I bought a Massey Ferguson 130 (no, not a misprint- it was a 130) at the Woodburn Auction in Oregon- hadn't really looked at it, but it was only bringing $1,750 for a MF diesel, how could I go wrong? So I took it home for $1,800.
The 3 point arms were dragging on the ground, so I figured the hydraulic system needed cleaned up, and new filter. Also, it leaked hydraulic oil where the rear axle housing had broken, and someone welded it all up. A real cob-job, looked like he11.
Went to the local tractor salvage place, run by a friend of mine. Asked if he had any manuals for a MF 130- his eyes lit up, and he said "You bet"! Brought out both parts and service manuals. He said, "Now, you keep these when you're done. Give 'em to the new owner, or throw 'em away. But I don't ever want to see them again." I asked why, and he laughed, "Because if I don't have the manuals, I have a good excuse never to work on one of those *&%$ things ever again!" Turned out he did have the rear axle housing out in the boneyard, so that problem was solved.
I got into the hydraulic system, and sure enough, it was just dirty and completely plugged up. Cleaned it up, new filter, and it worked! Boy, I'll turn a grand on this baby, easy!
Took it out and used it, and the dew started to fall off the lily. Engine was just plain tired- hard starting, and missed on the back cylinder (and smoked like a chimney) until it got warmed up. 3 point wouldn't hold position- leaking by the piston, I surmised.
Took it to local consignment auction, in Chehalis. Struggled to get to $1,600, so I bid it back in.
Took it back to Woodburn, and was thrilled when some guy took it off my hands for $2,100. Almost broke even, if you don't count my time, and hauling it all over kingdom come to get rid of it. I happened to be out back, and overheard the new owner as he looked it over with his friend. He finally got around to looking at the tag below the steering wheel, and his reaction was priceless: "WHAT? Made in &^%#%$ FRANCE? Oh, ^%*#@&%$!"
I still have a reminder of it- I built a stairway to my overhead storage area, hinged at the top, with cables so I can lift it up overhead and out of the way. I used the cobbled up rear axle housing as the counter weight.
Still have a few old tractors with fairly minor problems that need fixed, which I will do if I ever retire. As we say in the tractor jockey business, "Your triumphs are soon forgotten, but your mistakes accumulate."
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Today's Featured Article - Listening to Your Tractor - by Curtis Von Fange. Years ago there was a TV show about a talking car. Unless you are from another planet, physically or otherwise, I don’t think our internal combustion buddies will talk and tell us their problems. But, on the other hand, there is a secret language that our mechanical companions readily do speak. It is an interesting form of communication that involves all the senses of the listener. In this series we are going to investigate and learn the basic rudimentary skills of understanding this lingo.
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