1959 MF204, What fluids go where?

[bobcarver]

I'm building a farm from scratch on my veteran's disability check. Just bought a MF204 tractor with a front end loader. Ordered a shop manual which tells me how to rebuild everything but doesn't say a word about what types of oils and hydraulic fluids are specified nor where to put them. The tractor won't go into reverse when warm and the three point hitch won't raise. Something leaks out of the top where the gear shifts are. There's a plug on top of the transmission housing that just says "SAE OIL". I'll order a service manual as soon as funds are available but need to figure this out now so I can disc my field.

 

[Massey_lover]

Well, If you have a 1959 MF-204, Then you need to post some pics of it, because the 1- and 200 series didnt come around until the mid-60s. And they take SAE 80 weight oil in the transmission. On the right side of the tranny, behind your leg, is a dipstick. put oil in the hole in the top and keep checking the level on the dipstick. The trans oil and hydraulic oil come from the same place and they are the same oil. The problem with not shifting into reverse when warm is probably that your clutch is out of adjustment. look in the manual and it should show you how to adjust the clutches. Hope this solves your problems

 

[bobcarver]

I found a Massey Ferguson dealer in Plainview (Texas) and called. He said to put tractor hydraulic oil in the top plug, next to the gear shift. After putting it in I cleaned the mud off the plug and saw it said to use 80 weight oil. I paniced and called back. He assured me that the MF 204's with the Reverse-O-Matic transmissions use the hydraulic oil. Hope he's right. It's worked so far. When I looked up the serial number it said the tractor was a 1959.