New to me MF 135 Diesel

[EndlessMowing]

Brought this home couple weeks ago for grass mowing duties as well as some minor box blading.

Not exactly sure the year of manufacture, the plates missing and I plan to remove the paper air filter canister to see if the alternative serial number location is near the battery tray.

Particulars:
3 cyl Perkins Diesel, Only one water fuel filter seperator, more on that later
Power assist steering
Live Pto, (engine, ground, neutral)
Great rears, fronts prob 50%
1 wire Alternator conversion.
6ft brush hog included in deal, (no slip clutch just sheer bolt)

NO:
multi power
differential lock.



I'll start some other threads to keep questions specific, as to originality, 3 point set up, gauges, tach etc.

 

[George2615]

Welcome to TBN.

The MF135 was probably the most popular purchased tractor for many years. Congrats on your purchase. Looks to be in great condition. I think most 135's are still in use. You should get many years of service from her.

 

[flusher]

Welcome to TBN. Join the fun

Nice 135. Mine was a wreck compared to yours when I bought in in 2006. Had a lot of fun restoring it.

 

[Sportsman762]

Very nice tractor. you will love the engine, the perkins just sip fuel.

 

[EndlessMowing]

Very nice tractor. you will love the engine, the perkins just sip fuel.

Thanks, I have read that very sentiment in many archived posts.

I am curious though, just what kind of fuel consumption rates people experience with their 3cyl Perkins Diesels?

No post that I've found really states what owners gallon/liter per hour usage was.
Is 1 1/2 gallon an hour expected? My experiences come from a John Deere 60 where I would use 2.5-2.8 gallons of gasoline an hour. (mowing)

 

[Kenneth S]

With my brothers MF 150 row-crop (same engine as your 135) with a Woods 84" mower I could mow around 7-8 hours on around 5 gallons of diesel (I would only mow 3 to 4 hours a day in weeds 2' high). They really are great engines as far as fuel consumption goes.

On another note way back when we used plow fields my uncle had a Long 445 diesel with a 12" 3 bottom plow, and my brothers 150 with a 14" 3 bottom plow my brother could start plowing right in-front of my uncle. By the time my uncle made one round with the Long, my brother had already caught up back up to him. The Long also used a lot more fuel than the 150 did when plowing.

 

[Sysop]

I can second what Kenneth says, my father in law has virtually the same thing and gets anywhere from 2 hours per gallon with light usage, to almost 2 gallons per hour under heavy load. You will not see over 2 gallons per hour without some sort of issues.

 

[EndlessMowing]

I can second what Kenneth says, my father in law has virtually the same thing and gets anywhere from 2 hours per gallon with light usage, to almost 2 gallons per hour under heavy load. You will not see over 2 gallons per hour without some sort of issues.

That is pretty good consumption rate, I need to mow next week so I'll be watching this.

 

[Kenneth S]

Also pay attention to the exhaust, it shouldn't hardly smoke, or at all. My brothers 150 is a heavier tractor with a 84" mower, it would smoke just a little bit in spots with heavy grass/weeds.

 

[cmore]

Congratulations :thumbsup: