MF 250 Rear Oil Seal Replacement - Need Help/Suggestions

RTR · Jul 28, 2016

Hey fellas, my cousin brought his newly purchased 1986 MF 250 diesel tractor by the house because it is pouring oil from the clutch housing. It's looking like it is a rear main seal that's gone bad. Do any of you have experience with this tractor, and know of any tips or tricks when replacing this? I plan to split the tractor and dig into it in about a week. I'm gonna order a genuine MF seal, and might have to replace the clutch while I'm in there too.

Please share any tips or tricks I should know so I do the job right the FIRST and ONLY time.

ptfarmer · Jul 28, 2016

Get the clutch kit that has the lineup tool for the clutch disks. The rear main seal is a one piece lip seal which sure beats the old rope rear main seal. I would also look at the input shaft seals in the transmission. To replace those you have separate the rearend from the transmission so you can pull the pro shaft from the trans so the pto gear will drop allowing the input shafts to come out.

RTR · Jul 28, 2016

(quoted from post at 02:12:51 07/29/16) Get the clutch kit that has the lineup tool for the clutch disks. The rear main seal is a one piece lip seal which sure beats the old rope rear main seal. I would also look at the input shaft seals in the transmission. To replace those you have separate the rearend from the transmission so you can pull the pro shaft from the trans so the pto gear will drop allowing the input shafts to come out.

What about the retainer for the rear seal? Is it prone to warping like some tractors do? Do I need to soak it overnight or do anything special?

What about the transmission seals? Please tell me more about those. I really didn't follow what you were trying to say there. I know he'll want to fix it as economical as possible but fix it right, so I don't know if he'll want to change those

ptfarmer · Jul 28, 2016

I would make sure the retainer for the rear main seal isn't warped (I haven't run into that problem on a MF yet). The transmission has 2 input shafts (1 for drive, and 1 for the pto drive). You don't have to replace those seals as long as they don't leak (but I don't like to take the chance of one them to start leaking, and oil the new clutch) so I would let him know about the possibility of it happening. The seals are not expensive like the clutch is, not to mention the labor cost to split the tractor again just for a couple of seals (I would rather do the job once not twice). You can lookup the parts I'm talking about here http://agcopartsbooks.com/PartsBooksN/Viewer/Default.aspx?

richardinnz · Jul 30, 2016

Some of the seal housings were modified (more bolts).
If the crank flange is scored, the Perkins seal fitting tool has two sides so the seal can be fitted squarely at two different depths to run
the seal on a fresh face out of the wear groove left by the original seal.

RTR · Aug 25, 2016

(quoted from post at 23:52:26 07/28/16) Hey fellas, my cousin brought his newly purchased 1986 MF 250 diesel tractor by the house because it is pouring oil from the clutch housing. It's looking like it is a rear main seal that's gone bad. Do any of you have experience with this tractor, and know of any tips or tricks when replacing this? I plan to split the tractor and dig into it in about a week. I'm gonna order a genuine MF seal, and might have to replace the clutch while I'm in there too.

Please share any tips or tricks I should know so I do the job right the FIRST and ONLY time.

Well....I think I've got the tractor ready to split. I have only 4 bolts to remove on the case (2 on each side). Boy was this a task getting to this point, noting the rear starter bolt and the top center case bolt being the toughest to get out.

Are there any tips or tricks as to splitting the tractor? I will be using (2) chain fall hoists in my shop that are on a monorail in the center of the roof. Are there any internal lines to be aware of like the hydraulic lines on a Ford, or any other surprises?

ptfarmer · Aug 25, 2016

As long you have everything is unhooked externally it should just slide apart. Some people may say differently, but I prefer to roll the back of the tractor away from the front especially if you don't have someone to help. You can grab the cleats on both rear tires at the same time, and pull back.

RTR · Aug 25, 2016

(quoted from post at 02:25:44 08/26/16) As long you have everything is unhooked externally it should just slide apart. Some people may say differently, but I prefer to roll the back of the tractor away from the front especially if you don't have someone to help. You can grab the cleats on both rear tires at the same time, and pull back.

Ok. So no surprises inside when splitting it? I am assuming just the clutch and shaft? I saw a couple of hard lines (hydraulic) on the parts breakdown and wanted to make sure.

Will there be any additional gaskets and/or seals needed to be replaced when I replace the rear main engine seal? Looks like there is a large plate that has to be removed from the engine.

ptfarmer · Aug 25, 2016

If you are referring to the plate between the engine, and transmission that is a plate that adapts the engine to the transmission. You shouldn't have to remove it from the engine.

RTR · Aug 26, 2016

(quoted from post at 08:40:29 08/26/16) If you are referring to the plate between the engine, and transmission that is a plate that adapts the engine to the transmission. You shouldn't have to remove it from the engine.

Yes I found that out yesterday when we got it split apart. The oil seal is inside an aluminum housing that will require a gasket. I need to get a gasket.

RTR · Aug 29, 2016

(quoted from post at 17:56:31 08/26/16)

(quoted from post at 08:40:29 08/26/16) If you are referring to the plate between the engine, and transmission that is a plate that adapts the engine to the transmission. You shouldn't have to remove it from the engine.

Click to expand...

Yes I found that out yesterday when we got it split apart. The oil seal is inside an aluminum housing that will require a gasket. I need to get a gasket.

I know this has been mentioned somewhere before, but I found that the crankshaft has a definite groove worn from the old he'd seal. How can I ensure the new seal will ride on a new part of the shaft and not leak? I thought of ordering 2 gaskets instead of 1 for the seal retainer housing. Will this do the trick?

RTR · Aug 29, 2016

Here are the pictures of the groove worn into the crankshaft. Please advise on how I should fix.

ptfarmer · Aug 29, 2016

There is a couple of ways, the first one is a SKF Speedi-Sleeve it is a real thin sleeve that slides over the crankshaft which allows you to use the original part number seal. The second, and cheaper way if you have the room between the seal, and the flywheel is to take three gaskets that go between the engine block, and the seal housing, and glue them together thus spacing the seal away from where the old seal was running. The second way is the cheapest way as the speedi-sleeve costs a bit of money, you only have one shot to get it on the crankshaft correctly, and you will have to find one from SKF that is the right size so it will work.

RTR · Aug 30, 2016

(quoted from post at 09:32:21 08/30/16) There is a couple of ways, the first one is a SKF Speedi-Sleeve it is a real thin sleeve that slides over the crankshaft which allows you to use the original part number seal. The second, and cheaper way if you have the room between the seal, and the flywheel is to take three gaskets that go between the engine block, and the seal housing, and glue them together thus spacing the seal away from where the old seal was running. The second way is the cheapest way as the speedi-sleeve costs a bit of money, you only have one shot to get it on the crankshaft correctly, and you will have to find one from SKF that is the right size so it will work.

Not sure what that particular speedo-sleeve costs but (1) gasket is $25 from the MF dealer. That would be $75 in just gaskets.

ptfarmer · Aug 30, 2016

A local autoparts store should have rolls of gasket material 1/32" and 1/16" thick. You have to cut them out yourself, but the roll of gasket material shouldn't cost more than $10.00 for a roll, and you should be able to make a few gaskets out of it. All it will take is a little bit of your time to cut the gaskets out rather then spending $25 a piece from a dealer.

RTR · Aug 30, 2016

(quoted from post at 22:16:28 08/30/16) A local autoparts store should have rolls of gasket material 1/32" and 1/16" thick. You have to cut them out yourself, but the roll of gasket material shouldn't cost more than $10.00 for a roll, and you should be able to make a few gaskets out of it. All it will take is a little bit of your time to cut the gaskets out rather then spending $25 a piece from a dealer.

That sounds reasonable. I just didn't know if that would work because I thought that gasket might be heat treated or made from a special material. I have (1) gasket ordered from Massey Ferguson and can use that one as a template to make (2) more from regular gasket material.......if you think it will suffice.

ptfarmer · Aug 30, 2016

It will work fine, I've used the poster board that kids use, the thick paper from the front, and back covers of old phone books, catalogs, etc for gasket material. On some gaskets now instead of a regular gasket they give you a tube of silicone instead.

RTR · Aug 31, 2016

(quoted from post at 00:29:14 08/31/16) It will work fine, I've used the poster board that kids use, the thick paper from the front, and back covers of old phone books, catalogs, etc for gasket material. On some gaskets now instead of a regular gasket they give you a tube of silicone instead.

Just curious, would there be a maximum thickness I should space the seal retainer out? I want to make sure I clear the groove on the crankshaft, but don't want any other issues. I bought (2) sizes of gasket material.

ptfarmer · Aug 31, 2016

The flywheel is only thing limiting how far you can space the seal out. Most flywheels made so a part of it can fit around the end of the crankshaft to make sure it is centered. You don't have to space the seal out very much, about 1/16"-3/32". When you get the new seal compare it to the old one first, depending on who made the new seal the lip of the seal could be in a different spot than the old one that was on your engine. Sometimes they may make the seal thicker so when you install it the actual lip of the seal could be closer to the engine block than the original seal. Sometimes the seal maybe thinner which could move the actual lip of the seal back from your original seal. So compare the new seal against the old seal before determining how much you may need to space the seal out to keep it from running from where the old seal was. Don't forget to clean/polish up the end of the crank where the seal will be running.

MF 250 Rear Oil Seal Replacement - Need Help/Suggestions

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