# "New" MF 135 Problems from the Start



## PAITHRE (Jan 18, 2020)

Hi Tractor lovers

I've loved tractors all my life. As a young bloke I used to driver old Cases where you'd be able to stand up while you drove- you'll know the model. Also the ubiquitous IH kero Farmalls - great tractors. Then there was the little Grey Fergie- who doesn't know them.

The most fascinating tractor I've ever driven was a Lanz Bulldog. This one belonged to my uncle who was clueless mechanically. The starter didn't work so you primed it with petrol, took the cover off the flywheel(?) gripped it and rocked it back and forward until it fired. If all went well you had 3 forward and one reverse gear, if not you had 1 forward and 3 reverse, so you had to stop it and start again.

A mate and I are developing 20 acres on the Central Coast NSW. We took delivery of a 135 last Wednesday. It his a front bucket which is why we brought it. After about half an hour of light work the hydraulics shut down. Found low oil level so no more work that day

A few days later after researching oils I returned and filled the oil up to level. No change. Cracked the hoses from the valve control body and no oil spurting.

I assume its the pump so I'll have to wait until the Workshop Manual arrives from the US.

I am a self taught mechanic. No diesel experience but have rebuilt 6 fairly complex engines, and car diffs and a gearbox so I know I can handle this job.

One thing though the filling plug for adding oil according to the Owners Manual is on the RHS near the H-L gear lever. BUT this tractor instead has the high pressure feed line from the pump. Is this unusual?

I'll get some pics and post them FYI

I'd welcome some advice of where to go next. 

cheers

Paithre(Peter)


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Welcome to the forum Peter! We have an in house pump man here. His name is "Thepumpguysc" and he's the pump whisperer!


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## Groo (Jan 17, 2020)

bet you got air in the suction line. if the pump was completely burned up, oil would still flow.


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

Howdy Peter,
The pump that drives the loader is normally mounted up front of the engine, and the loader frame is often used as the hydraulic reservoir for the loader. Things that have happened to me are: 1) The little drive shaft between the engine pulley and the pump is broken. 2) The splines on the little drive shaft are stripped and no longer drive the pump. 3) The hydraulic reservoir in the loader frame is low. 
If your loader is using the tractor's internal (lift system) hydraulics, the loader will be very sloooow. That's because the lift pump puts out only about 4 gpm.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Welcome to the forum PAITHRE.


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## deerhide (Oct 20, 2016)

PAITHRE said:


> Hi Tractor lovers
> I've loved tractors all my life. As a young bloke I used to driver old Cases where you'd be able to stand up while you drove- you'll know the model. Also the ubiquitous IH kero Farmalls - great tractors. Then there was the little Grey Fergie- who doesn't know them.
> 
> The most fascinating tractor I've ever driven was a Lanz Bulldog. This one belonged to my uncle who was clueless mechanically. The starter didn't work so you primed it with petrol, took the cover off the flywheel(?) gripped it and rocked it back and forward until it fired. If all went well you had 3 forward and one reverse gear, if not you had 1 forward and 3 reverse, so you had to stop it and start again.
> ...


The big plug near the gearshift is to fill the transmission and differential. The dipstick near your right heel is the indicator for those 2. BigT identified where your loader pump and that reservoir is. Like he said there is a fill plug, plus a drainplug and likely a oil level indicator somewhere in the loader . I have a 135 made in the uk, a cousin in Hamilton S and another in Taz.... ps. the only thing better than a 135 is two of them!


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## PAITHRE (Jan 18, 2020)

Thanks fellers for your replies, much appreciated by a tractor newbie.

The FEL must be using the internal pump system as the high pressure hose comes from under the seat and returns fluid into the big filling plug referred to by Deerhide. I add fluid into the transmission case via a 11/16"? plug on LH vertical part of the transmission casing. 

The 3 point linkage is working but nothing comes out of the high pressure line from under the seat.
If air is the culprit how do you purge it? And yes BigT when it was working it was sssloooow.

Any ideas gents.


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## deerhide (Oct 20, 2016)

The big plug on the top of the trans to the left of the gearshifts is where you add trans *and* diff oil. If your loader is getting it's high pressure oil from under the seat it is going to be slow(less than 5 gallons per minute but over 2000psi, so don't go feeling around for leaks) and either the loader works or the 3 point hitch works. The selector control stick/knob should be under your seat.....


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