MF 35 Multi-Power Transmision Oil and Problems

I tried to do my homework before asking these questions, but I just need advise. I am a pretty good automotive technician, but not a tractor expert. I have a Massey Fergurson, model MF 35, 3 cylinder Perkins diesel, SNW 237831. This is a dual clutch application with a multi-power transmission.

I had a transmission/hydraulic leak and split the tractor to repair it. I found the front PTO and main shaft seals leaking. I removed every component that could leak inside the bell housing area and resealed and/or re-gasketed it. I replaced the internal and external main shaft/PTO shaft drive seals and metal sealing rings. I disassembled the control valve, which was rusted in position (I believe in the low position) and freed it up. The high/low multi-power lever was stuck (as though I thought), so I freed it up as well. I additionally replaced the front bushing in the main shaft housing. I reassembled the tractor.

At that point, I was stumped and called the previous owner to ask what type of transmission/hydraulic oil to use. He stated he always had used hydraulic oil (for 10 years). Since the old oil had resembled hydraulic oil, I asked several people about the difference between the hydraulic oil and the tractor oil. I received way too many differences to explain here. I decided to put the same back in the tractor as the previous owner had no problems with the tractor. Tractor seemed fine and no leaks.

The tractor was placed back in it's usual spot, which is out in the elements of mother nature. A couple of weeks later, a hurricane came close to our area and dumped severe rain. After the hurricane passed, I went to start the tractor and use it. I first checked the oils for water intrusion, but they all checked fine. I had a little trouble, as the starter had to spin out some water. I started mowing a 140 x 250 lot and noticed what appeared to be vapor from the bell housing. I figured it was water vapor because it had no oil smell. Half way through cutting the lot, a huge burst of smoke came from the bell housing. I immediately shut it off and looked below to see a stream of hydraulic oil pouring from the transmission weep hole.

I split the tractor again and found several things. The PTO shaft and collar housing were blued due to heat, which was not caused by the throw-out bearing. The PTO shaft/collar housing bushing had turned in the housing, which probably caused the heat. The seal was completely breached by the bushing.

Luckily, I had kept all the old parts. The old bushing still had a pressed fit to the housing. The housing was not scarred. The new bushing seemed to have had a pressed fit when it was installed, but I can't swear to it. All the parts that I had replaced were parts from the dealer.

I went to the dealer, and they could not explain any better than I, as to what had happened. I bought the new parts I needed again and repaired the tractor. I asked several other persons about the type of oil issue, but no one knew the real answer.

I really don' t know if the oil was the cause or the bushing was just not tight in the outer fit. I remember the bushing being a press fit and not at all tight on the main shaft. I believe the oil is pumping oil to the bushing area. The pump delivers oil to the valve, but I could not verify if the oil is going into that particular chamber when it is assembled. There is no way to test that condition. The oil did blast out causing the burst of smoke.

I started investigating the oil issues and I don't have any source to verify that the oil viscosity was/is the problem. I now know the difference between the hydraulic oil and the tractor oils, but the viscosity issue of the tractor transmission/hydraulic oil is driving me up a wall. The dealer said the multi-power transmission requires (ed) 10W 20 tractor transmission/ hydraulic oil. Hydraulic oil is 10W.

I do not want to split the tractor again to have the same problem. I have read the tractor forums and everybody is stating different things about the oil for the MF 35. This is a multi-power transmission; I cannot believe the 90W mineral oil is what is required. The ISO 46 that was mentioned for other MF applications also seems quite heavy. Am I wrong about this for the multi-power transmissions?

I read that Big Dean is the Guru for the forums here. After reading some of his stuff, I now realize that the front seals may blow out in high, due to the leakage. (I hope that is right, high?) Although I did not see excessive wear at the metal sealing ring areas, I will lock the low position for the future. I guess that is why the lever was locked in low before I fooled with it. That still doesn't explain the blueing issue if there was too much oil pressure, unless my theory is correct about the brass bushing spinning.

Maybe Big Dean could help me understand what went wrong and if it was the oil.

Maybe some of you could help me understand what went wrong and if it was the oil.

What is the required oil for this MF 35 multi-power transmission?

Any help would be much appreciated: I don't want to do this job over again.

Thanks in advance. I welcome all Information and suggestions.

Sincerely,
Glenn Hartline

[email protected]

Good Luck

Norm in Ont.

I was very hesitant to ask him my questions on his website. I did not know if that was acceptable to do that. The CD price does look very reasonable. I will take your advise and contact him.

Thanks for the advise and information. I got the chills when I saw Ont. Is that Ontario? Yesterday, we were in the high seventies and today we are in the low forties. Brrrrr ...that's chilly for me.

Sincerely,
Glenn Hartline

Thank you for the speedy reply. I can appreciate what you said because I am a member of a well known automotive/truck type forum. Sometimes a person will write in and you can tell the person is inexperienced in the area of the repair. In spite of that, if the person is sincere and may possibly accomplish the repair safely, the automotive forum members are more than willing to share what they know. I tried to be honest and I did say I was not a tractor expert, but I do understand why you replied the way you did.

In New Orleans, there are no Massey Ferguson dealers. I had to drive a hundred mile to get the parts I needed in my repairs (each time). In New Orleans, if a person asked an automotive dealer parts technician and not the repair technician for answers, he/she would not get the proper answers. When I went to the tractor dealer to buy the parts, the person was very knowledgeable to the parts as if it were the back of the hand. One of their repair technicians came out and said he had never had that particular trouble before. He examined the main drive housing and how I had it assembled. He said he saw no particular problem(s) with how it was assembled. When I asked him about the viscosity issue, he said the oil viscosity could have cause it, but he was unsure because they use a certain tractor transmission/hydraulic oil in that model. He showed me a container of the oil, which did not have the viscosity mentioned on the container. That was all I had to go on: I don't know those people personally. Now that I had a problem that didn't exist prior to replacing the parts, I am questioning everything about the repair. I was very careful in my initial repair and proficient in making sure everything was correct, right down to the one sided shielded bearing.

While at the dealer, I was told that there were many updated parts, but that they have always repaired their customers tractors with the old hard parts and had never encountered such a problem as I had. All the update parts are priced way over the value of the tractor. This tractor I have, had been butchered up, but operated to what I needed it to do.

From your reply, it appears that you are saying there are update parts that may address the problem(s) I am having. If that is what you are saying, could you tell me why? The dealer may have been holding back on me, but they really seemed to know every minute detail of the tractor. They said they used the older hard parts in their repairs, if possible.

Big Jim has a website that explains premature and excess front seal leakage by pressure bypassing the metal sealing rings, which makes perfect sense. I believe that is why someone purposely disabled the high/low on the tractor for that reason. Even knowing that now, it doesn't quite explain the blueing that occurred caused from excess heat. I still believe it was a front bushing problem, something I missed. Then again, this viscosity thing keeps popping up in my mind. The bushing must be lubricated even though there is no pressure in that area in low. I followed the oil ports (before reassembling the second time), which does allow oil to seep into that area in low and there were no foreign obstructions. So, bushing or viscosity? I just want to cover all the possibilities.

I do understand that you may believe that I did not reassemble the tractor correctly, and that point is well taken. If you knew me, you would know that I am very competent and proficient.

If you do know the original viscosity of the original transmission/hydraulic oil for the MF 35 multi-power, could you at least give me that much information? I mean this in a polite respectable way and would greatly appreciate it. If the answer is ambient temperature related, could you provide the different viscosities if more than one.

Thanks,
Glenn Hartline

I know some people don't like to use manuals, but to me they are the first step in any complicated repair. Good luck to you.

Thank you for clarifying. I did misinterpret some of what you initially wrote and that is not your fault. This is my first experience here on this Tractor Forum and I don't know what to expect.

I use manuals all the time to repair newer automotive vehicles; there is no way to know every intricate detail of every kind of vehicle. I have a Massey Ferguson cheapy manual, but there are no specs in it at all. I did not know that the Massey Ferguson dealer would carry detailed original manuals for such an old tractor. That is something I will check out the next time I get to the dealer.

Many thanks Tom, I do appreciate your replies.

Sincerely,
Glenn Hartline

Would you please post your results (or email me) once you find out
what oil you will be using for the Multi-Power Transmission. I just purchased a Industrial MF-204 Backhoe/Loader (my first tractor).
Pictures at :>Link
I>Link am assuming I have the same transmission on this tractor and I want to change the fluids and I am not sure of the transmission fluid to change it with. This tractor has two pedals on the right-hand side floor, one for forward and one for reverse. The more you push one of these pedals down the faster it goes (to a certain point).
Is this the same transmission you are talking about?

Thanks,

Pete W.