1939 Oliver 99

[D G Wells]

Ok, Can anyone out there tell me if the sleeves in a 1939 Oliver 99 are wet sleeves or dry sleeves? From the bottom they look dry, but I'm not sure.---Derrol in Texas---

 

[oliver90owner]

I don't think any Oliver engines ever had dry liners. Perkins did.

RAB

 

[Gary Spitznogle]

The 6 cyl. 99's through the 950 had dry sleeves

 

[oliver90owner]

You sure? Not bored directly into the block and only sleeved as a repair to get them back to standard pistons?

RAB

 

[D G Wells]

Then someone must have done an excellent job of boring and counterboring this block because it looks professionally done. These are flange-top sleeves set very flush with the block surface. The headgasket seals on them and the surrounding surface very well. The sleeves extend below the block about 3/4" on the bottom side. I was concerned about maybe a possible bad o-ring on a sleeve but these must be dry sleeves. I have the block stripped down at this point and I want to get everything right when it goes together. I like to get all my ducks in a row. ---Derrol in Texas---

 

[duane o.]

The liners are a wet liner in that engine and most oliver waukisha engines. Duane o.

 

[oliver90owner]

Yep, looked elsewhere and saw JS writing about dry sleeves. I knew that six cylinder engine was the only Oliver not to have wet liners. Thanks, Gary, for that. There is always something more to learn. I understand those liners are hard to find

I am now wondering if that engine was all Oliver or part Continental? Certainly a bit of a departure from the Waukesha engines.

Perhaps you, JS, BA Star or A N Other could throw some more light on it?

As an aside, what format are the Detroit engines?

Cheers, RAB

 

[oliver90owner]

Your engine is a four pot motor.

RAB

 

[gordey]

They are just a Waukesha, the early version of the 302 used a slightly different block and sleeve, the crank is also different. Waukesha also sold the 320 with no sleeves. The 371 gm was also a dry sleeve engine.

 

[D G Wells]

Yes, this is a four banger in a big block and after looking close at a drawing in the Operator Manual, I see what looks like to be wet sleeves. The pistons are 4.748" in diameter and 5.5" tall. I think this engine has about the same displacement as my Propane Case LAs at 443 cui. Any comment on this? I am also looking for a starter ring gear for the flywheel. Mine works but it is badly pitted from rust. ---Derrol in Texas---

 

[oliver90owner]

Yes, the Husky engine. Seven and a quarter litres of grunt. 4 3/4" bore and 6 1/4" stroke.

I have two, both 90's.

Good reliable engine apart from one or two points I have run into.

They have been known to drop valves. My 1948 model did that. Also, the small oil feed to the governor can become blocked, with possible catastrophic effect on the governor and housing.

I check my governor for lube occasionally as one failure back in the 1950s was a destroyed governor and housing.

The Oliver 80 engine also had a bad habit of dropping valves. I know of at least two happenings of that nature. Both were
scrapped after the failure.

I also needed to change the rocker shaft due to a lack of lubrication. That was mainly down to running the old girl long after she should have had a good overhaul, back in those days.

Mine has an almost perfect starter ring gear as it was built with no electrics. I cannot help, even though I have a spare flywheel, as I am the wrong side of the pond.

I am currently in a long process of changing the crank in the Cockshutt 90 - if it ever gets finished. I might knock out the sleeves and fit a better set of liners and pistons I have. Bypass opration has completely curtailed my tracor activites for the last three years, unfortunately.

One thing to beware of, if you are new to this game - be very careful if it has been run on non-detergent oil. Changing to a modern detergent oil can result in all sorts of sludge being cleaned from anywhere in the engine and if it has the cotton waste oil filter, check the oil pump pick-up screenshot for lint.

Apart from the above, they were a very good tractor in their day, IMO. My Dad bought mine new, so I know the full repair history of that tractor. There was no comparison with the standard fordsons on the farm, when I was old enough to remember.

Note also, those liners are not completely flush with the deck -they should protrude by about 3-6 thou.

Regards, RAB