TEA-20 Radiator

[Fred in Mi.]

Hi,
I m rebuilding my TEA-20 and bought a used Radiator from a person on this site a year ago and just had it tested and it is in very bad shape, I hear the new ones are hard to fit these Tractors, any truth to that?
Also everyone beware of buying used parts ask for pictures, dummy me didn t and now I have a no good radiator and from this same person I bought a block and head from last fall and they where both cracked, I wanted to replace mine that was pinned, this fellow is on this site everyday answering peoples questions but so far I haven t seen him try and sell more parts so please everyone don t be like me, ask questions and for sure ask for many pictures. The fellow I m talking about is an Engineer or so he claims for a big Company and he didn t know his own Motor that he was selling was cracked..
"Buyer Beware"
Anyway any answers on the new Radiators would be helpful.
Thank you in advance for any answers,

Fred

 

[Jeff Z.]

Fred, This site has them.

Radiator - For Models: TE20, TEA20, TO20, TO30, TO35 with Z120, Z129, Z134 gas engines. Also replaces OEM 180291M1.Uses cap pn 180224M91. Specify in comments section if needed. (Part No: 181623M1) $215.38 [Enlarge Picture]

 

[Anonymous-0]

I bought an after market radiator for my TEA20 that was for a to-30 and was able to make it work. I think the mounting studs and the holes to mount the shroud were off a bit nothing major. I use my tractor most every day on our place not for show just for sh**.

 

[Fred in Mi.]

Thanks Andy and Jeff, I seen the ad here on YT and have purchased my Motor over haul kit, carburator, clutch,and more from this site already but heard that after market radiators where a bear to deal with, I ll order one from here now after hearing they do fit with a little adjustment.
Thank you again,
Fred

 

[Bob (Aust)]

Fred, are you sure your TEA20 radiator is not recoverable? Some years ago I looked at the after market replacement radiator for the TEA20 and it was very inferior to the original radiator, manufactured by the Coventry Radiator Company Ltd, UK. The tanks and core on your original radiator are brass, excellent quality and a good radiator shop should be able to repair, including removing any dings and if necessary, recoring the radiator. Won't be any cheaper than the after market radiator, but will be far better quality.

I'm surprised both the head and block of a TEA20 Standard Motor Company engine were cracked; that appears to more be a Continental fault. If cracked, have you checked on the cost of furnace brazing and stress relief of the block?

Bob in Oz
'53 TEA20

 

[Anonymous-0]

Hi Bob,
I had the radiator at a repair shop and almost every core leaked under the standard pressure and they said three of the cores are plugged tight. The cost was very high to fix it, they couldn t give a complete cost because they have to take it apart and change three for sure of the cores and who knows what from there.
I had my block fixed by a shop that does that kind of work,they nickle welded it and did the heating in the oven to let it cool down slowly.
I have to mention they did it for the cost of material when they found out how I got taken with the other one.
The other block is the same kind and the crack is in the same place and is fixable but at a cost, the head is repaired and I ll get the block fixed and hope to sell them both later to coop some of my loss.
My Motor and the other one is a TEA-20 85-MM..

Thank you for the information,

Fred

 

[Bob (Aust)]

[b:8f55b12937]Fred.[/b:8f55b12937]

Sad the radiator is a write off. An inefficient or leaking radiator may be the cause of your engine and head cracking, as it is unusual in the Standard engines.

A lot of radiator problems are caused by water quality in some locations. Our town artesian water supply is very alkaline (ph between 8 and 9), so I use water from my rain water tanks (ph 6.5) and a 50% - 50% mix of green antifreeze (ethylene glycol or propylene glycol). No more radiator problems!

Another hint given to me by an old mechanic. Cut up a length of high lead content stick solder and drop it into your fuel tank. Over time, the tank gets a minute coating of lead so inhibits rust and minute amounts of lead mix with the unleaded fuel, assisting old engine lubrication. I don't know about the US, but it is highly illegal in Australia - which hasn't stopped a few old machinery owners I know.........

Bob in Oz
'53 TEA20

 

[S2710]

When you found that the parts were faulty what did the seller say, or what did he offer to do for you. I think we all would like to know.
Bob

 

[Fred in Mi.]

Hi Bob,

The seller who is from Ohio had said when I called him about the block "Bummer", I told him the box with the block and parts is still in the back of my Truck and I want a check back for the full amount plus shipping to send it back, he didn t want no part of that, he wanted to send back $200.00 of the $900.00. After a week I mailed him saying I was going to post on this site and ask what everyone thought of this deal and he agreed to send me $550.00 back and I keep the parts..
When I opened the wooden box, right there in front of me was RV Gasket caulking/cement and a thick mass of it right in the area where mine was pinned behind the carburetor and upward (the outside of this Motor is stripped of everything), I asked this man to check that area out when I was looking into buying, he said it was fine. The metal and smeared gasket material was sticking off the block about a 1/8 of an inch and you could flap the rubber material with your thumb..
What fried me was when I had the radiator checked out yesterday and found out it too was no good that is when I put the buyer beware out there and I wanted to find out about the newer style radiators..
I want everyone to understand I point the finger at me for being so foolish at my age, I trusted this man and heard he was President or Vice President of a Ferguson Club so I let my guard down..
I want to thank others out there from all over the World that had backed me when all of this was going on, they are some true Friends.
This Fergie I m rebuilding will come alive again it just will take me longer than most.

Thank you everyone for listening,

Fred

 

[Anonymous-0]

Hi, Bob in Oz,
Thank you for that lead information, just happens I have some here that is left over from my old plumbing days when we still leaded joints and thanks for the info. on the water, I think you can still buy distilled water, I ll search around with my old cronies to see if they know where to get it.

My new tires, tubes and rims should be here tomorrow or Thursday, the ones on this Tractor are dry rotted and are loaded which is leaking a little but not bad enough where I cannot keep it from the garage floor..

I haven t been working on the rebuild of the motor for two days now, my lower back and neck wont let me, I take morphine for it but somedays nothing works.

Take care,

Fred
'55 TEA-20

 

[Roy Gatewood]

Fred;
I have one other idea for you. My 1958 TO-35 diesel has the Standard diesel and a Coventry made radiator in it. I also have 1952 TEA 20-85 and did some comparisons of the radiators. They are same width and height (bottom of lower tank to top of upper tank). The filler necks are different. The diesel neck is about 3/8 " higher than the 20-85. It could be tight fit under hood. It is also smaller diameter than the 20-85. Radiator caps won't interchange. The bracket for upper brace is in a different position. The drain for the diesel is on the right hand side of the lower tank facing towards rear of tractor just in front of axle. The mounting bolts at bottom appear to have a center to center difference of about 1/8". I have taken the fan shroud off of the diesel and put on the 20-85. It bolts up just fine but is not deep enough for the 20-85. I have also used the fan blade off of the diesel on the 20-85. It bolts right on. You might find a radiator off of a Standard diesel in a salvage somewhere that would work for you. Don't know how many were made. Good luck. Roy

 

[Fred in Mi.]

Hi Roy,
Thanks for the information, it sounds like a little work but could do the job. I went ahead and ordered one off this site, Jeff from Y.T. takes very good care of me.

Let me tell you all this Y.T. has been a God send to me on helping with this project..

Most everyone on this site has been good, I only ran into one bad one, guys like you Roy that had their feet wet with these projects already know the right answers others pass along what they heard and in doing that it could be tragic if they give the wrong advice and I seen it already so everyone be careful..

Sorry to rattle on a bit, thank you again Roy,

Fred
1955 TEA-20 & 1940 9N #25213

 

[phil fenner]

Fred,

Very sorry to hear of your bad experience. You are getting a lot of good advice from this forum.
I do want you to know that whoever you dealt with in OH is NOT a president, vice president or in any official capacity of the Ferguson club called Ferguson Enthusiasts of North America(FENA). Maybe another club but not ours.

Phil Fenner, Vice President of FENA

 

[Bob (Aust)]

Fred

Whilst I use my rain water tank water, other members of our historic motor club use bottled "spring water" - they buy 20 liter (5 gallon) containers of drinking water for around $7 at the super market, to use in old vehicle cooling systems.

It may sound like an overkill, but it is cheap insurance out here in the Aussie Outback where most of our artesian water supplies are from deep underground aquifers and very aklaline or "soft". In some towns, the water supply has a distinct sulphur smell or comes out of the taps quite hot. No way I'm going to use that stuff in my old vehicle coolling systems. If you have a swimming pool test kit, you're looking for a ph of 6.0 to 6.5.

If you're an old school plumber, you may have some scrap sheet lead you can use? Here in Australia it is highly illegal, but I have no idea how anyone would ever know.

Good luck!

Bob in Oz

 

[Fred in Mi.]

Hi Phil,
The person I m talking about said he was high up in a Ferguson Club at one time and claimed to have help start it, I don t know that for sure but when I first bought my Ferguson TEA-20 I notified a Club that I needed some questions answered for my Tractor and they referred me to him, that is one of the main reasons I trusted him.The Club was not based in Ohio.
There are a lot of good people out there and that makes up for everything, I have moved on.

Thank you,

Fred

 

[Anonymous-0]

Hi Bob,
I never buy bottle water, I m surrounded on all sides by the purest Lake in the World so they say (Lake Superior) and it was at one time but at last we too are having our water supplied by wells and this being a copper loaded area we have small traces of all sorts of goodies in it so you are very wise to say we should put a better water/antifreez mix in our older vehicles or all of them for that matter. $7.00 is a small price to pay and that is what I m going to do.
Thank you again for such good advice,

Fred