Oliver 2255

Hey guys
I’m thinking about buying an Oliver 2255
What do I need to be looking for
Are they a solid tractor etc
Thanks dugger

They're a cool looking and sounding old tractor,but the CAT engine would make me afraid to have to depend on one as my main tractor. If you're looking for a big Oliver of that vintage to farm with,I'd look for a 2050 or 2150 with a Hercules engine if I were in your shoes. The 2255 has just kind of evolved in to a nice big old collector tractor.

There were two engines used in the 2255. Early tractors had a Cat 3150 573 cu.in. V8, later units had the 3208 636 cu.in. engine. Calling the V8 Cats throw-away is like calling a big block Chevy a throw away because it is sleevless. The 3150 can be easily replaced by the 3160. We had a customer convert from 3150 to 3208 and it was a lot more extensive. The 2255 will also have the same closed center hydraulic system as the 17, 18, 1955, a much improved system over the '50 series if it is going to by an every day "use it" tractor.

My dad's last tractor was a 2255 with the 3208. He was very proud of that tractor. I wish I'd bought it at his sale back in '79 but I had just started farming a few years earlier and didn't need more debt. Since then I've tried without luck to locate it. I always thought the Cat motor was more trouble-free than the Herc. Oliver gave you a choice of the sounds you wanted to hear - the screaming Jimmy, the v-8 Cat, the lower rpm big displacement Herc, or the bark of the Wauk.

Don't let the CAT engine scare you off. Everyone rants and complains about the poor 3208. I have to tell you these engines don't die they are always murdered! This engine needs to be loved. The problem is not the engine but the people who think they know how to work on them and operate them. One huge thing to remember is all CAT?s love premium oil, don?t run them on cheap lube made for a car. I have rebuilt everything from trucks to 475HP marine units. A lot of marine engines have seen 20,000 hours with less than .006? cylinder wear. Some folks complain about the open deck design. They were ahead of their time. Many new gas car engines now have a open deck design. The idea was to cool the very top of the cylinder, thats where the combustion temp is the highest. The fuel system is great. Mechanical Unit injector, but not easy to set up. This is art and science. If wrong, you are going to have low power and more than likely detonated pistons. Where some people get their biased 3208 info is really interesting. As I drain the oil out of a 3208 and listening to the owner tell me what a POS it is, I note only 2 quarts are dropped and the filters are mismatched and welded to the housing due to age. I can actually see the metal in the oil.

"This engine needs to be loved. The problem is not the engine but the people who think they know how to work on them and operate them."

Forgive me ahead of time,I just can't help but chuckle. lol

You guys know I'm as die hard an Oliver guy as there is,but no matter what brand it is,when somebody starts defending one of the less than stellar models,it makes me laugh when they start saying things like "all you have to do is" or "they're great as long you're religious about doing this or that".
Bottom line,when that talk starts,you know it's not the right tractor for the average untrained guy. LOL

I have to agree with you on these engines. Had a 3150 in a 2255 and a 3208 in a 180. Had no problems with either engine. Used Cenpeco series 3 oil in them. The man I worked for made a lot of money farming with these 2 tractors until the day he died, they treated him well. Would like to own a 2255 MFWD some day.

What really amazes me is when you mention a Cat V-8 diesel or an old Detroit 2cyle diesel everyone becomes a ----ing expert on them, and most have never had one apart in their life. Just passing on BS they have heard from someone else that doesn't know Jack S--t either.

I don't care one way or another. I don't have a horse in this race. I don't want to buy one and don't have one for sale. I just always get a chuckle when somebody starts with all the things the "average guy" does wrong with some particular model. Like I said,not something for a guy to send the minimum wage part time help out to run. LOL

?Mechanical Unit injector,....?

Really? I though lt there was a pump in the ?vee?, with lines to
each cylinder?s nozzle.

Unit injectors like Detroit and Cummins it is not.

We had a long time poster on here that worked up in Charles City in the engineering
department that passed away a few years ago. When this subjesct came up, he aways said
if you're buying to restore/play around with look at etc., get a 2255. But if you're
looking to farm with it, go up to the 2-135/2-155 or the 100 series after that. Not so
much because of the Cat, but because the transmission rear end and brakes are far
superior to the 22. He said those transmission/rear ends were designed for 20,000
hours.

(reply to post at 20:10:04 12/07/17)

Click to expand...

Hey kkiowa
Thanks for the comments
I always thought they were a neat tractor
Not going to work it everyday
I just wanted to play with it
Combines are my thing anyway
Thanks again
Dugger

There has been never more wisdom written on this site than these last 2 sentences.

I stand in the crowd at a tractor show looking at a Super 55GM and you wouldn't believe the information being passed around, the terms anchor, noise, & leak-troit are said just to mention a few.

You're right, it's just a mechanical nozzle by itself. Bad terminology on my part. A unit in my world is a single function device. I call the DD's a combo injector.

Ya, but they all wished they had one.

I tend to agree with you. Last fall I bought what appeared to be a pretty worn out ok 4-150 pretty cheap at an auction. Never had any experiance with the 3208 other than all the rants you see about them on this site. Poor old tractor was owed by one of them people that shouldn't be allowed to own tools, I won't go down the list of all the stuff we found wrong, broken, cobbled and all around farmer fixed. Had to track down a few issues with the injection system, and fix some oil leaks but I'm here to tell you when we finally got it right, boy it got right. That thing is one running s.o.b now. I will also add that thing is one of the best cold starting diesels I have ever seen, it can be below freezing and a wind chill outside and all you have to do is crack the throttle open and hit the key and it won't turn over more than once and it's running, every time! They are a pretty easy motor to fall in love with once you get to working with them.

If that's all you're doing with it and have the chance to get one,by all means,grab it. They're a neat,big old piece of iron.

wow Larry...I'd swear someone is using your screen name...people have a way of communicating same as a finger print and these few post don't seem to match with the Larry that's posted on here before... LOL

do I detect a little rye in these responses?

Had 3208's in trucks. Never had a problem with them. Put thousands of miles on them. Would not let a 3208
cat motor steer me away from buying it.

Place I retired from had a Cat V250 forklift with a 3208 in it. Never had a bit of trouble with the engine in ~20 years running it. We bought it used from a sawmill so it was used pretty hard and no telling what sort maintenance it had, but we took pretty good care of it. My only experience with a Cat V8 but based on that, I'm OK with them.

I've run a 2255 with the 3150 engine for 20 years. It's been good to me. They are a solid tractor if in decent shape. How good of a tractor really depends how it's been maintained. Make sure it shifts through
all the gears ok. All the fluids are ok and evidence that they have been maintained. The hydraulic oil and rear end lube are different compartments. Check the rear end oil 80w-90 at the upper plug on the right
side of the pto housing. Should be at or no more than a few inches below the top plug. The trans lube filter is on the left side of the transmission housing and it's age can be a clue as to the past
maintenance. Same for the 3 speed unit just behind the engine. The dip stick is on the left side. The oil should be clean. Each planitary should be half full. These are the common items I find don't get taken
very good care of on these. The cat engines are ok. A few things I've learned to look for are evidence the bearings have been changed. This is recommended every 3,000 hrs or so. There sensitive to bad
injectors. Especially if it's been sitting around a bunch. A bad injector can burn a hole in a piston real quick. When you start it cold use a temp gun or feel the manifold to make sure all cylinders fire and
listen for any miss fire. The problem with 2255's is they have become so collectable they have gotten a bit over priced in my opinion. If your not concerned about collect ability a 2-135 or 2-155 are cheaper
and have nicer cabs. Nothing wrong with a 2255 though. I still use mine all the time.