base this on the following evidence, the head gasket is destroyed but covered in combustion products, as is the head. This shows that the engine has been running on at least two cylinders.On the clean piston there are faint valve to piston contact marks, evidence of an overspeed, as is the dropped valve and consequential damage.( On reflection I think the wheels would have locked before that much damage was caused, unless the two vehicle was a landrover or similar, and going at an insane speed .Finally, both an overspeed, and failure to start could be caused by incorrect venturi adjustment, or incorrect plumbing. An overspeed can also be caused by (as these engines are prone to do) a "bounce back) on trying to start, and running up reversed, one way to tell if this has happened is an air filter check, reversed running blows all the oil out!
To conclude, I think it did start on the tow, but was uncontrollable, and panic ensued.
 
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MrNoo

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Cirencester
They won't run in reverse as there is a one way gear type tooth/dog arrangement on the pump, so the pump will only rotate one way from the drive sprocket, you can turn the drive sprocket t'other way and the pump won't turn, the teeth just click over the dogs. Although I do know that the very early TEF's did not have this option, so it could have happened but chances are slim.
I think without actually looking at the various components it is hard to say exactly what happened apart from a dropped valve, smashed cuff ring and a big dent in the head, those things won't or certainly unlikely to have happened at tick over. The state of the crank and rod/rods would be more telling
 

Loftyrules

Member
Location
Monmouth
They won't run in reverse as there is a one way gear type tooth/dog arrangement on the pump, so the pump will only rotate one way from the drive sprocket, you can turn the drive sprocket t'other way and the pump won't turn, the teeth just click over the dogs. Although I do know that the very early TEF's did not have this option, so it could have happened but chances are slim.
I think without actually looking at the various components it is hard to say exactly what happened apart from a dropped valve, smashed cuff ring and a big dent in the head, those things won't or certainly unlikely to have happened at tick over. The state of the crank and rod/rods would be more telling
3rd Rod is being looked at (hope that makes sense to someone)
 

Ley253

Member
Location
Bath
They won't run in reverse as there is a one way gear type tooth/dog arrangement on the pump, so the pump will only rotate one way from the drive sprocket, you can turn the drive sprocket t'other way and the pump won't turn, the teeth just click over the dogs. Although I do know that the very early TEF's did not have this option, so it could have happened but chances are slim.
I think without actually looking at the various components it is hard to say exactly what happened apart from a dropped valve, smashed cuff ring and a big dent in the head, those things won't or certainly unlikely to have happened at tick over. The state of the crank and rod/rods would be more telling
They will run reversed! I had ours do it to me, frightened me to death! Front of tractor vanished in a cloud of black smoke, oil from the airfilter blew all over the side of the tractor and some found me. I pulled the stop, or did something right, tried to start it again and it was ok. An experience not forgotten when your still a school boy honoured by being allowed to use grandads new tractor! Explains the one way drive mod though.
Look carefully at the photos, def valve piston contact on the clean one, and large amounts of soot on two others. head gasket damage would not have happened unless it was running.I am sure the dropped valve was the result of overspeeding.
 
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Loftyrules

Member
Location
Monmouth
Bit of progress this week, the engine is being rebuilt and hope to have it up and running again next week.

Seems as if the timing could have been ever so slightly out as pistons have been marked and also the timing chain housing has taken a bit of a battering.

Needs new cuff rings as the full round ones all had hairline splits in them, couldn’t believe the price of them.

Hasn’t cost me quite as much as first feared but still not cheap.

Anyone got the cap to a Ki-Gas tank they fancy selling?
 

MrNoo

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Cirencester
Didn't know u could buy the cuff rings .. is that agco main dealer only
Yes you can buy them online, several T20 suppliers sell them. I do have a complete Kigass tank sat on the bench in the workshop but if your rebuild is done properly you won't be needing to use Ki gass system at all!!
 

Loftyrules

Member
Location
Monmouth
Yes you can buy them online, several T20 suppliers sell them. I do have a complete Kigass tank sat on the bench in the workshop but if your rebuild is done properly you won't be needing to use Ki gass system at all!!
True but I want to keep it original so will put it back on. How much for the tank with lid (assume you don’t want to sell the lid separately)
 

tomlad

Member
Location
nr. preston
I may have already said
One of my diesels had a plastic cap on the kigas as a lid . Shame i thought.
I later found what was left of the cap in one of the fuel tanks rotten . Because of water .
Cant have bin in the kigas can it so must have been in main tank.
 

Loftyrules

Member
Location
Monmouth
:)
Do u need the kigas for cold start then mate .
Ir just press cold start on the injector pump
It will need the Ki gas still, once it’s warm she will start no problem but at the moment because the heater plug isn’t wired up she needs a little squirt of easy start to fire up first time
 

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