Bob is a TEA (petrol) converted to run on TVO as well. Unusually he had only one thin plate and two gaskets between the head and block. Usually there is one thick plate and two gaskets or two thiner plates and three gaskets. When we rebuilt the engine after regrinding the crankshaft and lineboreing the camshaft journals we rebuilt it as it was with the one thin plate and two gaskets.

We always get the engine running before rebuilding the rest of the tractor in case anything needs further attention. Lucky we did because Bob's engine started well and ran but examination of the oil (on the dipstick) showed that water was leaking into the oil.

Off came the head again and sure enough it was the dodgy part of the plate which was causing the problem.

This is one side...

and this is the other...

Decision time - fit a different plate- lots of phoning- no plates to be had for love nor money. However, on of our contacts said, Hold on a minute, when TVO convertions were first carried out they didn't have plates at all!

'What did they do, then?' I enquired.

'Gaskets', came the reply, ' Lots'

How many is lots?

'Sometimes as many as eight!'

We didn't need to fit eight. We only needed five to reach the required spacing. It was with trepidation that we started to run the tests again but it was successful. Sometimes old methods are the best!

When the time came to wheel back the front wheels complete with radius arms, steering arms and axle assembly we found two problems. The front axle pin which does the vital job of supporting the front of the tractor to say nothing of holding all the steering stuff and the front wheels was worn to a point where the amount of slop was alarming and also potentially dangerous. It seems unlikely that, however wor, a solid pin can snap but we have seen it on one of the tractors we had in where the only things holding the tractor together were the axle bolts!

The old bush did not want to come out so Gary heated it when it came out in two bits worn very thin.

Then he found that the hole in the axle was worn oval which meant that no way could a new bush be fitted- the whole assembly would have worn through again very rapidly.

So it meant fitting a new centre axle beam. We have a number around but only two passed the ovality test.

An unusual feature on Bob is the two original fuel tank filters which are surprisingly in excellent condition.