135 gas, questions, bush hog question

On a 135 massey with the 3 cylinder gas engine.
Are parts ready available?
Are they reliable tractors?
How common is the 3 cylinder engine?

What size bush hog works best with them?
Does those tractors need a overrun pto adapter?


Thanks

The gas tractors aren't bad, and I've never had experience with the 3 cylinder gas Perkins engine, but it's the same basic engine as the more desirable 3 cylinder Perkins diesel. The 4 cylinder Continental gas engines that some had are decent, but the gassers don't have the grunt like the diesel does if you get into mowing heavy stuff.

As far as the mower I would get one that is at least wide as the rear wheels of the tractor (usually 72" wide). Some people may say a narrower mower, but you don't have to use the whole width of the mower in the heavy stuff, if you have light mowing you'll be glad you have the wider mower.

All of the 135's I have come across have a 2 stage clutch so you won't need a overrun on the pto. Some of them did have the single clutch that would require a overrun on the pto, while some had independent pto that you can engage/disengage the pto without using the clutch.

One of our members who is gone but not forgotten was Tony from Mass, he had one and said it was really good on fuel.

I have a MF 135 3 cylinder gas and a MF 135 diesel tractor with the two stage clutch on both tractors. The 135 gas has been a good tractor for doing various chores around the farm. As has been said the 3 cylinder gas does not have the grunt of the 3 cylinder diesel but is a good tractor. Also I choose to use the over run pto adapter when using a bush hog on either tractor as I think it save wear on the tractor.

Parts are generally available either new or used from salvage yards. For typical bushogging of tall grass and brush I would stick to a 5 foot hog with sharp blades.But I'll tell you this: The gas engine setup is nowhere near as strong or economical to operate or easy to maintain as the 3 cylinder Perkins diesel. I have owned and operated several over the last 40 years, and other brands too. I would say without hesitation that the MF 135 with the Perkins motor is far and away the best 46 Hp tractor ever made since Adam and Eve worked their garden. The gas engine lacks the Hp of the diesel, but besides that, you've got carburetor, points, condenser, plugs, distributor, and wires, to have to contend with. And if you walk away from the tractor for a few months, you will likely have to do at least a minor tune up. Plus, if there is still any gas in the tank that hasn't evaporated, it's probably no good because all the lighter ends that improve the octane rating will definitely have already evaporated, leaving you with a rusty tank. By contrast, the diesel engine has a fuel pump, injectors and an injector pump. That's it. No wires, points, etc. The fuel pump might need to be changed every 10 years or so, if that often. The injectors and pump might need rebuilding every 20 years or so. I guess I'm trying to talk you into waiting until you can find the diesel version of that tractor. Let me just give you one example of what I'm talking about. I once bought a 135 with a Perkins diesel sight unseen. It had been sitting in the woods unused for 5 years as a result of the death of the owner. I put a hot battery in the battery compartment after being sure there was still diesel in the tank. When I turned the key, that little tractor cranked right up like it had just been shut off 5 minutes ago. I aired up one of the tires and drove it onto my trailer and took it home. The man I sold it to put it right to work without a single issue. If that tractor had been a gas, it would have required a major tune up, plus removing the fuel tank to clean all the rust out of it.You go ahead and buy a gas tractor if you want to, but it better be real cheap.

Well said Walter. I started out after retirement buying the gas models an after owning several Massey diesels I don't even consider gas versions anymore. I think Tony was comparing the 3 cyl with the 4.

The 3 cylinder Perkins gas is quite thirsty but very reliable. Haven’t had to do anything to ours, except charge the battery once after sitting for months. It sat often for months at a time. Our 3 cylinder diesel is very frugal with fuel on the other hand.