Massey Discussion Forums > Massey Talk > tractor design faults
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RE:tractor design faults

Well - here I am with another design fault born out of experience.

I've had a frustrating time this afternoon fitting a new hose between the water pump and the bottom of the engine block on my recently acquired red Challenger.  An apparently simple job on the face of it but which turns ot to be a nightmare.

For a start you have to remove the water pump which of course means removing the fan attached by those little studs on the radiator side.  Needless to say that after many years of use these are often rounded and difficult to get a grip on in the confined space.  

Anyway, with the water pump off getting a new hose on is not so easy.  Try as one might it's not possible to ease the water pump on and at the same time ease its pipe into the hose as it goes on.

Finally it dawned on me that the only way to get a hose on is to slide a new piece of hose on to the bottom pipe as far as it will go down with some washing up liquid for lubricant.  Then cut it so that the pipe from the water pump will just pass over it.  And of course don't forget to fit the hose clips loosley and facing the right way round before you fit the hose!

Then refit the water pump and prise the hose up to it with the side of a screwdriver aided by a gentle bit of hammering on the screwdriver to get it moving.

Tomorrow its the turn of the bottom hose on the radiator which I mentioned some time ago.  But at least there is some wriggle room with that as the pipe on the bottom of the engine is removable.

John 

RE:tractor design faults

Here's a shot of the offending hose which for some reason I couldn't attach to yesterday's post

John
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RE:tractor design faults

OK boys, I agree Massey has had many faults but don't forget every other manufacture did too!! I have had several green ones that did also like the MT was way worse than my 2 Pony's to get on!! That's why I no longer have it! I taded it for a gas pump with a visible bowl. We enjoy that much more!

RE:tractor design faults

Couldn't agree more!  Every make of tractor has its faults right to the present day - as of course do cars old and new.

When I started this thread there was no intention to "have a go" at MH, Ferguson and MF, merely to have a light heated look at significant design features of our treasures that tease and taunt us, and also of course on occasions bruise our knuckles.

I have spoken to ex MF and other company service engineers ( the problem solvers) about design faults and they all say they had to go out in the field resolving problems but when they pointed out faults to the design and production engineers it was always an uphill battle to get anything righted.  This was partly because they didn't want to admit anythimg could possibly be wrong, but probably more realistically, and which I can appreciate, it was a big logistical problem to change design in the course of a production run.

Keep the amusing tales coming in!!

John 

RE:tractor design faults

John:

I just got back from China last night and had several emails that the site was down, it seems to be working now but just with a band aid until we get the new updagrades installed which may cost a small fee but I think it will be well worth it.

The reason for the engineers not listening to the problem solvers is very simple, it is all about money and to eliminate the back yard mechanic. If they make things so hard to work on, most people will look at it and just give up before they start and take it to the dealer. This is a good thing to keep the local dealer in business. The dealers work on these things day in and day out and in a short hurry figure out how to cut corners and get the job done all the same but just half the time that way they can charge full price and make twice the money.

 In my earlier days as a mechanic at the Chevrolet dealer we had a recall on the timing gears on all the Pontiac 6000s. The timing gears were made of the wrong material and would make a knocking noise even brand new cars right off the lot. GM allowed 16 hours to get this job done and if you would do it the way they said it would take at least twenty hours to do it. I racked my brain and figured out a way to cut corners and sure enough I did!! I could get this job done in just a little over two and one half hours!! Not bragging but this was a great money maker as we were getting paid for 16 hours from GM.

Had a great time in China!!!! Very friendly people!!! You can't believe how well liked Americans are until you go there!!! You really have to experience it yourself to believe it!!

Joe 
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RE:tractor design faults

Welcome back Joe and JoJo!!  I didn't hardly recognize you without a Massey shirt on!!  Glad you had a great time.  Look forward to a full report!!

GTE

RE:tractor design faults

My 101 Senior had a bodged up air inlet pipe (air filter to carburettor), so I found an original to replace it.

Came to fit it yesterday and found that you have to take the hood off it to do so unless it's me that's incompetent or my age is condemning me to limb and muscular inflexiblity and incapability.  What an effort for such an apparenly simple task!

John 

RE:tractor design faults

John:

Look at it on the bright side............You shouldn't have to do it for another 60 years!!!!!

Joe

RE:tractor design faults

It's good that the web site seems to be working as it should again.

I've been working on having some of my U frame vaporisers fitting them with new tubes.  They don't run smoothly or at all if the tubes are perforated - they pull too much air in.

Anyway it dawned on me that there is a glaring comparison between the Massey U frames with these Rodgers vaporisers and the grey Ferguson TE type paraffin (kerosene) tractors.  Once a U frame is started you can turn them over from petrol (gas) to paraffin in as little as about two minutes as they are so efficient at heating the tubes which vaporise the paraffin. 

However probably half our TE Fergusons were paraffin tractors and Ferguson never fitted a vaporiser.  Instead an aluminium cowl was fitted round the manifold to hold the heat in to the inlet duct from the carburettor.  On a cold day with a wind it could take a long time for the inlet duct to get to a sufficient heat to vaporise the paraffin.  Often they would cough and splutter something awful and as soon as you stopped work and had them on tickover the whole problem would start again.  They were also hopeless on paraffin when on very light work such as planting vegetable transplants where low forward speed was of the essence - I remember my father running his tractor on petrol for such work.

What I am saying is that the Ferguson engineers could have looked over the fence into Massey territory and adopted their set up for effective vaporisation of paraffin.

John

RE:tractor design faults

JoePoncelet wrote: John:



Then they got smart and lowered it down on the 333-444s that was great but now the belt pulley runs all the time and you have to wait until the belt pulley stops to shift gears or grind it into gear. It is not so bad if you remove the belt pulley and cap it off but if you want to belt up to something it is a hassel to remove the cap and put the pulley on every time.

Joe


Joe, are you saying that the belt pulley will run anytime the clutch is released?  Isn't there a control for that?

Thanks, Glenn