135 massey ferguson hydraulic filter

megana · Jun 5, 2013

Hi I am needing to change the hydraulic filter on my 135 massey. Do I have to drain the fluid out to access the filter. I was told to access it from the pto lever plate. thanks for helping.

Brakeman · Jun 6, 2013

Hey megana, I just changed the fluid on my 135 and believe you have to drain at least the majority of the fluid to get it below the filter. Also so no debris gets into the system. I drained the whole thing to make sure there was nothing major in there. I found metal fillings, I guess the previous owner ground the gears a bit because the clutch wasn't adjusted properly.

megana · Jun 6, 2013

thanks brakeman my lift shudders as it goes up and they said to try changeing the filter

The kid · Jun 7, 2013

megana said:
Hi I am needing to change the hydraulic filter on my 135 massey. Do I have to drain the fluid out to access the filter. I was told to access it from the pto lever plate. thanks for helping.

Hutch aka shona13 has had discussions on this very topic. The filter is is secured with a wire to keep the top of the filter from unscrewing. One will have to do this by feel so illustrations of orientation of the pump filter is a must. The main hazzard is dropping the lower cup of the filter which has trapped debris while removing the filter. The filter is held in place with two cups. One facing downward (top) and one facing upwards bottom. The top is secured with a sealable wingnut to prevent loosening.

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Two choices for the removal of fluid. Drain nearly all your eight gallons of fluid out. OR familarize yourself and remove carefully by feel. You just don't want to drop any parts down into the abyss that you'll have to fish out. There is also a rubber gasket on the bottom of the lower cup. Either way your going to do more feeling than looking. Sooo.. If you haven't changed the fluid. Then this is the time to do so first before removing the filter (remember 8 gallons behind those plugs. Two of them) Pay close attention how the PTO lever is positioned when removing it. If your doing this full of oil, beware of the safety wire on the filter could be sharp on the ends.

Just a note. If you don't have a service manual. Do alot of homework before opening any cover on your tractor. It's advisable to get a manual for future issues if needed. Brown, coffee colored oil means it has water in it. The bad oil usually resided on the bottom of the sump, so a dipstick look can be deceptive. First place to look for water entry is your shifter boots. Replace them. If you replace your oil get an extra gallon. While refilling start checking oil level after seven gallons so as to not overfill. Ohh the filler cap is located just to the left front from your gear shifter on top of the tranny. This is the hole you access if the shifter gets stuck. Have fun. Getting greasy with out tractors is a love. -kid

megana · Jun 7, 2013

thanks kid this info is very usefull.

murphy1244 · Jun 7, 2013

Good post Kid!:thumbsup:

casual tractor user · Jun 8, 2013

I have read some of the 3point hitch posts with interest since my 135 doesn't have much lifting power. I am going to try to change the oil and filter using shona13's procedure and Kid's pictures as guidance. My question is when looking up the filter asm on the agco site, how do you know which hydraulic pump page to use? I can eliminate some since I don't have pressure control or (I believe) an orchard model, but that still leaves at least 2 types. My serial number (9A11766) shows as a 1967 but the site doesn't seem to point me to either diagram. From the procedure given I am assuming I should use pages 364, 376, or 378 which all give the filter as 521451M1 and oring as 831907M1. The other setup is on page 375C and has the filter and oring as a set with part # 1871933M91. Assuming this is correct (lots of assumptions here) this problem is solved, but am I missing something on the correct way to narrow down my parts search? Will anyone verify my thoughts here? I sure appreciate you folks sharing your information--saves a whole lot of confusion and frustration.

The kid · Jun 8, 2013

casual tractor user said:
I have read some of the 3point hitch posts with interest since my 135 doesn't have much lifting power. I am going to try to change the oil and filter using shona13's procedure and Kid's pictures as guidance. My question is when looking up the filter asm on the agco site, how do you know which hydraulic pump page to use? I can eliminate some since I don't have pressure control or (I believe) an orchard model, but that still leaves at least 2 types. My serial number (9A11766) shows as a 1967 but the site doesn't seem to point me to either diagram. From the procedure given I am assuming I should use pages 364, 376, or 378 which all give the filter as 521451M1 and oring as 831907M1. The other setup is on page 375C and has the filter and oring as a set with part # 1871933M91. Assuming this is correct (lots of assumptions here) this problem is solved, but am I missing something on the correct way to narrow down my parts search? Will anyone verify my thoughts here? I sure appreciate you folks sharing your information--saves a whole lot of confusion and frustration.

As I see in illustrated in the parts book. To be positive you could feel inside to the lower part of the filter. If it feels like a cup which is similar in shape to the top. Then use that part number. Some of the filters have more of a flat holder on the bottom with a slight rim. Others the filter attaches to the base without a cup. If you have drained the tractor you should be able to inspect and compare how the filter and caps are put together visually. Take pictures to share with us.

Pages 376, and 378 illustrate the strainer filter as the same. Look how they have similar top and bottom with only one rubber O ring. BTW, you can clean this filter. It is not meant to be thrown away unless it's damaged or highly contaminated and impacted. Diesel fuel or gasoline should dissolve any contaminants and reinstall. It is a micro metal mesh filter. -kid

Mike476 · Jun 9, 2013

All good advice, other thing to remember about 135s when discussing contaminated fluid is the fact that any excess grease from the three point lift arms will fall directly into the case. When I removed the lift cover on mine to troubleshoot similar issues, aside from the coffee looking fluid caused by water making its way into the case through cracked shift lever boots was a sludge all through the bottom of the case and completely blocking the filter. Sure worked sweet after a thorough cleaning, new shift lever boots, fluid and filter.

The kid · Jun 9, 2013

Mike476 said:
All good advice, other thing to remember about 135s when discussing contaminated fluid is the fact that any excess grease from the three point lift arms will fall directly into the case. When I removed the lift cover on mine to troubleshoot similar issues, aside from the coffee looking fluid caused by water making its way into the case through cracked shift lever boots was a sludge all through the bottom of the case and completely blocking the filter. Sure worked sweet after a thorough cleaning, new shift lever boots, fluid and filter.

Unless he is removing the lift cover then that won't be an issue. However if he's reading and the tractor has a great deal of water contaminated oil he might consider removing the top. But that requires some background knowledge of removing it first. One can tell if there is a great deal of sludge in the bottom after draining both cavities. You can stick your hand in there and use a finger to feel if there is still a lot of sludge on the bottom. If so. One might consider with help of another and a service manual removing the cover and rinsing the bottom with kerosene and letting it thoroughly drain before adding the new oil. I highly advise if the OP has never done that then consider a second oil change shortly after this one. No chance of damaging something and only be out of the cost of oil. -kid