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After the original alteration when it was purchased, the first trip into the workshop was over the winter of 2005. During this time a larger turbo was fitted, the timing was altered and a new uprated clutch was fitted.
The front end was removed to access the timing case, the manifold was removed to make the adapter plate for the new turbo and the tractor was split to change the clutch
A view from the other side showing the timing cover removed to alter the pump timing
A couple of pictures of the clutch components, firstly a 13 inch borg & beck pressure plate, which was uprated during the winter to incorporate larger springs for greater clamping pressure
13.5 inch drive plate
centre plate
13 inch drive plate
2006 was generally a busy season then, blowing turbo after turbo and then breaking a rocker at pickering. The tractor was not run at the great dorset steam fair or berwick st john due to us busy working to accomodate a much larger turbo. The intercooler was cleaned and the pump opened up a bit further. We managed to get the tractor out for a private pull near redditch in which a huge difference was noticed, but the lack of weights giving me some difficulty in keeping a straight line, unfortunatly the fuel pump gave up on the saturday afternoon.
During the winter a new fuel pump was fitted, the fitting of the turbo was finished and a longer exhaust pipe added. The tractor was also split to check the clutch to ensure there was no damage or cracks from the heat.
The tractor also had a new coat of paint, new side panels and generally just finished off all the small jobs the hadn't been finished during the year.
The first pull of 2007 caught me by surprise, as the tractor was travelling up the track much faster than previous years. One run on sunday the front lifted towards the end and i dropped it a bit hard resulting in the drag links breaking.
The next couple of events went well with no problems, until a run at Shillingstone when a bad miss was developed on sunday. On return to the workshop the cylinder head was removed and this is what i found
A inlet valve had failed, resulting in the valve being dropped into the bore, and then being smashed back into the head by the piston.
Where the valve had hit the head, a injector had also been damaged beyond repair. After i had found this damage, the tractor was left for a couple of weeks until i could gather parts together for the rebuild.
In order for the piston to be changed the sump had to be removed, to do this the front axle and tomb stone had to be taken off
A new cylinder head, piston, big end shells, and uprated valve springs were fitted, aswell as a new injector in order to try and prevent the same problem of valve bouncing occuring.
The tractor was put together in one day by the workshop staff in order to get ready for lowham pull that weekend.
Just about ready to take to the yard for starting, this had to be done to prevent filling the workshop with smoke. The tractor ran well at lowham, pickering, croeslan and the great dorset steam fair, but a destintive miss was noted by many, A new set of injectors were tried for welland to see if a difference was made. The first pull at welland, the engine really lit up and pulled much better than it had before, but then disaster struck with a very loud knocking from the bottom end.
The engine was removed in order for the strip down, and taken to the workshop
All components of the engine were stripped down in order for them to be checked. It was found that errors had been made and oil sprayers on number 1 and number 6 pistons had been broken, and that there was a fault with number 3 big end in which it had come loose. As a result the bearing had been thrown.
Where the engine had lost oil pressure due to the bearing thrown, the crank had run dry, resulting in 2 main bearings spinning in the block. The crank needs regrinding minimum, but may be bent.
From where the main bearings had spun in the block, groves had been made resulting in the block requring a line bore.
The Engine has now been rebuilt and ready to be fitted - check out the Dragon Power 2008 workshop for details!
