MF 255

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MF 255

Sandy Smock	Yesterday I bought a MF 255. It seems to be in fair shape mechanically. It looks great with its new paint job and new seat. I have to admit, that scares me a little as I only paid $5,300 for it. Now that its mine, I want to give it some immediate attention. Yesterday I bought both the internal & external air filter and a new ignition switch and I put them in. I bought the oil filter but not the engine oil. My questions are: 1) What kind of oil is recommended perkins 4cyl)? 2) What is the oil capacity (quarts)? 3) What else should I do now that she's mine?
Jeff Z.	For the Perkins diesel an excellent choice in motor oil would be Shell Rotella T 15w-40. http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=rotella-en&FC2=/rotella-en/html/iwgen/products/zzz_lhn.html&FC3=/rotella-en/html/iwgen/products/product_rotellamulti.html
Jeff Z.	For cold weather Shell Rotella 10w-30 is a good choice. For extremely cold weather a good choice would be ROTELLA T Synthetic SAE 5W-40
Len	I use Rotella 15-30 year round in Mo. If I recall, it holds 5-6 quarts for an oil change. I scratch the hours on the filter and change mine about every 100 hours, I'll change mine about 3x per year. Mine has a block heater, if it's cold (20F or below) 30 minutes of block heater before starting really helps. Depending on how yours was cared for, some things to check: Check the radiator air flow for clogs, it's a little hard to get to some areas. I'd pull the power steering housing and check the filter screen. Mine had a hole, so wasn't screening anything. Grease the front steering and axle pivot points (over grease the first time)
Joe	Someone mentioned to grease the front end. Make sure you grease all front end points and do not miss the CENTER PIVOT under the front center of the tractor. Also grease the fittings on the peddles (and their linkage if they have one on the linkage...can't remember) Also grease the 3 point good.
Tom Kimmel	I too have recently aquired A MF255. And thanks for your notes on engine oil, radiator cleaning, greasing etc. Mine seems in excellent condition, very tight though I am replacing the right tie rod end. The tach shows about 4000 hours but doesn't work so who knows. The tires are about 2/5 but not cracking. I maintain a mile of dirt/gravel road to the mail box. Its hilly and with a full box blade of gravel the wheels slip. So, question, How much additional traction can I expect with water in the tires? It seems the added weight might help stabilize its use with the bucked as well. Any advice will be welcome, Thanks Tom
Gale Hawkins	Checking the valve (tappets) is key to do after you get one without service history or know it has not been done. We just got the FIL 1976 265 MF with 1226 actual hours and everyone said skip checking the valves so that was a red flag. :) With .012 of an inch being correct they ranged from .011 to .016 except for #6 which was at .035 but being a diesel I did not hear it being loose. After getting it back to running I used coolant flush to clean the block and took the radiator to the a shop to be professionally cleaned and flow tested. With the nose open and battery out I am cleaning, scraping and will repaint all the parts as I go back together with it. May or may not take all the red sheet metal to a paint shop. I need to get it back together so I can bush hog the stalks and get stated with my new MBX 960 Bush Hog box blade cleaning up around the place before putting the farm on the market. I am going deeper than most to make it look and function like new. He used it this summer before his passing Labor Day weekend and was 93. In another 33 years I will be 91 so I am trying to go overboard plus it has been in the family 33 years already. Lot of good pointers have been posted.

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