MF Fluids

[Brown in MA]

I am going to change the fluids in my 1956 MF50, spec book says "API Service Class "MS" Oil" for crankcase and straight mineral oil SAE80 or 90 for hydraulics/tranny/diff. What does everybody run in their old tractors for oil? I bought the tractor a couple years ago and haven't put many hours on it but I know the guy before me haden't changed the oils in a while. thanks

 

[maxwell99]

in my TO-35

I use Shell Rotella 15w40 in the motor and wix or napa gold filters, be sure the spring and washer are still in the top of oil filter canister.

I buy GL-1 oil at NAPA for the trans/hyd system.

GL-1 is the mineral oil required for the trans.

any oil would work for the hyd system, but you need the mineral oil for proper lube of the bearings in the trans.
Remember: you have a 50+ year old tractor.
so you have to practice old school ways.

 

[Brown in MA]

I appreciate the quick response, I was looking into the Napa GL-1, it is SAE90 if I am correct? I live in New England so is this weight too thick for winter temps? I acutally just purchased a spin on conversion oil filter but will keep the old can if I ever decide to restore it.

 

[Brown in MA]

Also is it Shell Rotella T or just shell Rotella? What is the difference?

 

[Eric in IL]

Call your local Massey dealer and ask if it is OK to use their Permatran in the transmission.

I am using it in a model 65, hydraulics work much quicker in winter.

 

[Don-Wi]

Run a good quality deisel rated 15W-40 in the engine, and Massey's Perma-Tran in the rearend. The GL1 mineral oil is much thinner than the typical 80W-90 gear lube, more like today's conventional hydraulic oil. As time has went on Massey upgraded their oils from the GL-1 mineral 90 weight, to today's Perma-Tran 821XL (atleast that's what it was last time we bought it)

There shouldn't be any problems running upgraded oils in your older tractor. We run it in our Continental gas 165 which is as old as we go on our farm, but new fluids are ok, contrary to some people's opinions. The oils have better addative packages and work better than those of yesteryear.

If you use the tractor mainly in the winter or don't want another oil laying around, you can use 10W-30 in the engine. Just a word of caution though- without roller lifters, todays oil for gas engines is missing something that wears the old school lifters and cams a bit faster. For any engine oil you run, I'd go with a deisel rated oil because it holds up better to the uses of a tractor's engine, and it still has some of those addatives in it.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[maxwell99]

I always just ask for shell rotella 15w40, it may be shell rotella T, I never really looked at the container that close.

Back to the GL-1 oil for the trans/hyd system.
These old tractors have ran for 50+ years using GL-1 oil and they are still running strong. My issue is why take a chance on using something not designed for the trans bearings.

We will not live long enough to see it, but I wonder if the new tractors of today will still be running 50 years from now. Probably not, as most of the plastic parts will have rotted off of them.

Good luck with your tractor.

I would sure like to have one of those spin on oil filters for my TO=35, but be careful with it as it is mounted low on crackcase, a small tree can pop up under the front axle and knock it off.

My old AC D-14 had a spin on oil filter in 1957 but it was mounted up high and farther back on the frame of the tractor.

 

[Brown in MA]

I am going with the shell Rotella 15w40 for crankcase and the Napa GL-1 hydraulic oil. As far as the spin on filter, if I am not mistaken is goes right where the old canister goes but with a new stud in the MF50, that was my impression but maybe I am wrong. Anyways thanks for everybody"s advice on the subject.