Oddball 135 Rebuild

[PatrickS2222]

See TractorData.com Massey Ferguson 135 tractor information

Seems the #s match out for a 72 but no mention of disc brakes and I did not see any front lights on yours. The dash has a filler where your switch would be on a diesel deluxe.

Hi Murph, I think it's built in 1969 - it's rather confusing as different national versions seem to have their own prefix (in this case 9A, then the serial 134124). 9A seems to have begun in 1967 - at least according to this (British?) site
Massey Ferguson 135 Serial Numbers | Vintage Tractor Engineer
- but the year model break-points are all different. Yours is almost certainly Detroit-built, so TractorData numbers or even another US-based enthusiasts' site should be more reliable. That said, 8F + 2R (what a bonus is that) manual gearboxes were available in the later years of the model run, I'm not sure from when though. That has created some doubt in my mind for sure! In reference to disc brakes, the twin-double-faced plate inboard brakes on the axle housings - looks like they're the dry brakes version. I seem to recall lights were optional equipment, but that could be incorrect.

Hey Matthew, Good to see you're getting on with the job ..... certainly not messing around. :laughing: I didn't recognise the bare engine not being diesel - they look very similar until the external parts are fitted. :ashamed: Great repair job on the footrest - that won't break in a hurry! You've made some real progress too. :thumbsup:

 

[murph1]

Hi Murph, I think it's built in 1969 - it's rather confusing as different national versions seem to have their own prefix (in this case 9A, then the serial 134124). 9A seems to have begun in 1967 - at least according to this (British?) site
Massey Ferguson 135 Serial Numbers | Vintage Tractor Engineer
- but the year model break-points are all different. Yours is almost certainly Detroit-built, so TractorData numbers or even another US-based enthusiasts' site should be more reliable. That said, 8F + 2R (what a bonus is that) manual gearboxes were available in the later years of the model run, I'm not sure from when though. That has created some doubt in my mind for sure! In reference to disc brakes, the twin-double-faced plate inboard brakes on the axle housings - looks like they're the dry brakes version. I seem to recall lights were optional equipment, but that could be incorrect.

Good to see you're getting on with the job ..... certainly not messing around. :laughing: Great repair job on the footrest - that won't break in a hurry! You've made some real progress too. :thumbsup:

I have the same trans in my 1967 perkins diesel. His was built here.

 

[PatrickS2222]

I have the same trans in my 1967 perkins diesel. His was built here.

Murph, maybe that was an optional gearbox which later became standard equipment, or at least standard on some models or in some countries.

I can't believe the huge rear axle! Also the track width would be so much wider than mine, which has drum brakes and is the same as our MF 35 (my late father's first tractor), but with a diff lock.

Matthew, that reminds me, you need to check (or change would be better idea) the oil in the rear axle planetary reduction hubs. A lot of guys don't realise they don't share the gearbox/rear axle oil. There is a fill plug - that is the correct oil level. SAE90 or 80-90 gear oil is correct, but Universal Tractor Oil will be Ok too. The axle area between the differential casing and the planetaries should be dry - that's where the brakes are located. I'm sure later models used wet brakes, but don't know when the change was made. Incidentally, a quick and easy way to tell whether dry or wet brakes are fitted is to look at the plate between the centre housing and the axle housing - if there are two notches in its edge when viewed from the rear of the tractor they are wet brakes. If only a pry-point is visible it has dry brakes.

 

[MatthewPaul]

Murph, maybe that was an optional gearbox which later became standard equipment, or at least standard on some models or in some countries.

I can't believe the huge rear axle! Also the track width would be so much wider than mine, which has drum brakes and is the same as our MF 35 (my late father's first tractor), but with a diff lock.

Matthew, that reminds me, you need to check (or change would be better idea) the oil in the rear axle planetary reduction hubs. A lot of guys don't realise they don't share the gearbox/rear axle oil. There is a fill plug - that is the correct oil level. SAE90 or 80-90 gear oil is correct, but Universal Tractor Oil will be Ok too. The axle area between the differential casing and the planetaries should be dry - that's where the brakes are located. I'm sure later models used wet brakes, but don't know when the change was made. Incidentally, a quick and easy way to tell whether dry or wet brakes are fitted is to look at the plate between the centre housing and the axle housing - if there are two notches in its edge when viewed from the rear of the tractor they are wet brakes. If only a pry-point is visible it has dry brakes.

Center to center on the rear axle is about 65"
Thanks for the info on the hubs, I'll have to check/change that when I get her running. It looks like there are five evenly spaced pry locations per side on the rear axle.

I got some more work done on the machine. I got most of the parts laid out, cleaned up and painted, and the gasket sets in. SO, I started putting the engine together. It's an interesting mix of seals and gaskets that they used. A two piece rope seal on the rear main, a one piece modern seal on the front main, cork strips on the end main bearings for the oil pan..

It turns out that the generator bracket on this engine is really an alternator bracket, so I had to make some spacers to make it work, You can see them in one of the photos.

I also found out the back story on the tractor. It just so happened that a friends father knew the guy that died that owned it previously and the guy that I purchased it from and verified the story. It came from less than a mile down the road from me, originally. The previous owner was taking it apart to restore it and passed away on the way to the hospital. I know his sons, but I did not know that when I purchased the machine.

Anyway, I put a new oil pump in it.

One of the studs for the valve cover were missing, and I could not find anything suitable, so I turned down a new one on the lathe. The top stud is the one that I made:

I got the motor mostly together.

and pulled it out of my shop with a friends forklift.

I got the front end bolted to it. Im still waiting for the pilot bearing, otherwise I would have just hung the engine on the transmission.

Then I got started on the carb. It seems as if you cant get complete kits for these zenith carbs, So I just refurbished all of the parts, and made a gasket.

I got the adapter plate mounted, flywheel on, and since those silly keeper tabs for the bolts all broke when I took them off, I just cross drilled the bolt heads and wired them.

I'm just waiting on the final parts to finish it up.

 

[MatthewPaul]

I got some more work done. I got the tractor back together, pilot bearing in, etc. and bolted the two halves up.

Waterpump, fan, coolant hoses, coolant temp sensor, new coolant temp gauge, Air hose, and so on...

Fuel tank, radiator, hydraulic lines for the steering, Welded one some muffler that I found in the dumpster (just temporary. Im not spending any more money until I know it runs), A lot of the wiring is in place. Base timing set, plugs in, wires made and on. Im just waiting on the starter, battery, and cables. Then we'll see what it does... The starter in the photo was the the correct one.

 

[WilliamTO-35]

Neat tractor, great work, and thanks for the updated photos. It's odd that the top of the cylinder sleeves stuck up as much as 1/16 inch. They're supposed to protrude a bit in order to seal well with the head gasket, but not that much. I wonder if the block was decked once before, causing the new sleeves to stick up too much ? Did you remove the sleeves to check under the sleeve lips, and to replace the coolant seal O rings at the bottom of the sleeves ? It's possible that the engine was taken apart a second time to deal with coolant leaking past the O rings and into the crankcase.
( I'm using Ferguson TO-35 knowledge here, and I may not have my details correct. However, when I replaced the head gasket on my engine, I did not try to remove the sleeves , using the " let sleeping dogs lie" approach. It burns a little oil, but that's ok.)

 

[PatrickS2222]

Yep, you're certainly getting into it - a lot done in a short time. Wish I had that same amount of time to spend on mine!
It's going to be a great machine when you're finished.
BTW, from memory I think they are dry liners - no seals involved.

 

[MatthewPaul]

Neat tractor, great work, and thanks for the updated photos. It's odd that the top of the cylinder sleeves stuck up as much as 1/16 inch. They're supposed to protrude a bit in order to seal well with the head gasket, but not that much. I wonder if the block was decked once before, causing the new sleeves to stick up too much ? Did you remove the sleeves to check under the sleeve lips, and to replace the coolant seal O rings at the bottom of the sleeves ? It's possible that the engine was taken apart a second time to deal with coolant leaking past the O rings and into the crankcase.
( I'm using Ferguson TO-35 knowledge here, and I may not have my details correct. However, when I replaced the head gasket on my engine, I did not try to remove the sleeves , using the " let sleeping dogs lie" approach. It burns a little oil, but that's ok.)

Thank you. Like Patrick said, I believe they are dry sleeves on these.

Yep, you're certainly getting into it - a lot done in a short time. Wish I had that same amount of time to spend on mine!
It's going to be a great machine when you're finished.
BTW, from memory I think they are dry liners - no seals involved.

Thank you. I work for myself and am waiting on materials for my next jobs so I took the time to get this running. My girl owns a farm so Im trying to get this done before it's growing season so she has an extra tractor as backup, and Id like to get a loader on it before too long as well. We have a 135 already, and I just finished up a 2n for her over the winter. This 135 is mine though

 

[MatthewPaul]

I got it running. This is the first crank and it started right up.

 

[MatthewPaul]

After it warmed up just a little bit