MF135 Diesel or Kerosene?

fpappal · Feb 1, 2017

I am the proud owner of my great-uncles 1967 MF135 deluxe with the Perkins. I remember my uncle telling me he always burned kerosene in it so he did not have to worry about the fuel gelling up in the winter. He said for the little bit less power he had it was worth it in his opinion. I have had people tell me to never burn kerosene in it because kerosene does not have any lubricants in it and it will mess up the injector pump. Others tell me to mix it half and half with diesel. I have been running straight diesel in it and adding an additive for the winter to keep it from gelling since I owned it. A previous post talked about a hard starting MF135 in the cold and I noticed since I switched to diesel it definitely does not start as easy in the cold as it did with the kerosene. So does anyone know if kerosene is safe to burn in this tractor?

Dale39 · Feb 1, 2017

I'm watching this thread with interest. I have an acquaintance that runs kerosene in his construction equipment because he is allergic to diesel fumes, he runs both older and late model equipment, sometimes indoors, and says the kerosene burns much cleaner. Thanks for the post, and its great to see another MF being passed down through the generations. My boys (ages 5, 11, 13) already know that my Masseys should always stay in the family!

One can never have too many Masseys!

FBH44 · Feb 2, 2017

Walllllll, I am certainly no expert, but I run regular diesel in my MF-240 Perkins 3-cylinder and add a good big dollop of Howe's in every tankfull. Summer and winter. Never have a problem of any sort. But I actually don't claim to actually KNOW anything about it.

thepumpguysc · Feb 2, 2017

I don't know if the formula has been changed like diesel fuel but SEVERAL years ago w/ had a hurricane & diesel fuel was not available..but there was an excess of kero..
EVERYONE ran it with no ill effects.. and I would know, because I rebuild pumps for a living..
The kero burns HOT!!! so watch out for that.. and right now, it probably has MORE lube in it than ULSD. lol
I would mix it tho. 1/2 & 1/2..
IF it ran w/it before.. the damage has already done if there was going to be any..
I WOULDNT run it in anything new!! but a 1970's tractor isn't going to know the diff..
That's just my opinion w/ no scientific proof.

Tony in Mass. · Feb 2, 2017

Bad part about a question like than on a worldwide forum like this... weather. Some members never seen a frost, some never felt a warm day. Some people in some places don't understand the problem till they end up on a road trip in the wrong direction.
Diesel can jell in temperatures less than X degrees, centigrade, US F... like +10F? -20C? And that depends what blends are sold where you are. For our tractors, no mater, but kerosene is rarely taxed in the states, like 'off road diesel' so a pain-chance for road use, some northern pumps are mixed for trucker customers, up to the state who pay what taxes. Kerosene-paraffin- 'will' ignite in a diesel engine till it is too cold for a human to want to survive out there anyway. Yes it is thin, yes there is less 'power', lube qualities... but if it's that or work with a shovel at 40 below???

MF#1 · Feb 2, 2017

I ran some kerosene in a Perkins 152 once and it did fine but as mentioned it ran very warm compared to diesel. Not very scientific but it works. BTW you can also use jet fuel, NATO JP-8 if available, without PRIST anti-ice additive I'm told and it will work. Again not scientific but can be done if that's what you have. Daily use, not for me, I don't want to chance damaging the injector pump.

MF135 Diesel or Kerosene?

fpappal

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Dale39

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FBH44

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thepumpguysc

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Tony in Mass.

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MF#1

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