Vintage Tractor Engineer

We have had an email from Richard, who had previously bought the MF35 Engine Rebuild DVD.  Richard has sent in a video of the engine starting after the rebuild.  Vintage Tractor Engineer has also spotted the Ferguson plough in the foreground of the video.

Richard went on to tell us a bit about the rebuild of his tractor, here’s what he had to say…

The rebuild took much longer than I expected, there are just not enough weekends

I used the Barco engine kit and considered the parts very well made.

As this tractor was always a bad starter, I contacted the old owners to find that out, I decided to fit glow plugs.  (Although I didn’t use them on the youtube video).

PROBLEMS

When I assembled the mains big ends, as I have experienced before, the shells seem to touch before the caps bolt down. This gives too big a tolerance. So wrongly or rightly, I carefully filed down the four edges of the shells to give the correct clearance as measured by the plastigauge. I hope this will be OK but it seemed to rotate well and I have a good oil pressure.

One comment re your video. I bolted the engine to gearbox then assembled the engine. When doing the timing you said set engine at TDP using the flywheel mark or if assembled, turn engine and use the front crank key way as a guide. This sounds OK but in reality, it is not possible to get an accurate position using just the key way. Had I known, I would have marked the TDP location in the starter motor hole, prior to fitting the g/box to engine. Then it would have been easy to set the correct position.

The Rocker shaft from new is a sliding fit in its 4 holders, over time this shaft had become very worn so effecting tappet clearances. I had to make new supports.

The camshaft chain sprocket was a very loose fit (+0.25mm) on the camshaft. This needed sorting and was probably why it didn’t start well and always needed easi start to start.

This tractor does not have live drive, and I have a replacement live drive g/box that needs fitting some day. But first I will enjoy it as it is and also check everything is OK.

Finally, do you have a service schedule for this model available. I have the main manual but it doesn’t detail the maintenance schedule.

Kind regards and thanks for doing the DVD.

Richard

Richard fitted heater plugs to the head

Spacers between the head and the heater plug have been used to stop the plugs protruding too far in and affecting the fuel spray.

I think what we meant to say in the DVD (…and OK, so maybe its our fault for not explaining very well – sorry everyone) is that the protractor method could be used to time the engine if it were still fitted to the transmission.

Well done to Richard for completing the rebuild.  This Massey 35 now looks set to have another 50 years of life in front of it.

We’ve got an owners manual for the 3 cylinder variant, which will have the same servicing routines for the rest of the tractor but obviously the engine servicing will be different.  We will try and find that manual to let Richard know the details.  If anyone has info on the recommended servicing for the 4 cylinder engine then please let us know.

The oil level on this Massey Ferguson 575 suddenly rose up the dipstick.

The oil hadn’t gone the milky/creamy colour consistent with water getting into the oil, but had become ‘thinner’ and had a slight smell of diesel.  Clearly diesel was entering the oil, but where was it coming from?

In this case the fuel lift pump was at fault and a replacement unit and an oil and filter change, the tractor was back to work.

Winter work for this 575 is handling the round bale silage feeder to roll out feed to the suckler herd.  This tractor once did all the ploughing and cultivating on this farm.  In 1960 a Ferguson TEF 20 was the main tractor, then came a MF35, MF165, MF168, then the MF575.  The 575 was a shift in driver comfort with a sprung seat, ‘Q’ cab, full cab glazing and a dedicated cab heater.  The cab could get very hot on summer days when performing tasks such as baling, where it was ideal to have all the windows closed to keep out the dust on long 10 hour days – starting as early as 10.30 am and sometimes baling right through to 8.45 when the dew started to come down.  Many of these days were spent with the side window open on the single door cab, or (if the wind was in the correct direction) with the door open to let in some cool fresh air.

Round bale silage feeder

Contented cows eating silage, after Vintage Tractor Engineer had repaired the 575

We’ve had an email from David who owns a MF 35 in Hampshire (England).  David describes his ‘35 as in “showroom condition”, but David wishes to take his tractor further and present it in a special way.  Here’s what he says…

“For the future I have the plan to take the tractor to the state that Massey Ferguson used for exhibiting their products.

I wished I’d photographed the tractors on the stand at Smithfield, all those years ago!

I didn’t know I’d need a pictorial reference for a project 50 years in the future!”

David is interested to know if there is anyone who maybe used to work for Massey Ferguson and helped prepare the tractors for the agricultural shows and if the tractors were prepared in any special way?

• Were the tractors ever given special paint jobs for the shows?
• Were the tractors ever sprayed a different colour for a show?
• How were the tyres presented?
• Was there any selected plating of parts?

If anyone has any first hand knowledge of this please leave a comment in the box below.  Maybe you were an apprentice working for Ferguson and it was your job to help prepare the tractors for the shows, worked at a MF dealers, or maybe you visited the shows as a potential customer and have memories of the tractors on the stands.
We have a photo of an MF 35 from a 1957 brochure which looks as though it has the injection pump painted and possibly also the fuel filter.  Note the front tyre treads in this photo.
Unfortunately David also had some bad news for us.  Someone has stolen his bonnet.  Clearly the thief must have known the value of a show condition bonnet and must therefore have known how important it was to David.  Through this website, Vintage Tractor Engineer meets many good, honest, interesting, salt of the earth tractor enthusiasts who are a credit to our hobby.  Lets hope we don’t hear of any more stories like this for a long time.

We’ve had an email from a 4 cylinder 23C, Engine Rebuild DVD customer who is having a few problems with the timing procedure for the engine.  The DVD shows how to time the engine when it has been split from the clutch housing, but Henrik wanted to know if it were possible to determine Top Dead Centre of piston number 1 (to time the engine) without removing the engine from the clutch housing (to reveal the marks on the flywheel).  Here is what Henrik asks…

I have now seen the dvd over and over again.  My problem is determining how to set the timing between crank and cam.  Regarding cam the man in the DVD says something about turning the cam until both valves on cyl 4 does something, but I simply cannot hear/understand the English very well.  This cam position should then refer to crank TDC cyl 1, but how can this be determined if the engine is still mounted to gearbox.
As I understand the hole in the flywheel refers to 17 deg injection timing = “G” in the pump inspection plate.

I really hope you can kill my confusion.

NB!  My 23C tractor is rebuilt and running, but smokes light blue (unburned diesel) so I really suspect the timing. I have not touched the chain or pump gear during the rebuild.

Henrik Thomsen, Denmark

Hi Henrik,

When the pin is in the hole in the flywheel it is 16 degrees before TDC on
number 1 cylinder.

To set the timing chain, follow this procedure…

To set the camshaft, first of all, set the tappet clearance on number 8 valve (the valve at the back of the engine closest to the steering wheel) to 0.023in (when the cam and rocker is in its lowest position).  Then set number 7 valve to 0.025in.

Turn the engine away from TDC.  (The keyway in the front of the crankshaft [that holds on the front pulley] is at the bottom when cylinders 1 and 4 are at TDC.)  Therefore position the keyway on the right looking at the front of the engine (ie. 3 O’clock position – always turn it clockwise).  You do this so that the pistons do not hit the valves.

Now remove the timing chain, camshaft sprocket and the chain tensioner.

Next turn the camshaft clockwise until vavles 7 and 8 are “on the rock” (ie. exhaust just closing, inlet just opening).  Now the camshaft is in the correct position for the timing procedure.

It is now safe to move the crankshaft clockwise for number 1 cylinder to be on TDC.  You can determine TDC without using the flywheel marks (ie. with engine connected to transmission) by using the flywheel pin hole as a reference point.  Slide in the pin to the locating hole in the flywheel and then fix a protractor to the crankshaft, and place a pointer on the engine which will give accurate readings on the protractor.  Then remove the flywheel pin and turn the engine clockwise 16 degrees (as measured on the protractor), and therefore you are now on TDC for number 1 cylinder and are in the correct position to fit the timing chain, sprocket and tensioner.

Now don’t forget to re-set valves 7 and 8 to their normal running valve clearances as in the DVD (0.012in on inlet, 0.018in on outlet).

Now set the injection pump timing as per the DVD instructions.

It’s quite an involved prodecure, but this will mean you can time the engine without removing it from the transmsission.

Hope that helps, let us know how you get on.

Steve Ridsdale (VTE)

Vintage Tractor Engineer has been out and bought a new County tractor toy!

Barth K150

We’ve been searching the magazines and internet for a couple of years to find a trenching machine to lay drainage pipe on our farm.  We’ve replied to several adverts and each time we got the same answer – “Sorry, it sold immediately”.

View from the drivers seat, digging chain lifted up.

Trenchers are clearly in demand and this is probably due to a number of contributing factors.  We’ve had several high rainfall years in the UK and with larger tractors and machinery, compaction has caused waterlogging of the fields.  I think the major problem, however, is the lack of maintenance of the agricultural drainage system and the fact that most of the field drains were installed many years ago.  Draining is an expensive business and farmers are reluctant to spend the money, particularly when farm incomes have been so depressed.

Things have begun to change though.  Farm incomes have been a little better in 2007-2009 and farmers have been calling in the drainage contractors to try and improve their wettest ground.  Much of the drainage system is at least 35 years old and some fields are still reliant on drains installed 100 years since (or more).  These drainage systems have had fantastic longevity and some of these are still working to this day.  Unfortunately many of these pots are only in at a shallow depth and the large heavy machinery and deeper working depths have sometimes cut through these drains and ruined the system.

Barth K150

The ‘K150′ numbering refers to the digging depth of 150cm and this machine was manufactured in 1982.  The machine is built around a County skid unit with a reduction box fitted to facilitate the low ground speeds required for trenching.  This particluar machine was first used by Alderson Drainage of Yarm, North Yorkshire and still bears their decals.  A quick telephone call to Aldersons was made and we learnt all sorts of things.  Aldersons were really interested to hear about the machine, where it was now going to work, and it was a pleasure to talk to them.  It its heyday the trencher had covered 300,000 metres annually.  The only reason Aldersons sold the machine was because in the Yarm area they have stone to contend with in the soil and this would cause the top drive shaft to break.  We will be using the Barth in predominantly sand and loam (no stones), and we were told the ‘little Barth’ would motor on just like a modern big Mastenbroek.

Bonnet decals, Alderson Drainage.

If you’re interested in County tractors converted into draining machines then check out Alf Werner’s County 1124 that he converted to 6 wheel drive and uses for operating his trencher.  Quite impressive!

County reduction box.

Well we can’t wait to take it to the field and have a go.  I’m sure it’s going to be a bit of a learning curve to start with but it will be really useful to have our own machine.   We will be able to do a field each summer after the corn has been cut, in good dry conditions and with full control of the operation.  Next thing we need is a laser.  We’ve been quoted £1150 for an ‘indicate’ system, but to go for full ‘machine control’ the price has come in at over £3,000.  This technology would have been £10,000 so I suppose it’s not so bad for +/- 2mm accuracy.

Digging chain and pipe chute.

One thing we can’t get to the bottom of is what to do in running sand?  The vale of York has large areas of sandy soil and in winter time if you dig a hole the sand is so saturated that it just runs like quick sand and the problem is that it can very easily and quickly get into the drains and block them.  It is possible to buy pipe wrapped with a filter material to prevent this from happening, but neighbouring farmers have found this to block with ochre within 3-4 years.  Some people say unwrapped pipe is OK if the ‘black’ topsoil is put back on top of the pipe (instead of the orange subsoil).  Others say use unwrapped pipe and then 10″ of stone on top works the best.

If you have any experience of draining in running sand and know what works best then please let us know.  We would be interested to hear your views.