# Massy 240 blowing smoke and oil out of the front of the engine. What could it be?



## johnhoward28 (Jun 9, 2016)

Okay guys, treat me like I don't know anything about tractors because I don't. 

I bought a Massy 240 last week. I did not have a chance to test it out because drove 400 miles to get it and it was pouring down rain when I got there and I had to drive 400 miles to get back home, so I just trusted the guy. I'm an idiot, I will just say it and get it out of the way. 

I got the tractor home and did a fluid change on it and took it out to do some shredding on a four-acre field that I want to disc up and plant some oats on for feed for my goats. It did fine but I noticed some smoke, but it was very windy so it did not seem that bad. After I finished shredding the four acres, I checked to oil level and it was off the dipstick. It had dropped about two quarts. 

I took a rest for a couple of hours and then went out to hook it up to my disc. The wind had died down and when I was unhooking the shredder, I left the tractor running and was getting choked to death by the smoke, but when I looked at the tailpipe, no make was coming out. So I went looking and found that the smoke was coming from the front of the engine, and oil was dripping down. I took this video to show you want I am talking about. I really know nothing about this engine, so I am hoping that someone here can give me a clue about what is going on. I have never seen anything like this.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Welcome to the forum John. On the side of the block, there's probably a pipe sticking out and down, and if it's outfitted with one, which it almost certainly is, that's the crankcase vent. Any blowby from the rings, valve guides and all, vent out that tube, to keep from pressurizing the crankcase. It looks to me that this is where that smoke and oil is coming from. To be that pronounced, you either have a severely worn out engine (rings and valve guides) etc, or a broken ring. It's very possible to have so much blowby that oil will leak out in addition to the smoke.

Did this seller have shifty eyes?


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## johnhoward28 (Jun 9, 2016)

That was what I was afraid of. You just can't trust anyone these days. I am so tired of having to treat everyone like they are a lying thief. Sometimes I just want to take one person at their word, but get burned every time I do. I have never cheated anyone in my life, but I am constantly cheated. It makes you lose hope in humanity.

Oh well, guess I have to have this thing rebuilt. Where do you go for a thing like that? Or do you have to do it yourself? I am not afraid to try if I can get a good manual. I used to do all my own repairs on my cars back when they had carbs. I still do most automotive repairs today, so I know how to turn a wrench, but I don't have a barn or shop to work in, so if it is a long process, I would rather someone who knew what they were doing do it right. For the little work I am going to use this tractor for, it will last me the rest of the time the Good Lord has me on this earth.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

What is that big black spot on the pan? looks like a big chunk missing out of there!


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

John, you can't take a short video or even a few photos of the other side of the engine?.

Are the droplets running under the sump from light rain?, can't really tell from the short video.

Rather strange that the engine is using so much oil and yet you say there is no smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe, and which it should, that blowby is probably coming from the front timing case oil seal which is most likely kaput, or maybe a blown gasket on the timing cover, you can't have a look from the top at the front crankshaft pulley and see if there is any smoke from the top side and if there is any fresh oil accumulated around the front pulley and oil seal area??.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

If that is engine oil running under the sump, then you will need to take a couple of photos to show where that is coming from, I thought it was water because it is running like water or your oil is very fine grade.


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

Is there any chance that the engine was damaged during transit??


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## johnhoward28 (Jun 9, 2016)

Thanks for all the good replies. Here is a picture of the tractor on the day I bought it. 











The only thing I have done on the tractor from that day I got it was, change the oil and filter and mow 4 acres with a 6 foot shredded. 

What you see dripping is oil, not water. 

As you can see from the picture there is really no way to get pictures of the engine without taking the loader off and al the casing around the engine. I took the top hood off, but the gas tanks is on tp, so I still could not see anything. The Loader is detachable, but I have never taken one off before, so I need to watch a video or something to see how it is done.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Have you checked the filter, or oil breather cap? Maybe you forgot to put the cap on, or your filter may be leaking like a sieve.
Did it carry on like that when you were loading it on your trailer? Is there a big oil stain on the deck of your trailer?
Look for some of the cheap approaches before you tear into the engine.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

I believe the way the smoke is pumping out, this may be coming from the exhaust manifold somehow, have you held a balled up rag at the end of the pipe to see what effect this may have on engine sound, is the exhaust noise normal loud at the pipe end, gotta ask questions because there are no photos, so the engine is not using oil, just leaking it in a large amount, so the engine is mostly alright, is the engine hard to start ?.

Have you thought of trying to use a small mirror and torch to look in behind the metal work?, doing this can be handy at times.

Looking at your tractor on the trailer shows this to be not knocked around at all and doesn't seem to have been abused.


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## johnhoward28 (Jun 9, 2016)

FredM said:


> Looking at your tractor on the trailer shows this to be not knocked around at all and doesn't seem to have been abused.


This is what I thought too, but after close observation, I discovered that it has recently been repainted. They did a great job of making look like original paint, but there is no doubt they repainted it. 
The seller told me that he had been using it personally for dirt work and it ran flawlessly. But, I think he was lying. It was pouring down rain when I bought it and I had no chance to test it out. The owner just drove it up on my trailer and I left because I had 400 miles to drive and it was 5:00pm. Like I said, I decided to trust him and take him at his word. It was hard to tell anything about the tractor because of the rain. 

I believe this tractor sat without use for a very long time. Everything in the 3-point was rusted solid and it took me hours of work to free everything up so I could get the shredder (mower) hooked up.

I talked with a friend and he suggested I go to a thicker oil. When I changed the oil I used a Rotella 15w40, which is what I found many people saying was the right oil to use. I am going to put some STP oil treatment in and thicken it up and see if that helps. I just need to run the disc over the 4 acres I mowed so I can put some seed in the ground. Then I will have several month s to figure this out.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

You are right John, the seller did a good job of painting the tractor from what can be seen in your photo and even the tractor looks good enough to be a tractor of the month.

I hope you keep us posted over time and as you investigate the problem of the smoke, a few of us would like to know the eventual outcome.

Be safe


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

If your engine is like this one, a 3 cylinder perkins, then the fumes are coming from the tappet cover breather that goes right down to the bottom of the engine near the sump, so it is blowby from the engine and your oil usage is mostly leakage from the oil filter, it may pay you to remove the oil filter and feel around the oil filter mount sealing face and feel for the old oil filter sealing ring, sometimes these will stick to the face and when that happens the seal will blow, also check the seal on the replacement filter.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

The other side showing oil filter, I would imagine the dip stick would have an O ring for sealing too, maybe crankcase pressure could be lifting the dip stick and the oil could be leaking there, some places for you to check.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

A little bit of smoke coming from your blow by vent isn't a big deal .Even a decent shape engine will emit some wisps of blow by. But the amount your seeing on your engine indicated that it's for sure getting worn. 



FredM said:


> View attachment 54873
> 
> 
> If your engine is like this one, a 3 cylinder perkins, then the fumes are coming from the tappet cover breather that goes right down to the bottom of the engine near the sump, so it is blowby from the engine and your oil usage is mostly leakage from the oil filter, it may pay you to remove the oil filter and feel around the oil filter mount sealing face and feel for the old oil filter sealing ring, sometimes these will stick to the face and when that happens the seal will blow, also check the seal on the replacement filter.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks for investigating FredM. These sure are good points, and with the pictures, makes it easy to understand.


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## johnhoward28 (Jun 9, 2016)

Thanks for the picture Fred. I appreciate those. That is my engine for sure. I put a brand new oil filter on and I did not observe any oil leaking around it, but I will check again. 

Like I said, I think it is just worn. The guy lied to me. Okay. But it is still a nice tractor. It needs some TLC but it is a solid foundation to build on. The thing that really bothers me is that it does not have rear hydraulics. I just assumed since it had it because it has a hydraulic system for the loader, and in the rainstorm when I picked it up. I did not check.

So my big decision is, should keep it and spend the money to fix it up, or should I sell it and invest the money toward a different tractor with not so many needs for improvement. What do you think?


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Another thought John, there may be a blown head gasket that could be causing the blowby, -- does the engine sound like it may be missing on one cylinder ?, -- is the engine hard to start ?.

If you think you can get the price paid and the transporting costs there and back when you picked it up, maybe I would sell, but, if the clutch, tranny and final drives are sounding ok and the 3 point linkages are working to your expectations,(after you freed them up) no!!, I wouldn't sell, but then!! you can see the tractor and know what you are looking at, so this would have to be your choice.

when you say hydraulics on the rear, are you talking about remote hydraulics ??, from reading posts here, the prices of hydraulic control valves and hoses are a damn sight cheaper over there than here, and I am sure there will be a few blokes on the forum than tell you how to fit a remote system.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

the internet is sooo sloowwww here it is becoming a pain in the butt.


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## johnhoward28 (Jun 9, 2016)

Thanks again Fred. The internet is slow here too. Lots of people staying at home and watching streaming movies. 

What I mean by rear hydraulics is where you connect the hoses the go to the implements. I have a grain drill, a disk, and a two bucket planter that I need hydraulics to be able to operate. I use to pull them with a Massey 1105 that I got for really cheap because it needed a lot of repairs. I only have 20 acres and I only work about five of it. I don't need a tractor that big. The rear rim rusted through and the tire went flat and it was so old that it ruined the rear tire. The cost to get a new rear tire and rim for the1105 was going to run $1800. The hydraulic pump leaks so bad on it that it leaks out 5 gallons of fluid every time I do any work with it. The cost to get the hydrolic pump fixed on the 1105 is about $2,500. I figured that instead of spending close to 5k to fix that farm tractor up, I would put it towards a smaller tractor with a front end lord, which I desperately need. 

I paid $9,800 for the 240, which is pretty much the lowest amount for a tractor that size I have found in the last year. I could probably sell it tomorrow for that same amount even with the engine problem. This size tractor is in extremely high demand right now. Very hard to find. That is why I made an $ 800-mile trip to get it. 

I hope some others can chime in on installing the rear hydraulics on it. Is it difficult? Are there any gotchas about doing it like verse buy one with a factory-installed? I don't mind investing in this tractor, I just want to make sure that if I do, at the end of the day I have a good solid tractor that is not going to give me constant trouble. I have been limping along with half working equipment for a long time and I am getting tired of it.


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## Busted Tractor (May 22, 2018)

The engine -- Does the engine turn over even? Listen very closely when you attempt to start it. Does it sound as one cylinder is "easy" If it is even that indicates you should have decent compression on all cylinders and does it hit on all cylinders after it starts or does it take a while to hit even. Does it start quickly or do you have to crank for a while with white smoke for it to pop off. Be sure to clean off the engine good and then start the engine and using a light or bright flashlight observe if you can see where any oil may be coming from. If the engine needs repaired at least they are fairly cheap to buy parts. The toughest part is if the sleeves need replaced. The rest is straight forward and easy except for possibly reinstalling the oil pan. This engine has been used in Masseys since the 35. But there are some differences since then. IF you don't have one an IT manual is a great help. HYDRAULICS---- I think the 240 was an economy priced tractor and don't think they had an auxiliary pump. If it did there would be fittings on the plate by the PTO lever. Without the auxiliary pump the leaves the scotch yoke pump as the main hydraulic pump. You can tap into that pump by replacing the two bolt cap on the RF corner of the lift cover (just under the right front of the seat) either with a two or three spool valve or a control cap the either sends the oil to the three point hitch or thru hoses to a control valve mounted separately which the to coupler on the back of the tractor. with either setup either you have to move a lever to work the three point. I don't know how the loader is powered but If it has a front mounted pump or even a valve on the hydraulic cover it is possible to install a power beyond fitting to install another control valve. If you can tell me how you tractor is equipped I might be able to be more specific.


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## johnhoward28 (Jun 9, 2016)

Thanks for the help Busted Tractor. I made a video to answer your questions.


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## Busted Tractor (May 22, 2018)

After watching you video I have picked out a few things. You do not have an auxiliary pump in that tractor. You Have the transfer cap on the lift cover. Just a little farther than you pointed that two bolt cover with the hump in the middle and the plug in the side. That sits on a standpipe and can be used to operate a valve, but a valve or "switch"valve must be mounted there. The downer is it can be an issue if you want to use the hitch and the valve at the same time. I see you have a front pump and if you wanted to use another valve for remote outlets recommend using a power beyond fitting in that valve. Then mounting another one or two spool valve back around the fender. The disadvantage is you have to keep the loader on he tractor. The ENGINE per your video I noticed when you started it it turned over uneven and noticed the exhaust "puffed". If you observe the crankcase vent tube you notice it also is not constant flow but "puffs" These things indicate to me that you have one cylinder that has a compression problem. The compression is blowing past the piston entering the crankcase and blowing out the vent. I have just rebuilt a 245 that I bought knowing the engine needed work. The parts for the D3.152 engine are fairly cheap I paid $345.00 for an overhaul set Pistons-sleeves- rings- bearings- gaskets and so forth. Just an FYI you could not rebuild the continental gas engine that cheap. The hardest job to do is to replace the sleeves if they are damaged. I had a plate made and pulled and put the new ones in myself. But I had to get another sleeve as I broke one.  Because of the long crank time I would also recommend that the injectors are checked and set. Here are some links to a sites that have part6s you can use but not necessarily do I recommend using them. https://www.tractorpartsasap.com/3-way-selector-valve-new-massey-ferguson-47s731-60032-161564.html https://www.tractorpartsasap.com/selector-valve-new-massey-ferguson-vfd1103-161563.html https://www.agkits.com/Massey-Ferguson-Engine-Rebuild-Kits-Perkins-3152.aspx. This site may help you understand power beyond https://www.hydraulicspneumatics.co...article/21886618/how-power-beyond-works-video. Still have questions? ask away. If I know I will help.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

John,
In watching your video while you were cranking, I noted an uneven cranking speed, plus it took quite a bit of cranking before it started. A compression check may be in order.


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## Busted Tractor (May 22, 2018)

sixbales said:


> John,
> In watching your video while you were cranking, I noted an uneven cranking speed, plus it took quite a bit of cranking before it started. A compression check may be in order.


I have formerly worked at a MF dealer for over 20 years and have never used a compression gauge. Never found a need for one. If the engine turned over uneven with excessive blowby I knew there was a bad cylinder in the engine. If the engine turned over even and would not start there was probably a fuel issue. White smoke can indicate the engine has low compression on all cylinders, bad fuel injectors or just too cold. The trick is in listening and paying attention to what you see and hear. Yes I repaired many Perkins diesels most were in combines. But all makes can use the same diagnostics.


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