FE 35

M5farms · Oct 7, 2016

a few weeks ago I mentioned I was looking for a little 35 to be a tedder tractor and a buddy told me he had one and to come get it . I asked how much he wanted for it and he said it was the same price I sold him the 25 rolls of hay for. $0.00 . went and picked it up last weekend . has not been ran in quite a few yrs and when it did run he used cooking oil as fuel. I cleaned the tank last sunday and removed the inj pump picked up a seal kit Monday and tore it apart put it back on and still would not pump. After pulling it again and going back thru the pump I found that someone had reversed the lines coming out of the filter . I got her fired up last night and she purrs like a kitten. I still have some work to do on it , No brakes, Rh running board missing and both fenders are rusted out. The good is the hood and rest of sheet metal is straight and surprisingly basically rust free. and the rubber was put on right before it quit running.

PatrickS2222 · Oct 8, 2016

Hi, just thought I'd say you're a lucky guy, being given one of the most well-regarded and popular tractors of its era - certainly here, if not worldwide. :thumbsup: Which diesel does it have - Perkins 3-152 (3 cyl) or MF 23C (4 cyl)? You will enjoy refurbishing it as well as using it, I'm sure.

Any chance of some pics?
My father's first tractor was a MF35 - I have it here and plan to restore it. I loved driving it as a youngster. :laughing:

M5farms · Oct 9, 2016

Not in bad shape to have never been stored under the barn in its 55yrs . It has the 3 cyl Perkins. I have it running pretty good . It has 6200 hrs on it and burns a little oil. The lift hydraulics will need to be rebuilt as it drifts down when you throttle it down . Drums are in good shape but no pads on the shoes , I'll order shoes tomorrow and need a return fuel line to the filter I can't get it to stop leaking. Also got to get a fuel pump seal gasket kit and I'll have all the leaks fixed.

PatrickS2222 · Oct 12, 2016

That's a good one, sort out the brakes and leaks for usability. :thumbsup:
I would say it's a good idea to renew engine oil & filter, fuel filters and service the air filter as well - you don't know when they were last done.
Checke the condition of the gearbox oil - it will become contaminated with water if it's old, also the boots on the gearsticks are cheap to renew and the prime causes of water entry to gear oil. Add a nut for the LH rear wheel to your list. :drink:

M5farms · Oct 12, 2016

Thanks , Yes I have done fluids and it helped the hydraulics a lot. Changed the oil yesterday and waiting for other parts to come in . I forgot to order the lugs on this order i'm missing 3 total.

PatrickS2222 · Oct 13, 2016

How was the gearbox oil condition? If there was a huge amount of sludge

don't be alarmed, but read on!

I forgot to mention they have a wire-wool screen on the 3PH oil pump pickup which can become blocked. This results in slow raising, which I experienced in our 135. Gear oil was easily 30 years old.

After repeatedly driving back and forward over a bank similar to a levee the oil had been sloshing the length of the gearbox casing, stirring up the sediment build-up in the bottom. This partly blocked the pickup filter and it wouldn't raise the 3PH in less than 30 seconds after 15 mins work.

The filter can be accessed via the round cover on the RH side after draining some oil from the rear drain plug. It's a rather fiddly job and there's a wire clip around it. It can be (and was designed to be) quite adequately washed in petrol or solvent, dried off and refitted.

Find and study a diagram first though, because you're working blindly - by feel only - and it needs to be reclipped in place after cleaning, and the oil poured back into the gearbox. :laughing:

M5farms · Oct 13, 2016

Hyd oil was very cloudy , I drained it washed gear box with diesel then refilled with hyd , hooked mower to it and mowed about an hour drained it again pulled and cleaned filter . then refilled again , it works better. I'll change the oil again in a few hrs of work. I use the used oil in my old Ford backhoe . it leaks like I sieve so used oil work perfect in it. Should have brake parts and new olives in tomorrow ,

PatrickS2222 · Oct 15, 2016

M5farms said:
Hyd oil was very cloudy.

Correct oil is SAE80-90 Gear oil (if available) but Universal Tractor Oil (UTO) is a satisfactory alternative. It shouldn't be hydraulic oil - keep this in mind when you use it in your Ford.