What Fergy have we got?

AntA

New User
Hi all,

My son and I have bought our first Fergy to work on. It's not run for at least a decade. We need some help in identifying what exactly we have.

The dash shows serial number TEA125328 which I think is a 1950 petrol 12V. However, it has two filler caps on the fuel tank which I've been told means it's TVO and maybe 6V. There's no exhaust manifold heat shield fitted, which I think a TVO would have.

How can I work out whether it's petrol or TVO? 12V or 6V? And is it positive or negative earth?

I plan to replace the wiring, service it, and then see if it will start. We'll go step-by-step repairing / replacing parts to get it running.

Any suggestion appreciated because at the moment we don't know where to start.

Thanks
Ant
 
Heres a link to wiring harnesses, made up for you. I have used them on at least 5 tractors. They state, not restoration, but they are almost exactly like original.

Tom

Ps. Keep us updated on your project
Untitled URL Link
 
Check out this link.

But keep in mind at the age of these tractors, anything is possible, lots of parts could have been swapped if you don't know the history on it.

Having 2 fuel tanks means it would have been a distillate engine IF those are the original tanks.

Here's a clue, the Delco generators, if it has a black background tag, it's 6v, red is 12v. Also look around at any other accessories, lamps, etc. See what the voltage is. Good chance it was positive gro
Ferguson Models
 
6-Volt Starter as per factory installation...TEA-20 (My personal TEA-20 Gasoline Engine Positive Ground)
12-Volt starter as per factory installation.. Pic taken from Internet...Owner... Gentleman in Australia Thank you Sir

6-Volt Starter as per factory installation Engauge's the FORWAD FACE (Ring Gear)of the Flywheel.
12-Volt Starter as per factory installation Engauge's the AFT FACE of the Flywheel (Ring Gear)

Does your Tractor have a Factory original Generator. Or an after market Alternator..??

Bob. Owner TEA-20 ergusons


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There are some inconsistencies in the serial number . A TEA ; Tractor , England , Petrol , would have had a single tank . A 1950 production tractor would be a six volt model unless made in the last few months . From the factory it would have been negative to earth .
A vapourising oil [ petrol , kerosene ] tractor would have a serial number prefix of TED . There are distinct differences in the inlet exhaust manifolds of these models , a deeper , gusseted head , larger valves, a different rocker cover breather pipe and other differences.
Look carefully at the carburettor , the two are identical externally other than a VO stamped onto the casing next to the fuel inlet pipe on the TED version .
A TED will run happily on straight petrol though a little rich .
The photo of the 12 volt starter is of my own TED , replicate the yellow cable as I have , this will provide a direct adequate power supply to the starter , the original was a braided strap behind the dash ; this often corrodes and causes weak starting .
If you do have a six volt starter it will work on twelve quite well , just don't overdo it and keep start attempts at less then ten seconds each with a rest inbetween each to stop from overheating it .
 
Hi everyone. Thank you for your help thus far. We have taken a few photos, and I think it's a 6v starter. It's hard to see but I think it has 6V engraved on the side.

Can't see VO on the carb but it does say 241.2 Zenith Made in England.

The red battery lead goes to the starter solenoid. Other cable to chassis behind the dash. So does that make it -ve earth?

There was a 12v battery in the shed with it when we bought it and the seller said it was off the tractor but it wasn't fitted so we can't be certain.

The chassis plate definitely says TEA125328

So does this mean it is 6v negative earth, petrol, with a replacement TVO fuel tank fitted? And potentially converted to 12v?

Or am I being too quick with my conclusions?

All help appreciated.
Thanks
Ant & son Wilf
 
Struggling to add photos!


(quoted from post at 18:05:05 07/03/22) Hi everyone. Thank you for your help thus far. We have taken a few photos, and I think it's a 6v starter. It's hard to see but I think it has 6V engraved on the side.

Can't see VO on the carb but it does say 241.2 Zenith Made in England.

The red battery lead goes to the starter solenoid. Other cable to chassis behind the dash. So does that make it -ve earth?

There was a 12v battery in the shed with it when we bought it and the seller said it was off the tractor but it wasn't fitted so we can't be certain.

The chassis plate definitely says TEA125328

So does this mean it is 6v negative earth, petrol, with a replacement TVO fuel tank fitted? And potentially converted to 12v?

Or am I being too quick with my conclusions?

All help appreciated.
Thanks
Ant & son Wilf
This post was edited by AntA on 07/03/2022 at 10:20 am.
 
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Put your images on a third party site then post url links in your post. You could be falling under the 'new account' limits (5?).

As far as the tractor ... A big decision strategy in getting it running will depend if you are trying to restore or refurbish the tractor. One to look at and go to parades with or a tractor to do real work on the farm.

Assuming you need a working 'farm' tractor to do stuff then I'd suggest just rewiring the whole tractor to 12volt, install a modern 12volt alternator with integrated regulator, 12volt coil with integrated resistor, a volt meter instead of ammeter, new switches and new wires of appropriate sizes. Put new 12volt LED lights on the tractor. It will actually be reliable.

Many tractors over time get a whole host of wiring mods added to them because one or another part went bad or wire was spliced poorly and so on for a hundred little corrosion points that frequently stop a tractor from doing real work and spending hours on troubleshooting.

It's the same attitude I took on the family heirloom Ferguson 35 I have. I kept it 6volt original, replacing a few things when I got it, but when the tractor quit working on me I converted it to 12volt. I knew how my father had nursed that 6volt system along when I was a kid. Often parking the tractor on a little hill at times (he was frugal with the batteries too) but I'm older now and no way did I want to mess with that whole thing. Now it starts with the touch of the button and I'm off to do work with it. It's a working tractor.

.
 
Not planning to do much work with it. More likely to be in a tractor road run or on display at a village show. Our plan was to get it running with as few new parts as possible, and then make bigger repairs and paint it up over time. So job 1 is to try running the engine. Then it'll need new tyres. And likely new oil seals before it actually goes anywhere. Might need a radiator or possibly an engine rebuild, and who knows what the transmission has waiting for us!
 
Six volt starter , TED , Vaporising oil fuel tank , six volt engine air cleaner . Tap on top of the manifold might have been used for a vacuum milking machine . No way of telling if the carb is VO without dismantling it to tell , they have an extra fuel feed when running on petrol .
Manifold looks to be a VO version but the photo is too blury to tell .
Engine number is next to the coil . Givee this and I might be able to tell more .
 
Hi,
That's all really useful, thanks.

When you say extra fuel feed, do you mean
two feeds to the carb? There's a valve on
the glass fuel jar and I thought this
decided whether to run on petrol or TVO in
a TED.

Could ours be a TEA with a replacement TED
fuel tank???

Engine number by the coil is S74789E.

The cylinder head has 56236 in the
casting.

Thanks for the help so far.
Ant & Wilf
 
There is a very fine extra drilled passage in the carburettor . All versions have this passage , only the VO version is unplugged and functional . Its purpose is to aid the engine to warm up quickly before changing the fuel tap over to the larger TVO tank . When running on petrol it can cause the mixture to be a little over rich , otherwise is causes no real harm .

Serial number most definitely belongs to a TEA , TED varieties were not factory options until 1951 . It might have been converted to TVO for cheaper running or have a replacement tank as you suspect .
Now we have the engine and serial number the records should explain all unless it is a 1951 , lists for that year have been lost .

This post was edited by Charles in Aus. on 07/07/2022 at 05:49 am.
 

Your tractor left the Ferguson workshops production line as a standard TEA petrol variant at Banner Lane ,Coventry , England during the day shift of Wednesday 19th of March 1950 .
 
Wow, thanks Charles. That's great detail!

Do the engine and serial numbers match? So
is the engine original?

I'm going to assume (until proven
otherwise) that it's a replacement fuel
tank on a petrol setup.

Do you know whether it would have been 6
or 12v?

Positive or negative earth???

Thanks
Ant & Wilf
 

Engine number is consistent with the year and the serial number , there is no way of telling if it is a direct match as there are no records for that . A safe assumption is it is the original engine .
It is a six volt model and retains its six volt starter
The engine left the factory as the 80mm earlier model , capacity was increased in late 1951 to 85mm.
It could be either positive or negative to earth , the starter will still turn the correct way regardless . The tractor will still run , try positive to earth first .
If it has not run in years don't just try to start it without lubricating the cylinders .

On closer inspection it looks like the early six volt head has a spacer and two head gaskets between it and the block . This was done to reduce compression so that VO fuel could be used , You most likely have an after factory TVO converted tractor , it was usually done by a Ferguson dealer or sometimes by the owner themselves . This could mean the capacity remains as factory or has been increased . Again no real way to tell until dismantled and measured . Better photographs will help .
 

Try this site , I am on it as well as many others from the UK and Australia , it has almost all the information you need at your finger tips . https://www.greyfergieforum.com/index.php
 
Hi Charles Im in same place Im not sure what year my
Ted is my number by dipstick is 29 12 49 and number on
engine block is the same does this relate to 1949 also
says 85 which I think is bore size but did they do 85 in
1949 ? I just joined this forum so still unsure how to use
lol if you have any info I would appreciate it thank you
 

The date code is unusual TED1963 , that is assuming that it is the set of cast numbers next to the transmission dip stick at the right hand side of the rear of the tractor .
It usually presents as D. M . Y , the year being a single digit from 1 to 9 .

29/12/49 would normally be cast as 29.12.9
A tractor casing cast in the 1952 would be 29.12.2 right up to late 1956 , after which production ceased .
The addition of the 4 , for forty is not normally seen , but then some tractors have no date , and others have had back ends changed over the years . 85 would point to an 85mm engine block . Perhaps the engine or back end are not original .
Certainly an 85mm engine will have had a twelve volt system and starter . Check this first . The photos posted previously show the difference between the two clearly .
 
Hi sorry I added the 4 it is just 9 I was saying is it relate
to 49 so it is number by dipstick 29 12 9 lol thats what I
meant to put my eyesight not to great these days lol
 

Early tractors had brass badges and serial number plates , later the serial plates were made of nasty, thin alloy that often corroded or fell off .
The front badge would have had ' Duck Egg Blue ' paint as an infill on the background , the lettering would have remained unpainted .
' Humbrol ' paints ; used for model trains and such have tiny pots of Duck Egg Blue , any hobby or model shop should have it .

Depending on the country and sometimes the dealership many tractors also have Ferguson badges on both sides of the bonnet as well .
 
Hi Charles, could you please help me identify what Fergie I have. It has a delivery stamp of 5221 next to where the plate should be and a casting date of 14111, as best as I can tell, next to the gearbox dip stick. I need to do a lot of work to it to bring it back to its former glory so the more information you can provide me would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi Charles, could you please help me identify what Fergie I have. It has a delivery stamp of 5221 next to where the plate should be and a casting date of 14111, as best as I can tell, next to the gearbox dip stick. I need to do a lot of work to it to bring it back to its former glory so the more information you can provide me would be greatly appreciated.
 

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