First use observations!

Hello!

Today I used my "new to me" 1970 Massey Ferguson Model 135 Deluxe for some field work, to see how it functioned. Needless to say, I was not overly impressed! I think with some work, I may be able to be satisfied with its performance.

My first use observations:
1) In pulling a Ford 2-14 plow, most cuts had to be made in first gear low. Sometimes, I could get away with making cuts in second low.
2) Generally, while using the plow, it took directional control from the front wheels if I used a "left bottom" depth of 6-8".
3) Apparently, a previous owner that "restored" my tractor crossed controls. In oder to control the tractor's speed, I had to use the choke. While I can't be certain, it seemed as though the throttle lever was literally "choking" the engine.
4) Toward the end of my field work, my tractor developed a "knocking" sound. This "knocking" disappeared whenever I depressed the clutch pedal, and returned when I took my foot off of the clutch pedal. Might anyone have a suggestion on what this problem is, and whether this is a major problem?

Thank you!

(quoted from post at 11:41:45 04/21/11) Hello!

Today I used my "new to me" 1970 Massey Ferguson Model 135 Deluxe for some field work, to see how it functioned. Needless to say, I was not overly impressed! I think with some work, I may be able to be satisfied with its performance.

My first use observations:
1) In pulling a Ford 2-14 plow, most cuts had to be made in first gear low. Sometimes, I could get away with making cuts in second low.
2) Generally, while using the plow, it took directional control from the front wheels if I used a "left bottom" depth of 6-8".
3) Apparently, a previous owner that "restored" my tractor crossed controls. In oder to control the tractor's speed, I had to use the choke. While I can't be certain, it seemed as though the throttle lever was literally "choking" the engine.
4) Toward the end of my field work, my tractor developed a "knocking" sound. This "knocking" disappeared whenever I depressed the clutch pedal, and returned when I took my foot off of the clutch pedal. Might anyone have a suggestion on what this problem is, and whether this is a major problem?

Thank you!

Click to expand...

I am a novice 135 owner as well, but from the sounds of it you need to have her checked out by a knowledgeable mechanic. Perhaps the reason for the lack of sufficient plowing power is also the reason you can't use the throttle! A well-running 135 should have no trouble at all with a 2 bottom plow.

And the knocking sound that disappears when depressing the clutch may be the hydraulic pump - it would be stopped by the clutch.

You need someone to check the engine and controls to see if they"re working properly. It should be easy to tell if the choke and throttle are hooked up correctly. You can"t just hook a plow up and go. What kind of ground were you working in? You have to have the plow adjusted properly or it just won"t work right and could very easily affect steering. You may need weight on the front of the tractor as well. The left and right plow should be the same depth. Were you using the draft control with the plow in the ground or just the position control? Was the position control pulled back too far into constant pumping position? That could cause the knocking sound. Lower the plow a bit in transport position and see if the knocking stops. What you need more than anything is an owners manual for the tractor and the plow too if you can get one. If not look in the archives on here for how to set up a plow.

Sounds like it needs a good "going over" by someone who knows what they are doing.
When I got my 202 I knew there were problems with it but slowly and steadily I repaired them and now it runs great and does what I need it to.
If you're mechanically inclined, get yourself a good shop manual and start checking things over. I find this more rewarding than having someone else do it both from the sense of satisfaction standpoint and from a $$ standpoint. I can usually get myself out of a jam now that I know more about the machine.

I had a similar knocking in my 202 and it turned out to be the hydraulic pump. You might want to check it out sooner rather than later. When the noise in mine became a loud banging it was too late, the pump came out in many many little pieces!

Your power/choke problem could be as simple as an adjustment on the carb. or a dirty carb. It would be difficult to "cross" the throttle and choke rods but I guess anything is possible.
Remove the air intake from the carb and look in and see if the choke lever actually moves the choke plate. The choke plate is the first one you will see in the throat of the carb.

I am not overly immpressed with my 135 either, maybe the diesels are the cat's pajamas, but not our gas 3's. Mine just does light live pto jobs. A lot of stories about plows this time of year, no one studies the dirt as much as they study the tractor data stats. A field that hasn't been plowed in this millenium, when it is still damp, you are on par, two bottoms 1st low is about it. And I like 1st low with more throttle than a higher gear, old fashioned I suppose... As for the front tires steering the plow?...yeah, that's what they are suppose to do, right tires stay in the furrow, tug to the left if anything,and you had better have made the first furrow straight. I use a flip over, so half the time the left tires are in the furrow. As far as a knocking noise..... that could be one of a thousand things- but- you better not turn the key till you have that all figured out.

I don"t see how you can have "crossed controls"!The choke and the throttle linkages are vastly different.

There are many other simpler explanations for the performance your are seeing. You need to do some diagostics.

More likely you have a weak spark and the engine runs better with some choke. You can also have an air leak downstream of the carb metering section that"s leaning out your mixture. Make sure that your firing order and the timing are correct.

Then see if you have adequate fuel flow to the carb and that the mixture is correctly set. Make sure the aircleaner is not clogged. It won"t screw up the mxture but it will limit airflow and thus power.

Is the plow set up correctly and does it have a good share?

A MF 135 diesel in good condition should handle 2 furrows with ease.
135

My MF 135 has a 4 cyl Continental in it. By trial and error, I discovered that I had to control throttle action solely by use of the choke "button", and when I tried to use the trottle lever, the engine faltered from lack of air ... somehow, someone had to have crossed the lines. After I get my braces on, I will be checking the cables, provided the weather holds!

I am finding that there was alo I had not picked up from my grandfather ... I always saw him just hook up the plows, never saw him make adjustments! This looks like an OJT situation!

You have to clean the whole fuel system, you are starving, the choke cuts off too much air, opening the throttle lets in too much air. You have the z134 Cont? You should be pulling 3 bottoms thru concrete. I forgot to mention the adjustments of top link and right link, and if the points are all worn out. Get the carb sorted out, then play with the hitch adjustments, someone posted a link to proper plow adjustment awhile ago, search this site for it, must be a few threads about it. But clean from the sediment bowl to the carb float first.

It does depend on the soil conditions and the plow. The 135 in that video pulls the plow with ease but then again it's got a cab and front weights, so probably weighs almost 1000 lbs more than a basic 135. Loaded tires help too.

When you opened the throttle and the engine faltered, it was due
to lack of fuel getting through the carburetor, not lack of air. To
correct that, when you played with the choke you were adjusting
the air flow to match the amount of fuel your carburetor was
delivering, which was not enough for the throttle plate setting
(which is the part that the throttle lever controls). Your motor
was running too lean until you started to close up the choke, to
reduce the air coming in to mix with the little gas available from
the jet and thereby enrichening the mixture enough for it to run.
Without an adequate volume of fuel/air mixture the engine won't
be able to develop proper rpms or power for working. You'll have
better luck once your fuel delivery problem is solved.

First thing I'd do is rebuild the carb. Much easier than it seems when you first look at it, and it would help alot with your problems. It's very unlikely that the choke and throttle are crossed, as the choke is a cable and is clamped to the carb not far from where the cable hooks tot he choke plate, and the throttle is controlled by a rod that hooks to the other butterfly valve by a completely different means.

What made the engine run faster, choke in or out?

We've got a 165 w/ a slightly bigger continental gasser, and in our soils a 2-14 is a good load on it. But then again it also takes 100 HP to pull 4-16's, where many people in other areas can pull the same plow with a smaller 70-80 HP tractor.

He could/should have the Z145 Continental. They'll pull a 2-bottom plow buried to the beams in any ground I've ever been around.

I'll still take my Perkins diesel

We pulled a 3 furrow 12" with our cabless 135 and some of our soil was not exactly "sandy loam" to say the least!

I'd chalk this up to a machine running at less then 100% efficiency and operator inexperience. When running a gas tractor for work I've learned it takes a lot of feel, knowledge of the soil, and big time knowledge of the implement to make things work out smooth. Don't knock the equipment until you've mastered the skill.