MH 30

[Richard G.]

I have rebuilt over 50 engines.
Have never spent over $700 on one.
I use whatever is still usable and only replace something if it is really bad.
These old tractor engines are very forgiving as opposed to a modern diesel truck engine

 

[Leroy]

Don't know if it will work but Might just take each rod looe and clean-shine up the jurnel and bearing and put back and be good, Years ago 74 Chevy pickup with the 350 engine, I had it parked in barn for quite a while, had been full of oil when parked. Started it up and drove around barn possimly 300 feet when it stoped locked up. Found no oil in, have no idea where it dissapered to as I left it full of oil. Filled it with oil and left set for a day thinking the worst. Next day went out to try cranking it and started up as fast as normal. Never did have to tear engine down. Drove lots of miles after that and never would have known it locked up. Unbelieveabe! Wife sold it 12 years ago while I was recovering from 5 bypasses thinking I would never be able to drive it. Wish She hadden't.

 

[J.Wondergem]

(quoted from post at 14:32:10 01/03/23) I have a MH 30. I use it to pull round bales around. Last night I started it up and left it running for a minute to warm up. I got talking to my wife and when I went out there it had run out of gas. Put gas in it and it wouldn't start. Figured the battery was dead. Now it's acting like the engine is stuck. Can't turn the flywheel. Onn another tractor I have this happens sometimes and I just rotate the flywheel with the handcrank a little-- this one won't budge. Any solutions?

It's time to pull the pan and see what happened.

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 13:04:03 01/04/23) Thanks. I haven't had time to inspect further yet but I think I will either fix it or find an engine. The MH tractors are pretty common here in northern Maine but not the 30's. It's a tractor I got for $200 so at least I haven't spent too much to start. Thanks for the help. I'll be in touch.

How far north is northern Maine?

 

[old]

If the battery was in fact low you may have a jammed starter drive in the ring gear.. Pull the starter off and they try the hand crank or a pry bar in the ring gear teeth. If you can';t move it with the pry bar take the plugs out and try again.

 

[Harryaroo]

I'm just north of Caribou-- about as far north as you can go in Maine.

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 06:25:28 01/07/23) I'm just north of Caribou-- about as far north as you can go in Maine.

We go plenty further north on our snowmobiles. We ride through a lot of potato fields in Caribou.

 

[Harryaroo]

It's 47 miles from my farm to Edmundston-- not far.

 

[Jim.ME]

That is a much easier ride now than it was in the early 70s, before the interstate was built much above Bangor, when I had to haul a Cat loader to Fort Kent from the Augusta area. That was a long day in an old R model Mack.

In more recent years I worked several paper machine outages at the Madawaska Mill. I enjoyed the time up there and the people were great to deal with.