Massey 300 combine

Hi guys, I just bought a Massey Ferguson 300 combine. It has a 10 or 11 foot grain head and cab. It has the grain bin extensions and straw spreader. It has been kept inside and only used very little. It has the 225 slant six Chrysler. I will be using it on some wheat next week or 2. I was just wondering if anyone has any advice on running the machine? or just a general discussion about the old Massey Ferguson 300 combines. How are they on gas? I have about 40 acres of soybeans im hoping to use this machine to harvest also. Will it do okay in soybeans? I dont have a corn head for it and im guessing they are hard to get in Ontario?

I own a gleaner f2 but it needs a lot of work before it is field ready but that will be my main machine once its working.

Those old machines do some of the best threshing. We could get a sample out of our super 92 (the precursor to the 300) that is better than I get on the best day with the 9500. You will have to learn the machine and listen to it. You will need to set it, run a hundred feet, check your settings, etc. You will be on and off the machine a lot until you learn it. There's nothing better than a low hour old machine for smaller crops. They are simpler and well built with less "consumable" parts.

Cutting beans with it is certainly doable. It will take diligence on your part since it isn't a flex header. You won't be able to run it right on the ground so you will need to watch the table to make sure you are getting all of your crop. The nice thing about a narrow head is you have less chance of digging the header into the ground. I've only got a 22 foot geader for 1000 acres for that reason. Lots of terraces and ditches means more of a chance of grounding it.

The 300 was a very good combine in its day. Not as easy to work on as some of the others but a machine that could do a great job. Massey combine parts are a little high priced (the other brands are to)any some parts are no longer to be had but all brands have that to. If it is a good shedded machine that is not wore out you will like it. Tom

I ran a 300 for seven years and yea i had to put a few pieces and parts and belts on it but i out a lot of acres thru it each year as i did a lot of small farm custom work . In good corn it would keep three 16 foot grain trucks and four gravity boxes and two tractor husslen keeping the corn away from me as it would plum eat corn faster then you could trot along side of it . In a LONG day of shelling corn it would go thru almost a full tank and i am talking from like 8 in the morning till 11 at night . I got a lot of work from the small guys as i could get thru them 12 and 14 foot gates with the ten foot head . And they liked the grain samples that they got off that combine because i took the time to set up with each field and changing conditions . Hope you got the book as that is where you start and adjust as needed . In Corn i found that removing the filler plates did better and used less horse power . Setting the cylinder up as the book says and once you get the rear set and the ft set you do not have to mess with the rear setting because when you open or close the concaves the back self adjusts . Look at what your going to run as to grain size and like with corn look at the dia . of the cob and set the concave to that dia. then ya set your cylinder speed about mid range and set the chaffers so that the grain will pass thru and not let the fodder pass keep enough air on to float the chaff but not to blow the grain out the back . IN corn if you are doing it correctly you should be getting whole cob out the back with all the corn off the cob all but maybe the vary tip of the small kernels . when running corn you run as fast as the head can take the stalk straight down with three quivers of a lamb's tail , if you are pulling the stalk in then your going to slow and if you are bending the stalk forward your going to fast . shelling speed on mine was SECOND gear and two thirds up on the variable . Small grain ya run slower and NEVER use the combine as a mowing machine , you never cut more then four inches lower then the lowest hanging pod and feed in the least amount of straw . You will learn after ya plug her a couple times . Now as to beans i never did any beans so you are on your own there.
BUT Corn i loved doing corn and usually did pretty close to 600 acres of it a year.

agreed with all above comments ,, you will love running a good running massy 300 . my biggest concern for you is the gasser slant 6 that has been hibernating ,,.. best get as new electric fuel pump and have it handy , until you really need it ,, get some sea foam and lucas fuel stabilizer for the gas tank , and don't be afraid to use plenty of lucas ,, your motor will smile and make you proud ,. , lucas oil stabilizer or even engine restorer to help reset the rings ,,there will be problems from time to time with points and condenser in soybean dust ,,. I always wanted to convert my 2 300 gassers to eletronix ,. that would solve a lot of problems ,. as far as running the massey , clean fuel , clean new engine oil , clean hydro oil , will help make a productive day ,. in beans especially clean the air filter every day , oil the fan grill shaft well to ease pulling off the rotating radiator grill ,,. when near a garden hose take some simple green and splash it on the radiator grills while the engine is idling,,. after a couple minutes spray thru the radiator grills ,, the fan will pull the crud thru ,,run the motor full throttle and more junk will come thru as you hit it with the hose ,, do not use a pressure washer and bend the fins ,, a garden hose thumbed over is most sufficient .., perhaps another dose of simple green will be needed if the gunk in the radiator fins is ancient ,so repeat the process ,. another thing is the clutch assembly tends to bind up fron all the dust and crud ,. very simple fix that requires a little belt loossening and titen to specs ,the clutch assembly must be taken apart , and the shaft very well lubed and cleaned as well as the clutch and pressure plate workings need lubed gently ,,pay attention to all linkages and shifter shafts ,,. they always can use some lubing to make them friendly and hapy to move at your insistance , keep your traction belt tite and adjust frequently , check all tranny fluids including the final drives ,, if they leak around seals add lucas hub sealer it will swell the seal s,,in hot weather you mite consider removing the sliding window glass and the door for wheat work ,, and a fan is so nice to have in the corner of the cab ,,. most of all goo , and come back here with what you think mite be a dum or stupid question ,, just want you to know all of us were dum too at on time or another and we are continuing to master this journey of life , and are happy to help ,. good luck jim

Just after I bought it I saw a diesel massey 410 for sale. I now wished I bought that one but it was kind of far away anyways. The 300 I bought recently had a new electric fuel pump installed. My tractors are diesel so I have no experience with the old gas engines. I will get it home and Do the oil and hydraulic oil and check clean the radiator as you said.

I need to get a manual as the one I got is pretty chewed up from mice. It is set for wheat now so it will just be small adjustments to get it perfect for my conditions.

Does anyone know if there are floating cutter bar heads that will fit on this machine?

And also how hard are corn heads to find for this machine?

I had and ran 2 of these for a few years as others have said keep a new fuel pump handy, they will still pump when weak and act like machine is running out of fuel. You get out check pump still pumping fuel but it is to weak to keep good fuel supply to the carb. Parts are high if you need starter, points, plugs, alt, buy from local parts store all these motor parts interchange with 225 slant 6 out of the late 60's mid 70's dodge swingers. I once ordered a starter it was $250 my jaw dropped and told them to order one for a 74 dodge dart swinger 35.00 in stock with exact same part # never tell them its on a combine. if anything take old part with you and they can reference the part #. I had a 3 row head on mine but had to put wheel weights on it.I had to go slow or I would overload the clean grain auger. I ran with the motor cover open it seemed to help keep the motor cooler. I have also when cutting fescue seed in the summer I would remove the cab filter witch is very large and pack with dry ice and turn the vents on high. Beans were ok but don't even think about cutting green stems or you will plug big time dryer the better, and watch for patches of foxtail put your earplugs in, you can still hear the important stuff, the combine will cry like a school girl when something is wrong. I have since moved on and watch the idiot lights and listen to the buzzers I miss the days of listening to the combine just not the dust.

you aint gonna believe this ,but a quik attach head will interchange perfectly with any head for a 860 ,750,510,410 ,300,.,. I have a couple floating heads here in southern ind ,,they need a little lovin ,m aybe in the 300 dollar price range ,,.you ought to grab that 410 d iesel

Yeah I didn't know that. If I was closer I would have been interested in your headers but I'm in Ontario. How wide of a floating head will work on the 300? I saw a 13 foot 1859 head for sale but Im thinking its to big for my machine.

my 300 came with a 15 ft floting hhead, I run 55 bu beans in 1st mid range , not enuf weight on the tailend made it triky roading on hills ,. I got a 13 ftvhead that was fixed no float,. that worked well but was a land leveler even with header control ,/ found another floating head 13 ft ,, I also have a 11 ft fixed head that floats good and is narrow enuf not to gouge the ground . that worked good,.. with any of the heads listed above I always runnearly same speed,judging on reel speed . the thresher takes it well and aslong as the crop is not damp ,it wont throw beans out the back ,.300 s love to combine wheat ,, but they don't like green weeds in the wheat,..i have a 3row head that I need to make repairs to center shuking roll gear box ,, my 300 diesel loved that head in heavy corn ,, seems like I needed to unload every 20 minutes

(quoted from post at 20:26:42 08/03/16) you aint gonna believe this ,but a quik attach head will interchange perfectly with any head for a 860 ,750,510,410 ,300,.,. I have a couple floating heads here in southern ind ,,they need a little lovin ,m aybe in the 300 dollar price range ,,.you ought to grab that 410 d iesel

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Would you please call or text me about the corn heads for sale 6066870549