Ferguson TE20 service schedule
Ferguson TE20 · 1946–1956
Every maker's service job for the Ferguson TE20, counted in hours, with the oils, filters and parts each one needs. Add your tractor to Farmyard Workshop and it works out what's due from your hours and dates, and keeps the service history.
Track your TE20 for freeVersions: TE20 Continental Z-120 petrol (1946–1948); TEA20 Standard petrol (1.9 L 80 mm or 2.1 L 85 mm bore); TED20 Standard TVO (2.1 L); TEF20 Standard 2.1 L diesel (1951–1956)
Service intervals
| Job | When |
|---|---|
| Engine oil and filter change | every 120 hours or every year |
| Transmission and hydraulic oil change | when needed |
| Oil-bath air cleaner: clean and refill | when needed |
| Valve tappet clearances | when needed |
Service jobs and parts
Engine oil and filter change
Engine · every 120 hours or every year
TractorData gives a 120-hour oil change for the TEA20. TVO engines in particular thin the engine oil with fuel, so do not stretch this. The filter element is changed every time.
| Part | Qty | Notes | Part number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil | 1 | SAE 30 or 20 or 15W-40. ≈12 pints (6.8 L); grade: check your handbook | check your handbook |
| Oil filter element (TEA20, TED20) | 1 | Fleetguard LF594 per Agriline (155 mm tall, 68 mm across). There are vertical and sloping filter housings, so check which you have | LF594 |
| Oil filter element (TED20, sloping housing) | 1 | Anglo-Agriparts part number. Alternative to the above, so buy one or the other | A63693 |
| Oil filter element (TEF20 diesel, early Continental TE20) | 1 | Continental Z120 TE20/TO20 element per Yesterday's Tractors listing APN6731B (also 830910M91); not confirmed on Sparex and not confirmed for the diesel, check your parts book | 841244M91 |
| Filter bowl sealing ring | 1 | Check your handbook | check your handbook |
Step-by-step
- Park on level ground, lower any implement to the ground, stop the engine, take the key out and chock the wheels.
- Run the engine for a few minutes so the oil drains well, then let it stand. The oil and exhaust will be hot, so wear gloves.
- Remove the sump drain plug and let the oil drain fully. Refit it with a sound washer.
- Clean around the filter housing. Undo the centre bolt, lift the canister away and throw the old element out.
- Wash the canister out, fit the new element and a new sealing ring, and refit the canister. Tighten the centre bolt firmly but do not strip it.
- Refill through the filler to the full mark on the dipstick.
- Start the engine, check for leaks at the filter and plug, stop it and recheck the level after a few minutes.
- On a TVO tractor, if the level rises between changes, fuel is getting into the oil. Change the oil sooner and find the cause.
Tools: Drain tray (10 L), Spanner for sump plug, Spanner for filter centre bolt, Funnel, Rags, Gloves
Transmission and hydraulic oil change
Transmission · when needed
The gearbox, back axle and hydraulic lift share one oil. No source gave a change interval, so check your handbook and change it if it is milky, dirty or of unknown age.
| Part | Qty | Notes | Part number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission/hydraulic oil | 1 | SAE 90 or 15W-30 or 15W-40. ≈5 gal (22.7 L); grade: check your handbook (see notes). Aztec Oils match: AGRITEC SUTO 15W-30 | check your handbook |
Step-by-step
- Park on level ground, lower the linkage and any implement fully to the ground, stop the engine, take the key out and chock the wheels.
- Put the hydraulic lever in the lowered position so no pressure is held in the lift before you undo anything.
- Let hot oil cool for a while if the tractor has been working hard; gear oil can burn.
- Remove the drain plugs and let the oil drain fully. Some oil stays in the casing and cannot be drained.
- Clean and refit the drain plugs.
- Refill slowly and stop at the level your handbook shows. Because some old oil stays in, it will take less than the full capacity.
- Run the engine, raise and lower the linkage a few times, lower it again, stop the engine and recheck the level after it settles.
Tools: Large drain tray (30 L), Spanners for drain plugs, Funnel or pump, Rags
Oil-bath air cleaner: clean and refill
Engine · when needed
The TE20 has an oil-bath air cleaner. Dust that gets past it wears the bores fast. No source gave an interval, so check your handbook; in dusty work look at it every day.
| Part | Qty | Notes | Part number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil for the bath | 1 | SAE 30 or 20 or 15W-40. Fill to the level mark; check your handbook | check your handbook |
Step-by-step
- Stop the engine and take the key out.
- Undo the clips and remove the oil cup from the bottom of the cleaner.
- Tip out the old oil and sludge, and wash the cup clean.
- Wash the mesh element if it is clogged and let it drain.
- Refill the cup with clean engine oil to the level mark only. Overfilling can let oil be drawn into the engine.
- Refit the cup, making sure the seal is sound and the clips are tight.
Tools: Container for old oil, Paraffin or diesel for washing, Brush, Rags
Valve tappet clearances
Engine · when needed
Tight tappets burn valves; loose ones are noisy and lose power. No source gave an interval, so check your handbook. Only the TEA20 1.9 L clearance was found.
| Part | Qty | Notes | Part number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocker cover gasket | 1 | Genuine number per Sparex S.42393 (TE20, TEA20, TED20; also 825132M1) | 829029M1 |
Step-by-step
- Let the engine go fully cold. The TEA20 figures are cold settings.
- Stop the engine, take the key out and chock the wheels.
- Remove the rocker cover.
- Turn the engine until the valves of the cylinder you are checking are fully closed (rockers loose).
- TEA20 1.9 L: set inlet to 0.010 in (0.25 mm) and exhaust to 0.012 in (0.30 mm). For other engines, use your handbook's figure.
- Slacken the locknut, turn the adjuster until the feeler is a light drag, hold it and tighten the locknut. Recheck.
- Do every valve, then refit the cover with a sound gasket and check for leaks.
Tools: Feeler gauges, Ring spanner and screwdriver for adjusters, Socket set
Oils, fluids and capacities
| System | Oil or spec | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Standard Motor Company 4-cylinder wet-liner engine (petrol 1.9 or 2.1 L, TVO 2.1 L, diesel 2.1 L); the earliest TE20s had a Continental Z-120 2.0 L petrol engine | |
| Engine oil | Check your handbook. Owner report on the Ferguson Club forum (TEF20): originally straight diesel engine oil, SAE 30 in summer and SAE 20 in winter; most owners now use a plain 15W-40 mineral diesel oil. | ≈12 pints (6.8 L) sump for TEA20, TED20 and TEF20 (owner-quoted from the instruction book; low confidence). Early Continental TE20: ≈5.7 L (6 US qt). Check your handbook. |
| Coolant | Check your handbook | |
| Valve clearances | TEA20 1.9 L petrol: inlet 0.010 in (0.25 mm), exhaust 0.012 in (0.30 mm), cold (TractorData). TVO, 2.1 L petrol and diesel engines: check your handbook. | |
| Transmission, differential and hydraulics (shared) | Check your handbook. Ferguson Enthusiasts (TO20, from the operator's manual): SAE 90 mineral oil. Some owners use 15W-30 or 15W-40 multigrade instead (see notes). | ≈5 gal (22.7 L) per owner-quoted instruction book; Ferguson Enthusiasts says just under 6 US gal for the TO20. Some oil cannot be drained, so fill to the level, not by quantity. |
| Air cleaner (oil bath) | Check your handbook | Check your handbook |
| Steering box | Check your handbook | Check your handbook |
| Fuel tank | Petrol, TVO or diesel to match the engine | ≈31 L (8.2 US gal) for the TEA20; TractorData gives ≈37.9 L for the early Continental TE20 |
Specifications
| Engine power (belt, claimed) | TEA20: 23.9 hp (80 mm bore) or 28 hp (85 mm bore) |
| Gearbox | 4 forward, 1 reverse, unsynchronised |
| Weight | ≈1,134 kg (2,500 lb) TEA20; ≈1,251 kg (2,760 lb) early TE20 |
| Tyres (TEA20) | Front 4-19, rear 10-28 |
| Tyre pressures | Check your handbook |
| Linkage | Category I |
| PTO | 540 type (1 1/8 in shaft), 545 rpm at 1,500 engine rpm, driven from the gearbox (not live) |
Known problems
Fuel in the engine oil (TVO)
TVO tractors tend to thin the engine oil with fuel. Keep to the oil change interval and watch for the dipstick level rising.
Two oil filter housings
TE20 engines had either a vertical or a sloping filter housing, and they take different elements. Owners report the vertical-type element has been hard to find for years. Check yours before ordering.
Know which TE20 you have
There are many variants (TEA petrol, TED TVO, TEF diesel, narrow, vineyard and industrial versions). Check the serial plate before buying parts, as engine parts differ.
Transmission will not take its full capacity
Some oil stays in the casing when you drain it. Fill slowly to the level mark rather than pouring in the full quantity, or it will be overfilled.
Gearbox oil grade confusion
Sources disagree on transmission oil: some say SAE 90 mineral gear oil, others a 15W-30 or 15W-40 multigrade. Check your handbook or ask an owners' club.
Repair guides
- Head gasket replacement (TE20 petrol, TVO and Continental engines) (Hard, 5–7 hours): Coolant loss, bubbles in the radiator, white smoke, water in the oil (grey or milky on the dipstick) or a blow between cylinders.
- Fuel thinning the engine oil (TVO tractors) (Moderate, 1–3 hours): Dipstick level rising between oil changes, thin oil that smells of paraffin, low oil pressure, smoky or misfiring running after switching to TVO.
- Thermostat, water pump and overheating checks (Moderate, 1–3 hours): Overheating, coolant loss, a pump that leaks or rattles, or (on TVO tractors) an engine that never gets hot enough.
- Clutch adjustment, release bearing and clutch renewal (Hard, 30 minutes to adjust; 8–12 hours to split and renew): Clutch slips, will not free so gears grate, or a squeal or grinding when the pedal is pressed (worn release bearing).
- Brake adjustment and relining (Moderate, 1 hour to adjust; 3–4 hours to reline both sides): Weak brakes, one side grabbing, long pedal travel or the tractor pulling sideways when both pedals are pressed.
- Hydraulic lift not lifting, not holding or not lowering (Hard, 1 hour of checks; a full day to lift the cover and overhaul the pump): Lift arms will not rise, rise slowly, sink with a load, jerk, or will not drop.
- Steering box removal and overhaul (Hard, Half a day to a full day): Excess free play at the steering wheel, knocking from the box, stiff steering or oil leaking from the drop arm seals.
The full step-by-step guides are in Farmyard Workshop once you add your tractor.
Parts list with genuine part numbers
Ferguson TE20 tractor (1946-1956) AGCO parts book
Brakes
| Part | Part number | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brake kit (complete, refs 1-34) | 9526 | Wear part. Book also lists brake kit 9525 | |
| Brake kit | 9525 | Wear part | |
| Brake shoe tray | 8578 | ||
| Brake adjuster | 1519 | ||
| Brake spring | 4188 | Wear part | |
| Brake spring (second) | 1544 | Wear part | |
| Brake plate | 2555 |
Clutch
| Part | Part number | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clutch assembly, 80 mm petrol | 8624 | Wear part | |
| Clutch cover, 85 mm VO/LO | 8687 | ||
| Clutch cover, 85 mm petrol | 2641 | ||
| Clutch cover, 20C diesel | 8780 | ||
| Clutch plate facing | 825648M91 | Wear part | |
| Clutch plate facing (diesel) | 1850197M91 | Wear part | |
| Clutch strut | 825644M1 | ||
| Clutch pressure spring | 825534M1 | Wear part |
Air cleaner
| Part | Part number | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air cleaner, 80 mm petrol / 85 mm petrol / 85 mm VO | 8710 | Book prints this as the number to order for the cleaner body | |
| Air cleaner, 85 mm LO | 8705 | ||
| Air cleaner element, 85 mm petrol / VO / LO (from engine 200,001) | 634035M1 | Wear part | |
| Air cleaner assembly (80/85 mm petrol, 85 mm VO) | 7168 | ||
| Air cleaner hose clip | 825014M1 |
Sources
- Rocker cover gasket OEM numbers and fit list
- Oil filter 841244M91 for Z120 TE20
- TEA20 tappet clearances (cold), 120-hour oil change, firing order
- TEA20 power, fuel tank, weight, tyres, Category I linkage, PTO
- Early Continental TE20: oil capacity 5.7 L, oil-bath air cleaner
- Model codes, engines and production years
- Oil filter element Fleetguard LF594 for TEA20/TED20 (UK specialist)
- TED20 sloping oil filter element A63693, canister filter, TVO oil dilution (UK specialist)
- Transmission oil SAE 90 mineral, just under 6 US gal (TO20, from the operator's manual)
- Owner-quoted instruction book capacities: sump 12 pints, transmission 5 gallons, oil that cannot be drained
- AGCO Parts book, Ferguson TE20 (1946-1956)
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