Need Help With Purchase Decision

[Adam Davis]

New to the forum.

I'm a real novice on tractors and need some help on a purchase decision. I have the opportunity to purchase a 231. There are a couple of things that concern me:

There's a leak of some kind on the driver's side. It is above the exhaust manifold but I can't tell exactly where. It doesn't appear to be pouring out, but it's all the way down the side of the block.
The tractor had no oil in it. This could be related to the third and most important problem, the tractor smokes rather heavily when it is first started and at idle. When I give the throttle some gas, it pours out blue smoke. when I let off, it still smokes but not as much. However, when I do full throttle, it doesn't smoke at all. Once you do full throttle for 30 seconds or a minute, it doesn't smoke when you put it back down to idle.

Anyone willing to help with 1) what the smoking problem and leak may be may be and 2) should I take a chance on the tractor or would it need an immediate rebuild?

Thanks everyone.

 

[Jason S.]

I can't remember which one and somebody on here may remember better than me but it was either the 231 or 231S that was a lemon. My local dealer said to avoid them. I'm thinking it was the 231 and the 231S had some of the problems worked out,but I could be wrong.

 

[FBH44]

I didn't want to say anything yesterday, but the little alarm bells went off when youj said 231. The bakc of my mind, I seem to remember something about them. Do your research first.

 

[Phil Tibbetts]

I'm thinking it was the 235 that had steering problems.

 

[Welding man]

231 was made in POLAND by URSUS. Don't have a very good reputation in my part of the country.I have worked on a couple and they are some what crude.

 

[maxwell99]

adam,
my friend and neighbor has a 245 MF diesel and it has been a good tractor.

take your time, no reason to buy someone else's problems,
may be more money up front, but its a pay me now or pay me later situation.

 

[Dean]

Bingo.

235, not the 231.

Dean

 

[Red Mist]

I have a friend who is a retired MF mechanic and he says the 235 had major steering problems. He says the cure is to put a good MF 35 or 135 steering box on a 235.
He built me a 235 with a 35 steering box and 35 sheet metal/grille and fenders. Looks like a 35 but cranks and works like a 235. I really like it.

 

[ih_bug]

I had a 231 and loved it put about 800 trouble free hrs on it (bought it used with 300 hrs) only thing I bought for it was a new tach the original got broke .solid little tractor lots of power very little smoke easy starting easy on fuel with the 3 152 perkins only sold it because i got a cab tractor with a loader and couldn't afford them both. sold it to a neighbor maybe have a chance to buy it back someday.