Mowing Massey Ferguson TO30 1954 Low RPM's When Bushhogging

[BobbyCarmon]

When I'm bush hogging the rpm's never changes,not allowing me to cut thick grass or small saplings. When I have the throttle wide open, which is most of the time when I'm mowing. The pto shaft never turn any faster when I'm mowing. Can anyone help me with this problem? I hope I gave you a enough inforamation to help.
Thanks
bobbycarmon

 

[BobG_in_VA]

When I'm bush hogging the rpm's never changes,not allowing me to cut thick grass or small saplings. When I have the throttle wide open, which is most of the time when I'm mowing. The pto shaft never turn any faster when I'm mowing. Can anyone help me with this problem? I hope I gave you a enough inforamation to help.
Thanks
bobbycarmon

Not sure what you are trying to say....is it the engine rpm's won't go up when you move the throttle, or the rotary cutter rpm's won't go up when the engine accellerates? BobG in VA

 

[BobbyCarmon]

Bob, it's the engine rpm's that won't go up when you move the throttle. When I look back at the cutter shaft it's hasn't increased in speed either. Do thy work in conjunction with one another? 1st tractor I ever owned, I need all the help I can get.
Thanks

 

[aczlan]

Does that tractor have more than one setting where you engage the PTO?
Many tractors of that vintage had a "Engine PTO" setting where the engine speed directly controlled the PTO speed as well as a "Ground PTO" where the PTO speed is directly related to your ground speed.

Aaron Z

 

[beesink]

I have a (new to me) MF 135 and have experienced something similar. I posted an inquiry but have not received a response.

At what RPM level does the your engine run at full throttle at rest and under a load? I believe the governor is designed to keep the RPM level up when under load and keep it down when not. With my 135 it tops out at 1500 RPM when setting still and maintains a constant 1500 RPM when loaded. I believe that as the engine slows under load, the throttle increases the gas flow to keep the RPM steady. So the engine gets more fuel, which is needed to keep the engine RPM up. Much like driving a car uphill and pressing the accelerator to keep RPM and ground speed up.

Power RPMs of 1500 gets the job done but seems low. I believe it should run around 2000 RPM for the Perkins diesel, Perkins gas, and Continental 145 gas, and around 2,200 for the Continental 134 gas engine.

I think our conditions are similar and may be related to a governor linkage issue or a carburetor jet adjustment.

I hope someone else knows.

Good luck

Joe

 

[Jerry/MT]

When I'm bush hogging the rpm's never changes,not allowing me to cut thick grass or small saplings. When I have the throttle wide open, which is most of the time when I'm mowing. The pto shaft never turn any faster when I'm mowing. Can anyone help me with this problem? I hope I gave you a enough inforamation to help.
Thanks
bobbycarmon

I'm not sure I understand your problem. but i'll try to explain how the tractor is supposed to work.

Unless your tractor has an aftermarket tach, 540 pto speed is supposed be around 3/4 open throttle(~1500 engine rpm). If you set the throttle at 1500 rpm with the pto engaged and then move into grass, a properly functioning governor will allow some "droop" in the rpm with increasing load maybe 50-100 engine rpm, depending on the change in load. The pto always turns slower than the engine speed. You do know that you have to engage the pto with that lever on the left side of the transmission housing to make the pto turn do you?
If your goveror is operating correctly, you should get 2200 rpm at full throttle and you are overspeeding the pto to almost 800 rpm ( not a good idea!). Since you engine is governed to 2200 max rpm, the pto will not speed up beyond that.

Does this help???

 

[BobbyCarmon]

Thanks, Jerry
This helps alot.

 

[BobbyCarmon]

Thanks, Joe

 

[beesink]

Does your TO30 have a tachometer? If so, what top RPM level does it achieve at full throttle without a load? What is the recommended engine RPM to achieve 540 PTO RPMs?

With my 135, it does not go beyond 1500 ever. Tractor Data lists the engine RPM needed to achieve 540 PTO RPMs to be 1700. So at 1500 the PTO is only running at 476.

This is ok for my 4ft cutter because it is undersized for the 35 PTO HP, but I still would like to know if a governor linkage adjustment or a carburetor jet adjustment is needed to achieve rated RPMs.

Perhaps someone will know and explain.

If I do not get a response I will wait until my MF shop manual arrives and check there. I will let you know then.

Joe

 

[Jerry/MT]

With my 135, it does not go beyond 1500 ever. Tractor Data lists the engine RPM needed to achieve 540 PTO RPMs to be 1700. So at 1500 the PTO is only running at 476.

If you can only get 1500 rpm with a Continental engine, your governor linkage is not adjusted properly, your governor is defective, or or you fuel supply is limited by some sort of blockage.