Cavitation! The problem that affects many tractor engines both ones with wet liners like these and plain blocks as in the later series Fords. The problems were there in the Diesel Major engines to some extent with errosion of the liner sealing ring groove and pin holes appearing in the liners. Henrietta is 60 years old next year and still has the original block so the problem seems to be greater in diesels.

With the introduction of the "X" and "Y" series and later tractors, the problems escalated. Strangely, from 1964 to 1976 we did not see a problem in the dealership. Our main problem was hard spots in the bores and engines not "bedding in", problems, we were told, due to wrong oils and light work. In the 1970's and 1980's occurances of water in the oil on 6600 and 7600 models increased and many 10 Series tractors had short engines fitted to cure the problem, at very early hours.

On one visit to a large estate near Dereham, the farm manager showed me a heap of around 30 blocks awaiting return to Ford, at the rear of the workshop.