MF135 differences 1968-1974, are there any?

Gerald J.

If there's a factory alternator, its almost sure to be a Perkins gas engine. The tachometer drive for the Perkins comes off the camshaft. The tachometer drive for the Continental gas comes off a gear box on the back of the generator which makes converting to an alternator a bit of a pain having to replace the tachometer too.

I can't tell from the parts book if they were really offered, but it shows two or three different 8 speed transmissions, three or four multipower transmissions, and a couple 6 speed transmissions. Added drive variations involve single or double clutches, live or independent PTO that's part of the transmission.

I'd take it that these were options, with fewer options given for the Special than the Deluxe, like seat and dash gauge options.

Many vintage overhead valve engines have proven prone to loosing lubrication to the rocker arms which then wear rapidly. The Z-134/145 engines use corks in the ends of the rocker arm shaft to hold the oil in. By now they have rotted. That takes oil pressure off the rocker arms and the added friction can break off the anti-rotation pin and when the rock arm shaft rotates, it cuts off oil to the rocker arms completely. I rebuilt mine several years ago, buying solid bronze bushings and turning them to fit in place of the Garlock steel backed bushings that are no longer made in the size needed to fit the rocker arms. Since then a place that sells lots of tractor parts that I can't mention here has begun to offer rebuilt rocker arm assemblies. I also made a new rocker arm shaft with provisions for oil passages even if it broke off that pin and rotated, and then I made the pin larger. I also used a snap ring at each end of the shaft to hold the end rocker arm spring instead of a 1/16" cotter key that wears away and I tapped the ends for 7/16" set screws to be more permanent plugs than the corks.

Then I had to ream out the oil passage from the block to the head to get oil to my new assembly. I put 100 psi air on the line with plumbing fittings to blow the deposits back to the crankcase. It took lots of pressure alternated with penetrating oil to open that passage.

I don't know if the Perkins has this problem, but its an overhead valve engine... Ford cars used to have that problem too.

But the MF-135 is a good working tractor, makes an 8N look like a toy. And I've had an 8N so I speak from experience.

Gerald J.

[IMG]http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d136/drptop70ss/68massey.jpg[/IMG]

Also remote hydraulic valves to fit are hard to find these days, but handy for working drawn implements like my disk, my mower/conditioner, my planter, my side dresser, and my semi mount plow (but that's too big for the 135). I wish my sickle mower had its own lift cylinder too. Forgot the old JD CCA field cultivator. Yah, I use the remotes regularly. You might not just mowing and pulling a grader blade.

I don't make my e-mail address available so I'll have to pass on the picture unless you can find a place to post it that allows me to look at it. I was able to copy and past that url, but it said the picture wasn't there.

Gerald J.

I'd pull the rocker cover and check the rocker oiling while setting the valves on either engine. The cork plugs rot with age, not with engine hours.

I'd look at the spark plugs (while replacing them) to see if any were sooty or oily.

6000 hours to as much as 12000 hours is typical from the average farm tractor at rebuild time. More go longer than shorter. However failing to notice an oil leak can kill any engine in a couple hours.

The tachometr on my 135 shows 5000 hours or so. The rear tires died of old age. I think I've put a couple thousand hours on it since I bought it about 1987. Some years plowing, preparing, planting, and baling 24 acres of ground, I ran it 100 hours a year. Lately I've cut back on earth work, but gone back to using it for spraying and planting only using the 4020 when I need crop clearance for spraying.

I know my tachometer cable has failed once since I've had the tractor.

And there are no laws against setting the hour meter back on a tractor.

Except for rot of old age, a 1100 hour tractor should look like its still in the showroom.

Gerald J.

Gerald J.