E1A Major Gas vs. Diesel Blocks

Wacky idea, but here's why I ask: I have three gas majors. As many folks here know, some parts for the gassers are impossible to come by: Head gaskets, pistons/sleeves, and ignition parts for the gassers are all pretty much non-existent. I have three gas majors, and one of their engines is getting really long in the tooth. Tranny, rear-end, hydraulics, front end are all tight, but the engine is burning a lot of oil and down on compression.

I was originally going to relegate this to a parts tractor for the other two, but am not sure if I can bear to give up on it. If the diesel sleeves fit in a gas block, I was wondering about putting diesel pistons/sleeves in her and having the hollow on the diesel pistons machined a little larger to give it a lower compression ratio - suitable for gas. I'd probably still bump it up a little from the original 5.5:1 - probably go to something like 7:1 or 8:1. The crank and rods should handle it fine as they're the same as the diesel, and with modern fuel being higher octane and a little playing with timing, I think the rest might be ok. My thinking is this would be kind of like the 'Fire-Crater' piston option International offered for the M's etc. - a little more power through a little higher compression ratio. I doubt I'd get much more power with the original carb, but it might bump it up to 40 HP or so, and allow me to use standard diesel sleeves, pistons (modified), and head gaskets.

Crazy idea? Feel free to criticize.

You need to know the piston pin diameter, and how far from the pin to the top of the piston.
The weight maybe be a factor, but not so much in a slow running tractor engine.

For example, a Model A piston in a diesel sleeve. Or even a Dodge Brothers. they come in
over-sizes by .010 increments. Probably lots of newer models to pick from.

Don't junk it. There are people who would buy it as-is.

It might also be possible to get some pistons made/modified from another petrol engine if you know the size to compare. They will need to be flat topped though.

Think they might be available over here as we had petrol engines in some trucks fairly late on.

Do you perchance know of any leads to try for head gaskets/ring sets? I don't even want to pull the head off to check things out without knowing whether I can put it back together again. I found a few places that will laser-cut head gaskets if I need one done, though they all want to do minimum production runs of 10 or so, and they're quite pricey. Hard to justify spending more on a head gasket than I paid for the last two of these tractors.

You are looking for the impossible there !!

Not seen any new ones for many years now ,happy to help with a piston ring set and if pistons can be reused we can always widen top groove if they are worn and supply appropriate rings to suit, may have a lead on a complete engine if that is of any use.

Regards

Martin Turner

Cox and Turner Engineering Ltd

Daniel, this is the reply I got tonight from Cox and Turner. Will try my Australian contacts tomorrow. They had a lot of petrol's over there so may have better news.

This range of ploughs was built for the Fordson Major by Ransomes, Simms and Jefferies Ltd of Ipswich, Suffolk. They ranged from single furrow up to 4 furrow. Ransomes had an agreement with Ford to produce equipment badged and trailers. as the Ford-Ransomes range and it covered wevrything from cultivators, crop sprayers, ploughs