New Project & New to Ford Diesels

RTR

Well-known Member
We hauled in a new project last week - a Ford 3000 Diesel tractor. Having over 100 Farmall tractors, this is definitely a change of pace! For some reason the tractor was left out in the elements for the last 3 years and the engine became stuck and the steering became stuck. We have pulled the head and it doesn't look too bad. No ridges on the cylinder walls and we honed the cylinders (basically a cleaning of the rust) and now we are letting the engine soak with a mixture of transmission fluid and acetone for a week - trying to turn it over each day. The #1 piston was flush with the top of the block, and It did move a tiny bit so I think it will be ok once we get the engine to move freely. We were going to have the head re-done but it actually looks good. Was told the tractor ran great, but they just let it sit. Fingers crossed it will be a good tractor!! Going to order a new manifold for it and see soon I hope!

Feel free to chime in if you see something I'm missing, or have any suggestions with this tractor. First time working on a Ford 3-cyl Diesel. We have one (1995 model) that we bought new, but have never done anything to it but change the battery. I downloaded the service manual and it will be a big help.
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Make sure the head repair shop knows what the valve spec limits are, head might need new seats installed. Diesel compression heat is lost quickly when the valves and seats are ground, sinking valves too low in the head. Higher the valves are, higher the compression will be for better cold starting. Diesels will run with 300 PSI compression, but won't start well. 350-425 is best for starting. Lower compression will cause wet stacking while running too.
 
I hope you are going to pull the pistons out and install new ones. Do yourself a favor and don't reuse the old Pistons. The blocks in the tractors are very hard and rarely wear out, the pistons do. Overhaul kits for these engines are cheap. Personally I don't do inframes.
 
(quoted from post at 18:31:30 10/21/18) I hope you are going to pull the pistons out and install new ones. Do yourself a favor and don't reuse the old Pistons. The blocks in the tractors are very hard and rarely wear out, the pistons do. Overhaul kits for these engines are cheap. Personally I don't do inframes.

We were just going to get it unstuck, hone the cylinders clean, have the head checked by a shop, and put it together and try it out!

Should I really pull the oil pan and remove the pistons? Wouldn't that bring along a whole new end of replacing parts...bearings, wrist pins, pistons, etc.?
 
He is honing the bores with the pistons installed. Taliking about head work and compression is a waste of time.
 
(quoted from post at 20:24:25 10/21/18) He is honing the bores with the pistons installed. Taliking about head work and compression is a waste of time.
we basically just ran the home around to buff up and clean the gunk and light rust off. Should I not? I've done it a couple times before with good results.
 
If you do a good valve job and get the head in good shape as Dieseltech stated and the rings are stuck in the piston lands your compression will end up in the oil pan. You will never attain the compression figures that he has stated. Some things you learn the hard way. Buy a head gasket set now and an overhaul set for later because it will have to come back apart. If you do get it to run, it probably won't start when cold and will drink oil. Good Luck.
 
(quoted from post at 02:33:47 10/22/18) If you do a good valve job and get the head in good shape as Dieseltech stated and the rings are stuck in the piston lands your compression will end up in the oil pan. You will never attain the compression figures that he has stated. Some things you learn the hard way. Buy a head gasket set now and an overhaul set for later because it will have to come back apart. If you do get it to run, it probably won't start when cold and will drink oil. Good Luck.

What at minimum do you think we should do so the motor will be "ok". I agree in not wanting to do this much work only to get it back together and it not run worth a crap. The elderly owner said it ran very good last time they used it. He let it sit up outside because the steering was too hard for him to steer. That was 3 years ago.

We are thinking about pulling oil pan and trying to remove #1 piston since its almost at the top. Once it is removed, we think we can get the other 2 cylinders unstuck.
 

It does not matter how it ran before. Getting water into the cylinders, and causing the pistons to be stuck enough, that you can't just tap on them, and get them to move, "cancels everything" about how it was before. I don't care if it was just rebuilt! as mine was. It just does not matter any more, how it was. It is now!

It can make did nothing to it, to major problems. You will not know until you pull it apart, or if you run it for awhile. Guessing doesn't count.

If it was/is me, you'll end up needing to pull it apart, and fixing it right. I also was told it ran good, it's just been sitting, and is stuck from that. He was right about it getting stuck from sitting. Read some of my threads on here, about getting my to run again. You DON"T want to have a bad cam in a early diesel, trust me. You won't find a new one, or a reground one.

If it was me, I'd just clean the head up myself, and try running it that way. I wouldn't put all the tin back on either, till I got it running.

Good luck.

Pat
 
I'd bet money that rings are seized in the ring lands on at least one of the pistons. I'd drop the pan, get the pistons/rods out, hone it, and put new pistons with cast iron rings (no coated, or chrome ring as they won't seat in properly). Wouldn't hurt to look at the main, and rod bearings (either measure, or plasti-gauge them), a little time spent checking could save you from a bigger problem.
 
(quoted from post at 18:23:25 10/22/18) I'd bet money that rings are seized in the ring lands on at least one of the pistons. I'd drop the pan, get the pistons/rods out, hone it, and put new pistons with cast iron rings (no coated, or chrome ring as they won't seat in properly). Wouldn't hurt to look at the main, and rod bearings (either measure, or plasti-gauge them), a little time spent checking could save you from a bigger problem.

After talking with my grandfather that is exactly what he said he has decided to do. We are going to put it in our little shop over the pit and pull the oil pan and remove pistons. We just have to get a Farmall 140 and Farmall Cub moved out of there as they are sitting over the pit. We will install new rings and new pistons and put back together. Will also have the head tested. Do you all think that this is a good game-plan, or should more be done?
 
I totally agree, best pull it completely apart and start over. I've seen too many times the BLOCK is done correctly, but the head is not. Then the injection pump and injectors are next to blame, instead of the incorrectly repaired cylinder head.
 
(quoted from post at 09:37:44 10/22/18) I totally agree, best pull it completely apart and start over. I've seen too many times the BLOCK is done correctly, but the head is not. Then the injection pump and injectors are next to blame, instead of the incorrectly repaired cylinder head.



X2 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
(quoted from post at 21:37:44 10/22/18) I totally agree, best pull it completely apart and start over. I've seen too many times the BLOCK is done correctly, but the head is not. Then the injection pump and injectors are next to blame, instead of the incorrectly repaired cylinder head.

Sounds good to me. Once I get the other tractors out of the way, I'll pull the Ford in and get to work on it! For now she is soaking with ATF and Acetone (and a little diesel fuel)
 

Honestly, those cylinders look pretty discolored. I'd be very surprised if they didn't have a good bit of pitting. I wouldn't spend the time and money on the head, gaskets, rings, pistons and bearings and not get the cylinders bored, unless they came out perfect, and I can't imagine that happening. I would plan to go .030 over and put in fresh pistons, rings, etc and know you have a good machine.
 
There is another thing to think about here as well. What are your plans for the tractor. Parade queen or workhorse? If you are just going to put it out to pasture then maybe going cheap is the way to go.
On the other hand whoever had my 3 cylinder 4500 backhoe apart the last time did just what you were describing at first. Get the piston unstuck, hone the bores and reassemble. Except what they forgot to do was bore and sleeve # 1 cylinder which had 1/8 inch scores on all sides. Mind you the thing started and ran fine but was making an increasing racket so that I feared a rod bearing was going bad at minimum. When I got it apart I found that #3 exhaust valve was being hit by # 3 piston because it was closing late. After further investigation they had assembled the timing idler gear one tooth off and the cam gear “about” 180 degrees off. It’s a miracle it ran at all. They had replaced #1 piston with a new one I assume because they destroyed the old one getting it out. The bottom end turned out to be fine after all but I had to tear it completely down anyway to get it to the machine shop to be sleeved and bored all 3 cylinders .020 oversize. So I’m doing a complete overhaul that somebody else neglected to choose to do before.
 
Decided to just go ahead and part this tractor out. Needs an engine overhaul, a steering box rebuild, and who knows what else once I get it running. Was told the rest is fine and I trust the previous owner as I know him personally but it’s more of a parts machine with what I have in it. I’ll look for another one to fix up.

If anyone is interested in parts let me know. I will ship. Going to post it in the YT photo ads under Alabama and you can find it there along with my Contact info.
 

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