We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild

   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild #1  

Forester Massey

Bronze Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Messages
93
Location
Bowling Green Kentucky
Tractor
Massey 135
I got the rebuild fired up yesterday. Not without a few hiccups but I did get her going. I only lacked hooking up the gas tank and fuel. Initially it did not start and we spent nearly an hour trying to figure out why. First I had a few wires reversed on solenoid and two plug wires crossed. Then we had great spark but still would not get going.

That's when you begin to question in your mind if I had missed anything. If I had worked on it steady from the beginning I might have remembered better. But when you work on it intermittently you tend to forget if you covered everything. I felt comfortable I had, but you never know. At that point I felt like the timing was the issue. We had moved the distributor some but not much. Finally we decided to move it a lot more and it fired up immediately.

I noticed quickly that I had an antifreeze leak coming from the water temp gauge where it bolts into thermostat housing. I got that corrected but another leak surfaced and I still have not pinned it down. I believe its coming from the housing behind the thermostat housing. Its somewhat substantial. I may have to pull off the radiator but it looks like a fairly easy repair.

That was yesterday. Today I went to pick it up from my friends barn to bring home for fine tuning. It finally started and then died. After a lot of checking I determined the machine was parked on a down sloping grade and it was not getting fuel. I had not added much because I am going to have to remove tank to re-torque head bolts. I added a few more gallons and it still would not start. Battery finally was fading and I ran out of time.

I am curious to know from you that have these tractors what is the proper way to start them. I never started this tractor before the rebuild so I have no history. I have four dirt bikes and they all have to be treated different to get them going.

It seems it started best with no choke but I don't know how much fuel I should give it and if it floods easily. Any help would be appreciated. Even the manual is vague on this.
 

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   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild #2  
book says to advance throttle 1/4 to 1/2 open, pull choke all the way out, turn key to start.
 
   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild #3  
Check for clogs in the carb jets. Did you clean the fuel tank thoroughly? These old tractors generally have a load of gunk in the tank, fuel lines, filters.

Good luck.
 
   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild #4  
I got the rebuild fired up yesterday. Not without a few hiccups but I did get her going. I only lacked hooking up the gas tank and fuel. Initially it did not start and we spent nearly an hour trying to figure out why. First I had a few wires reversed on solenoid and two plug wires crossed. Then we had great spark but still would not get going.

That's when you begin to question in your mind if I had missed anything. If I had worked on it steady from the beginning I might have remembered better. But when you work on it intermittently you tend to forget if you covered everything. I felt comfortable I had, but you never know. At that point I felt like the timing was the issue. We had moved the distributor some but not much. Finally we decided to move it a lot more and it fired up immediately.

I noticed quickly that I had an antifreeze leak coming from the water temp gauge where it bolts into thermostat housing. I got that corrected but another leak surfaced and I still have not pinned it down. I believe its coming from the housing behind the thermostat housing. Its somewhat substantial. I may have to pull off the radiator but it looks like a fairly easy repair.

That was yesterday. Today I went to pick it up from my friends barn to bring home for fine tuning. It finally started and then died. After a lot of checking I determined the machine was parked on a down sloping grade and it was not getting fuel. I had not added much because I am going to have to remove tank to re-torque head bolts. I added a few more gallons and it still would not start. Battery finally was fading and I ran out of time.

I am curious to know from you that have these tractors what is the proper way to start them. I never started this tractor before the rebuild so I have no history. I have four dirt bikes and they all have to be treated different to get them going.

It seems it started best with no choke but I don't know how much fuel I should give it and if it floods easily. Any help would be appreciated. Even the manual is vague on this.

When I was working on the fuel tank refurbishing it. I went from a copper line to a high pressure fuel line to an inline fuel filter. I started it up last week after a few months of sitting. The tank was bone dry as well as the carb. One thing I've learned since being here is to pay attention to what other owners have done with their 135. Mine cranked but wouldn't start. I pulled the rubber gas line loose from the short copper line from the carb. I siphoned gas from the tank till I got the gas moving thru the line. Filter was dry too. Then tried to crank it. No go. Then I applied full choke and it sputtered. Half choke and it fired up. On a warm day I don't use the choke.

Check your throttle linkage to make sure it's moving the butterfly on the back of the carb. Check your choke cable to make sure it is opening and closing properly. Make sure you have a steady stream of gas coming from the tank. Make sure your gas line in no where close to the manifold while routed to the tank.

Sent from my iPad iOS 6.01 - TNB v1.6
 
   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks Flusher and the Kid:

All day long it was on my mind why it would not start. One thing I noticed when I came out to pick it up on Sunday (started it Saturday) was my fuel level seemed lower than I left it-but did not notice a leak. I poured another two gallons or so in the tank before I went home.

I feared that something was wrong with carb and that the float may be stuck and allowing gas through. I got back in town early and went out to take a look. As I suspected, gas was dripping from the carb and coming out the air intake side where the rubber hose is attached. Looking in the tank, the fuel was mostly gone. Once I loosed the tube, lots of gas came pouring out. My thoughts were confirmed, looks like the float would not close? I pulled the carb and brought it home but have not had time to take it apart.

The rebuild kit came with a minor carb kit. All the parts matched except the original cut-off on the float had a brace that attached to it and would cause it to move up and down with the float. The new kit came with a new cut off but did not attach securely to float. I am not sure if this is the problem or a jet is clogged and causing to gas to run over. I checked the oil level in the engine and it does not look like it leaked into engine and oil since the gas was able to leak out of carb an onto the ground. All advice is welcome.
 
   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild #6  
I fixed up a Perkins gas 135 and if I don't shut off my bowl valve my needle will leak on me also. It's ok during a day of use but if it sits, the valve needs to be closed...
 
   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild #7  
Thanks Flusher and the Kid:

All day long it was on my mind why it would not start. One thing I noticed when I came out to pick it up on Sunday (started it Saturday) was my fuel level seemed lower than I left it-but did not notice a leak. I poured another two gallons or so in the tank before I went home.

I feared that something was wrong with carb and that the float may be stuck and allowing gas through. I got back in town early and went out to take a look. As I suspected, gas was dripping from the carb and coming out the air intake side where the rubber hose is attached. Looking in the tank, the fuel was mostly gone. Once I loosed the tube, lots of gas came pouring out. My thoughts were confirmed, looks like the float would not close? I pulled the carb and brought it home but have not had time to take it apart.

The rebuild kit came with a minor carb kit. All the parts matched except the original cut-off on the float had a brace that attached to it and would cause it to move up and down with the float. The new kit came with a new cut off but did not attach securely to float. I am not sure if this is the problem or a jet is clogged and causing to gas to run over. I checked the oil level in the engine and it does not look like it leaked into engine and oil since the gas was able to leak out of carb an onto the ground. All advice is welcome.


Float problems are common. The carb on my 1951 Minneapolis Moline BF tractor has that problem occasionally. Easy to fix with these simple updraft carbs.
 
   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild #8  
I fixed up a Perkins gas 135 and if I don't shut off my bowl valve my needle will leak on me also. It's ok during a day of use but if it sits, the valve needs to be closed...
I had this same problem. It was leaking a few drops in the basement keeping that gas smell renewed. I ordered a new glass bowl type cutoff, installed it and problem solves. I'll post some pictures in my other threat. I could really tell the cuttoff was wore out comparing it to the new one.
 
   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild #9  
Thanks Flusher and the Kid:

All day long it was on my mind why it would not start. One thing I noticed when I came out to pick it up on Sunday (started it Saturday) was my fuel level seemed lower than I left it-but did not notice a leak. I poured another two gallons or so in the tank before I went home.

I feared that something was wrong with carb and that the float may be stuck and allowing gas through. I got back in town early and went out to take a look. As I suspected, gas was dripping from the carb and coming out the air intake side where the rubber hose is attached. Looking in the tank, the fuel was mostly gone. Once I loosed the tube, lots of gas came pouring out. My thoughts were confirmed, looks like the float would not close? I pulled the carb and brought it home but have not had time to take it apart.

The rebuild kit came with a minor carb kit. All the parts matched except the original cut-off on the float had a brace that attached to it and would cause it to move up and down with the float. The new kit came with a new cut off but did not attach securely to float. I am not sure if this is the problem or a jet is clogged and causing to gas to run over. I checked the oil level in the engine and it does not look like it leaked into engine and oil since the gas was able to leak out of carb an onto the ground. All advice is welcome.
It's common practive for farmers to cut thier gas off after use to keep from flooding the carb the next time they try to start it. With that said, the cutoff got alot of use and had to replace mine. The cutoff has a cork gasket between the glass bowl and the screened inlet. The cork gaskets get glazed and once disturbed seem to forever leak. The new version which on the exterior looks identical and has a rubber gasket. The seal is tight and without leaks. The cutoff with no backlask, nor loose. Around $14 bucks. A good investment. It took about twenty minutes to swap out.

Something else to check for is a leaking float. It they get a bit of gas in them they will not rise and cutoff like tier suppose to. Easy fix with some JB weld ove them seems after you rattle it and make sure the float is empty. Two things I keep in my tool box. Fingernail polish (shadetree locktight) and JB weld.
 
   / We have liftoff of my Massey 135 Rebuild
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Found the carb problem. My error on float assembly. I too ordered a new fuel bowl and cutoff valve. My cutoff valve broke when I tried to close it during tear down. Couple questions Kid.

1. I have a leak in the gas tank float for fuel gauge. Is it your experience it will hold laying in the fuel all the time?

2. This question might require a pic to go with it. Once I got the tractor started, the hydraulic leaks began to appear. The worst leak was from two bolts located just below the seat on the transmission. If I remember right, one was slightly higher elevation than the other. If you are sitting on the seat, they are in the 10-11 o'clock position. If this is not clear, I will get a pic next time I am out there. Are these bolts I can remove and put a new seal on or use thread tape to fix. Obviously, they are under pressure. I want to change fluid but want to get leaks taken care of.
 
 
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