MF 135 Problems

I recently purchased a MF 135 with a Continental Z145 gas engine. It ran fairly well for a while.

The oil pressaure reads 18 to 19 and increases 20 at higher RPM�s. Is that okay?

The transmission oil is milky yellow. Should it be changed? What oil should I use?

The starter solenoid engages the starter for only a short time before it starts spinning. The battery is strong and the connections are good. Do you have any suggestions for lengthening the time that the solenoid engages the starter?

The PTO arms seem to lift okay and hold the same position but this occurs only when a sliding lever on the right side of the seat is in the full upright position. Is that the way it is supposed to work?

I�m not sure what the draft lever is supposed to do.

Now, the electrical system is completely dead. Nothing happens when the ignition switched is turned on. The solenoid, starter, lights, and gauges don�t work. The ignition key will start the engine and the gauges will work (except maybe the amp meter) only when I connect a jumper wire from the positive terminal of the battery to the battery terminal on the ignition switch (the switch cannot turn off the engine).

Thanks.

John (a true novice)

Transmission oil has water in it and has emulsified, hence yellow colour. Defintely change it. I won't suggest what to use as UK specs are different to US but there is info on this on the site.

I'd make sure all connections bewteen starter and battery are good and if that didn't work, strip solenoid and give it a clean makign sure everything moves freely. No guarantees on that advice though as I have the same "feature" with a car just now and haven't tackled it yet. That's what I'll be trying though.

Hydraulic controls have a lever for position control and one for draft control. Draft control is a form of mechanical load sensing and when using something like a plough (or plow) it monitors the load and raises and lowers the implement slightly to maintain a constant load. (and so avoid the problem of the tractor coming to a halt when it hits a tough patch of ground) Normally for non ground engaging implements you use the position control lever to control height with the draft control lever three quarters to up position. There is also a "Constant Pumping" sector on control quadrant and you need to keep levers out of that unless you are using an external hydraulic motor of similar. If you have it constant pumping without an outlet you'll hear a knocking from back end which I think is the pressure relief valve operating. It is damaging if you let it continue for a long time. Operators manual explains all.

Wiring. There is normally a feed to the ignition switch from the permanently live terminal on the solenoid. It's usually quite a thick wire but nowhere as thick as the starter cables. Sounds like either it is not attached (at solenoid or switch end)or cable has a break in it somewhere. Your jumper sounds like its doing the same job. If wire is attached, I'd do a continuity test on it although I hav erearely found broken wires in a harness. Usually its joints and terminals that are the problem.