mf 35 special

[tractoriii]

Hope someone can tell me the proper engine oil and hydraulic fluid for this tractor. Just got and 3 dealers have each told me something different. Anyone know a link to the info. New to the tractor scene. Just bought 10 acres and figured I needed one. Had to do the yard anyway and for the price the landscapers wanted could not go wrong. Tractor runs great and no smoke. Just want to do it right. Any info. would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gamble77]

Motor oil should just be 10w-30, if you want to use an "industrial" motor oil that would be fine too, no big deal on the oil.

The hydraulic oil however is where you need to make sure you get it right. Massey makes special fluid called Permatran III. This fluid is non-foaming and has no "weight" applied to it. You can't go to your local auto parts store and find this stuff, nor can you go to your local Deere dealership and find it.

It is expensive, but a lift top rebuild on a MF35 runs about $400-600 depending on the control valve. And if your lift goes out its not something that you can diagnose from the outside, you HAVE to break it down and inspect it.

We have had reps from Mobile I and Shell, ect. come to our shop to try to convince us that their product was as good. We ran it with an open top, all of them did fine for about 10-20 minutes before it started foaming. Needless to say the reps left with their mouth shut and their tail between their legs.

I would never use anything but Permatran III in a tractor hydraulic system, no matter what color the tractor is. Just some advice from someone whos been around tractors their whole life.

 

[JerryG]

Like Gamble said, you can't go wrong with Permatran. It is a very good fluid that has been used for many many years and it's improvements has keep up with the times. I have never seen a problem caused by Permatran, but have repaired many systems that have had cheap substandard hydraulic fluids in them.