Another unstuck Dexta

WayneB

Member
Super Dexta. Barn find. Previous owner bought at auction, and reportedly it could be pull started. Starter weak. Somewhere the verticle exhaust disappeared and the PO covered the pipe with a rag. Yes a wrag. The old girl was really stuck and froze up.

Steering gearbox was froze in straight position. Lubed, jacked up the front end and added oil and she turns like a dream.

Pulled the injectors and filled with penetrant. Took a gallon of penetrating fluid, and two weeks. But finally it gave loose and I could turn it with a screwdriver at the flywheel. Installed a new starter, and spun the cylinders clean. Put some oil in cylinders and spun some more. Changed the oil and I am ready to pull start her. Clean her up and pressure washed the penetrant and now ready to try to pull-start her. If it runs, I will post the results later.

This one is clean, all parts still there, only needs paint, stop cable, tach cable, tach (one mounted is a fiat). Replaced steering wheel. Has the nice factory rest-o-ride seat Needs cover.Also I will rewire from positive ground to negative ground and rewire lights and dash. She got a new Optima battery
I have another to go pick up next week. One or both will be sold after fixed up and everything working.
Thought I'd post about my exploits, since the Fordson site is so quiet.
The big question is will she run?
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She runs. This one was a wild stubborn mustang to get running. Injector pump rack was stuck in the no fuel position, and took a little penetrant to get working again. When I did get it running, it was smooth but repeatedly would run then run out of fuel. While I have good flow, I lack I lack volume. New filter and tank shut of valve will be next targets.
No leaks. I can work with this.
Wayne
 
Your not alone on the stuck tractor !!!! Friend has a FSMD that got some engine damage from previously being run to hard I think. Ended up throwing #4 rod out the side of block. It was stuck from sitting. We removed injectors and poured marvel mystery oil down the cylinders. After a week of it sitting we were able to turn the engine over with the fan blades by hand. Try that. He also bought a parts tractor. It was stuck too !!!! Darn it anyway. Removed injectors and pour the mystery oil down the holes. Week later I had that engine turning over by the fan blades by hand too !!!! With help from a pipe wrench. Now we're going to swap engines and have a few parts to sell. Good luck. I'm a JD fan. New to Fordson but love wrenching. Shouldn't be that big of a job. Good luck.
 
I worked on it some more today. Absolutely, the problem is the valve at the tank. Draining the tank to replace that next weekend. I have a couple of new ones spare. The fuel wasn't clean anwway, so I have a couple or three gallons to start fires where I'm clearing.
Also fabricating optima battery mounts. Next will come "00" battery cables. I find the original cable lacking once you put a key seleniod starter on and with optimas, you never have battery corrosion again.
The adventure continues.....
Wayne
 
Worked on the old girl till after dark. New primer cut-off valve installed and system bled out. I have a leak on the line to primer and will need a new ferrule.

The strainer screen did its job on the big stuff and the filter on the small. With new fuel I was getting a good clean flow.

Next weekend will pull start her for first run-out.


Wayne
 
Be careful!. A lot of stuff sitting in the cylinders could cause an over-revving engine
until it clears out. I once drove my dad's tractor down hill with a heavy load behind. It run so fast it began sucking oil out of the oil-bath oil cleaner and run even faster!. Luckily we ran out of hill-side before any harm happened. (It was one of those tractors in which the brakes were almost ineffective, from new. At least a 110 lb kid couldn't hold them down hard enough.)
 
I am very familiar with what you are talking about. My first Dexta was so worn out, after it got warm, and revved over 1600, it would run away. Got tired of that, and when I tore it down for a rebuild, the rings fell apart like shelled corn. Was surprised it even ran.
On this one, I blew out the cylinders with air as I cranked it and put oil drops, let that permeate and then pull started it. It ran and the exhaust was crisp, then ran out of fuel.
The primer bulb, bottom tank valve was bad. Replaced. Ready to pull start it again.

Just pulled in last night with another Super Dexta. Ok, 4:30 this morning. This one has some unique features, especially chrome. Fully complete with the exception, the trailer bar is missing. Its not locked up, and I'm optimistic it will be running this weekend. Tin is hardly dented.

Went to the FNH dealer to get a fuel filter, and was reminded Dextas are antiques. They're older than I am, said the parts guy. You're the first guy I've ever asked for a Dexta part (He's new there...) $28. fot the filter. I can see why I told him, that filter is 3 times the cost. Went to Advanced Auto, and got it for $8.25 with tax.
 
Liquid in a Dexta cylinder will cause hydrostic lock. It won't turn over, and it won't run away. Pop out the injectors, spin her with the starter and it'll spray everywhere.
Dexta run-aways will be two things, bad rings and on the pneumatic govenor, the pump pneumatic seal or vacuum pipe to pump removed.
believe your run-way was she was either worn out, or ether had been used for starting, and broke the rings, and they will fall out like shelled corn on teardown...
 
The tractor we had was a 444 Massey Diesel. Had a large load of green hay bales on the wagon behind. One of those things that could have ended badly, but didn't. The exciting life of a farm kid.
 

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