MF 85 Diesel Questions

Hi guys,

I've been a lurker for a while here and really appreciate all the great info.

Recently, I've been offered a MF 85 Row Crop with the Continental Diesel, along with a huge, heavy duty mower, for basically free I think. It has nice dual's on the rear (weathered, but hold air), a real nice Dual brand loader.

It has been sitting for several years, and prior to that even was hard to start. He had to use starting fluid.

I have been going through a list of things I can find wrong to see if it is even worth my time to get it.

The push button start doesn't work, has been modified so that turning the key starts the engine.
Has been converted to an alternator.
Batteries were garbage, but being 10+ years old and sitting not being started or ran for 4-5 years that is to be expected.
I was told brakes don't work, but I believe that has been the case for many years. How are these to replace?
All Gauges will need replaced (tach is not even hooked up, but I expect it is because of the alternator conversion)
Battery cables I think will need replaced. Cleaned them for now.

I replaced the batteries, and checked the oil ( was full and didn't appear to have water or fuel in it) and got it to turn over good, but of course not start.

I checked the diesel and found that it was yellow, so I drained that. I cleaned the water separator.
I also got the primary filter off it was very disgusting with rust and garbage, same deal for the secondary filter. I cleaned out the housings and replaced the filters. I plan to fill them with new diesel when I try to start it again.
Some of the hydraulic hoses will need replaced, they are rotted.
I think most of the fuel system and tank will need gone through and cleaned as well.

I've learned that these tractors have an electric fuel pump which I have found. I have verified that it is receiving power. It also clicks when the key is turned to "run". With the filters off I didn't get any fuel out of the lines while cranking.

Also, where should the thermostart be located? I didn't see it on the passenger side, so I assume it has been removed or something.

Any other tips to try to get it to start, or things to check in general on it?

Thanks

You MAY want to consider another tractor, the 85 diesel was not one of the best MF ideas out there. If engine has not run for a year or more, I HIGHLY doubt the injection pump will deliver fuel to the injectors, although you can loosen all four injector line nuts and tap the lines to make sure the feral comes loose on each one. With the lines loose, fuel on, there should be a small shot of fuel at each injector when cranking the engine. If not, injection pump most likely has several internal parts stuck inside with stale fuel. Just repaired a 165 pump for the same trouble, metering valve and plungers were stuck from setting. Tachometer originally ran off the generator gearbox. The thermostart on the 85 is hidden on the back side of the intake manifold at the front, next to the hose. I ran an 85 for a few years set up for tractor rides, I replaced the original fuel filters with a square Stanadyne clip on filter, and removed the electric supply pump as it's not really needed where I installed the square filter.

Thanks for the reply and the help.

Well I ended up getting it to start today, after having to clean basically everything. New diesel, filters, atf and diesel kleen in the tank.

Tractor ended up starting right up with a shot of starting fluid and ran great, totally shocked me.

On the drivers side of the dash near the light switch I see a black button, I assume that was for start button? Above it I see some faint paint writing, that almost looked like 'glow plugs" to me, but I don't think these had those? Perhaps someone meant thermostart and wrote that?

Also, with the tractor in neutral basically at idle, , bucket is on the ground where it was parked. I cannot seem to get the front end loader to raise, or tilt/curl bucket. I can't seem to get the three point/pto to do much either. The three point raises and lowers really slow. The pto does spin with the tractor in gear. I've tried ground, engine, and neutral on the pto selector lever?

Any suggestions there?

Forgot to mention, pto light does not come on. But it could be burned out/not hooked up.