Pic-Massey 55 Diesel A Friend Bought

Last Saturday I took my truck and trailer to SE Kansas to haul a 55 Massey diesel for a friend...After loading we had 125 miles to his place and got there at dusk...

It was last ran 7 years ago and the engine is now stuck..It was canned so hopefully its not too bad..It has a small freeze crack in the block that had already been repaired..If needed,he has access to a complete 55 diesel parts engine..

How many 55 diesel owners are on here..Lets see some pictures..A friend that went with us has a restored 55 diesel and I will soon have a 55 gas..

Second owner of late-late 555D with Orig.4 tires still on it.Mt.tractor.Gets 20-200 Hrs.use a year.

This is my 55 diesel with APE pump.

It was sitting for at least 25 years at least in a pasture north of Hill City, KS.


Engine was not stuck, thanks to a very dry climate in that area. The flywheel housing was full of dirt and all rusted, with the clutch totally dimanteled, because a bird entered the inspection door.
All rubber hoses and electrical wires were just eroded by the sun!

The tractor runs now, but I have to fix the cylinder head which was cracked under the injector nozzle, and I am waiting for it to be done to finish it. It is almost painted.

Edit: And of course, I see the one your friend bought on Craiglist few days ago, if I didn't have mine I would have buy it too. It is a very good deal for your friend!

I have my late fathers 55 that has set outside for the last 40 years. It's in pretty sad shape but it's Dad's will do what it takes to see it running again. I'm building a new shop and it will be the first piece of equipment to come inside for some long overdue TLC. Will be ready to start picking up a parts tractor late summer.

Sounds good to see a tractor running again!
Below is a list that might be helpful for who restore 55's. I have to find out equivalents because few parts are available.

Qty -Description -MH ref -Other source
1 - Crankshaft front seal- MH17627A -Timken 450101
1 -Steering box seal -MH14066e -Timken 480356
1 -PTO front seal -MH15993A -Timken 450303
1 -Belt pulley seal -MH18487A -Timken 473471
1 -PTO box rear seal -18489A -Timken 470950
2 -Brakes seal -15874X -Timken 415003
1 -Secondary fuel filter -WIX33191
1 -Engine oil filter -WIX57290
1 -Fan belt -Gates C46 (or other brand C46)
4 -Radiators pads -Same as John Deere 330-430 (ebay)
2 -Steering box bushings and felt seal -Same as Ford 8N
2 -Engine sleeve bottom seal (x2) -McMasterCarr 5267T139
1 -Engine sleeve upper seal (X10) -McMasterCarr 955K194
1 -Flywheel bearing -6205
2 -Front axle knee trust bearing -McMasterCarr 60715K29
1 -Rear main seal -Same as MH44
1 -Water pump -Same as 44,33
1 -Starter -I Used Delco Remy from MF1155 or MF860 combine. Also Nippodenso with rotatable head from Allis Chalmers works. The big delco-remy needs to have the head adjusted to be outside of the air intake pipe, which make it very visible. The smaller Nippodenso could have the head between block and air intake.
1 -Heater spark plug - Champion 7989 found at O'Reilly (only one with the good threads and good length, but doesn't have external electrode as original. If someone find better source...)
1- Head gasket set -FelProHS7774S (lookup federal mogul website and look then for Continental engines).

And also on mine,
- All fuels pipes and oil tubes converted from rubber to rigid tubing with flare tubing
- Frame was broken at 3 places and was replaced by a January 1947 44 long frame (special because frame casting has 2 small pockets where engine flywheel housing mounts instead of one long pocket).
-Also front bushings changed and finded at MacMasterCarr
-Wires redone with MacMastercarr material (wire stock, connections, etc...)
-The heater vibrator was remade using this diagram, but I believe that using Ford T ignition might work as wellhttp://www.tract-old-engines.com/vibreur_lanz.html. I used a used coil and condenser from a car salvage and put the relay under the instrument panel, not original, but it buzz. I was thinking to put a thermostart like on European MF175 or JD2030 for example, but we will see how sell the buzzer heater works.
-And I had to buy few parts from Jerry and from Montes of Chicago (Thermostat, and main bearing).

Heres a 55 Massey diesel sitting north of
Wakeeney,KS...Looked at it in May 2007 and it might still be
there....No can on the exhaust but we found one...My friend
was with me that just got the 55 in SE Kansas..He wanted it so
bad..

I found the one he got off craigslist as he has no computer..If
he didnt want it I was going to buy it..Show us a picture of
yours when you get it done..I like the picture of it..

Thanks for all the information...

Do you happen to have the serial number to the early 44 you got the frame from?

Looks pretty straight. Good looking tractor.

I am a Cockshutt guy, but that big boy looks pretty darn nice! Lucky to find one that complete.

I have a few 55s and 555s

Kyle, I like the 555 hooked to the plow!
Is that 4 bottoms an easy pull for him? I would like to pull a 5 bottoms with a 55, but I guess the first gear is too fast.

1206SWMO, This is the 55. My paint job is very bad, painting is for sure not my specialty (I am still trying to find what it is). But as long as I enjoy beatin up old iron, I am happy.
Probably the least original 55 on earth. But it runs good. You can see the big Delco Remy starter just barely fit in there. I restored the generator with help from the guide on this website, altought you can see that I converted it to a 2 brush magneto, with a voltage regulator.




You can see the C3ET battery and his bracket from a Moline M5. The intake hose is a water hose from some car (cutted of) found at Autozone, I hope it is sufficient.


The rear platform I made up with a threar plate and a 3 inch L angle, connected with 2 U channels to the drawbar support.
I welded all the drawbar support braces and the drawbar support, with welding extra reinforcements. I don't think the original design was solid enough, and the "new" drawbar is out of a case 2470, so she will not give up...

Also, I have a few parts I need to part with...

NOS MH55 clevite Main bearings-0.002 size. To fit a polished-x000hrs crank. Difficult to find...


New valves guides set for 44 or 55 DSL (2 of them)

Massey Harris 55 Dsl starter (Autolite). It might be the same than some Case tractors

Plow is a Jd 55h 4-16, need to be 9000 plus to pull it, 55 pulls it 8 inches deep in first, sandy sod will go 2nd. 555 has a little more steam but I haven't plowed with it on the 4-16s yet.