New to forum rebuilding MF 35

[smack7]

HI all, New to the forum. I am having engine trouble and think I am going to have to open up the engine and possible do some major work. I have been searching the net for a manual that will guide me through the process. A dvd showing step by step would be nice as well. 1961 MF 35 Perkins 3 cylinder diesel.

I have 3200 hours on my tractor, and 20 hours ago spent $4500 to have it worked on. I was losing compression and it was running rough and blowing smoke. No issues with charging the oil pan. When my mechanic worked on it he felt it would be best to replace rings ect while it was apart. Told it should last for many years once this was done but after only 20 hours of easy use, the engine made a pop/poof sound and began to run rough and oil began to pour up the dip stick. So I have a major issue. I should also say that after I received it back from the work, I thought there was a lot of metal clank noise when I ran it. It did run with power and the mechanic thought there would be a breaking in period and that this is how it probably should sound like. I also noticed that between the 2nd and third piston the head gasket leaked/foamed at the gasket as soon as I started it up. The mechanic came out to the site and changed out to another head gasket and said it was fixed. Trouble is that when I ran it, there was still a leak about an inch long at the same spot. He thought this would seal up, and that if not he would come out and change it out. He had trouble torquing the head bolt in this location. It never did seal, and he runs behind in the shop so did not get to it this winter. Now its spring and after pushing a little snow over the winter and starting it up every few weeks to warm it up I began to grade some gravel, light work and poof something let go. Smoke out the exhaust and oil out the dip stick.

Any help would be appreciated. It is a 1961 MF with the 3 cylinder Perkins diesel. Nice tractor, I am dearly missing it already as the weeds are growing and there is work to be done.

I have the user manual but not a rebuild manual.

Glad the forum is here. Thanks for your help.

Steve

 

[banjodunn]

G'day sorry to hear your prob I think you may have a cracked or holed piston so it is at least head off, If you have only done 20 hrs since it was basically rebuilt anyway I think your mech should back his/her work and look at it for you. You should not have had any unusual noises that are going to settle in after running it and you should not have a leaking h/gasket there must be something wrong if he can't tension it properly! Good luck with it and let us know how you get on.
These old girl go for years.

Jon

 

[retread]

I agree 100% with Jon from OZ . You spent a lot money on the repairs and the mechanic should warrantee his work . Something wasnt right as the unusual noises shouldnt have been in there when you picked it up and 20 hours is nothing on that motor . As a general rule noises never heal up or get any better with use .

A holed piston or burned streak down along the side of it sounds pretty accurite diagnosis from the way you describe it , as its got a lot of blowby in the crankcase . And you have that leak between the block and the cylinder head .... it sounds like the fellow is going to be going back inside the engine again

I'm not a diesel mechanic but been a mech all my life and ran my own automotive shop for 20+ years , once in awhile something goes haywire on a repair and you just have to bite the bullet and redo it . Lots of variables , machine shop screws up or a bad part ... Its not fun but thats how it works . I'd have a talk with the fellow that rebuilt the motor ( from my understanding thats what he did ? ) Once you open it or tamper with it he can say you voided the warantee and it could turn into a mess for you .

Good luck
retread

 

[Depmandog]

The moderators get upset if we link to other forums, but I found the workshop manual very quickly by searching Perkins 3.152 engine manual. It's a 22 MB file.

Good luck, I feel your pain.

 

[smack7]

Thanks for the info. I am going to let the mechanic try and fix it. I would only go into the motor if he wont. Thanks for the search "link".

This has been a great little tractor and one day it will ride again. I would like to restore it like I have seen a few people do on the internet.