Estimation of Massey Ferguson tractors life and repair distribution functions and required number of

repairmen

Abstract In order to reach suitable and effective performance of farm machines, on time agricultural
operations is important. Also, using human resources productively and its productive enhancement
needs appropriate planning. In the current study, the life and repair distribution functions of three
tractors were estimated, and then, the necessary number of repairmen was determined in such a way
that supplies the minimum waiting time to repair in one hand, and maximum human productivity is
obtained in the other hand. Three tractors were under the study; i.e. two Massey Ferguson 285 and one
Massey Ferguson 399. The tractors working data were gathered for 1100hours. Then, the Monte-Carlo
simulation method was applied to simulate tractors working conditions for around 3500hours to have
more reliable estimation of life and repair distribution functions. The results showed two functions for
life and repair times; i.e. Exponential for life and 2-parameter Weibull for repair. Furthermore, two
repairmen should be employed to have minimum waiting time to repair and maximum economic
benefits from the view point of useful tractors working hours

Introduction In order obtain suitable and effective farm machinery performance besides higher crop
yield, on time farm machinery field operations are essential. Farm tractors are important machines that
used for soil tillage, crop planting and protection. It is even used for harvesting crops in some areas.
Thus, any failure in farm tractors influences the series of field operations. Farm managers are usually
looking for high reliable farm machineries to complete necessary operation in the pre-determined time
Hunt.1 However, farm tractors stop due to break downs and it is desired that they repaired on a
minimum time and back to farms. Farm machinery costs are divided into two categories, i.e. owning or
fixed costs and operating or variable costs Morris.2 The cost of farm machinery repair and maintenance
can contribute to most of farm machinery operational costs (after fuel) which can be reached to 15-60%
of total crop production costs Mobley.3 Having an effective repair and maintenance program, the costs
of machinery maintenance and failures will be reduced to an optimum point Lips et al.,4 by gathering
machinery failures data on the farms, the failures distribution function can be estimated well and then
some important issues such as machinery reliability and energy failures can be predicted as well
Barabadi et al.,5 Billinton et al.6 In addition, the required number of repair-mans can be predicted by
simulation of data in such a way that farm machines imposes minimum waiting time for repair. The
common life distribution functions for continuous data are Normal, Exponential, Logarithmic and
Weibull Haj Shirmohammadi.7 Weibull functions with wider applications can be descending, ascending
or constant based on the function parameters Bartkute et al.8 In a study it has been found that the
reliability function of failures data of tractors Massey Ferguson 285 can be estimated by an Exponential
function Poozesh et al.9 Another study showed that the failures of combine harvester John Deer 955
followed 2-parameter Weibull function Vafaee et al.10 Liange11 used Exponential function for
estimation of farm machinery failures. Rotz12 developed a model

based on equipment price and operating hours. Testing the model showed that the costs were more
realistic when the area worked was considered instead of the operating hours. After estimation of
functions by using available life and repair data, a widely applied method namely Monte-Carlo
simulation method was employed to simulate tractors life and repair characteristics for longer time. In
other words, Monte-Carlo simulation produces distributions of possible outcome values based on an
idea of using randomness to solve problems that might be deterministic in principle Salami.13 Monte-
Carlo simulation relies on repeated random sampling to obtain numerical results. A simple random
sample is a subset of individuals (a sample) chosen from a larger set (a population). Each individual is
chosen randomly and entirely by chance while each individual has the same probability of being chosen
at any stage during the sampling process, and each subset of k individuals has the same probability of
being chosen for the sample as any other subset of k individuals. Monte-Carlo simulation then calculates
results over and over, each time using a different set of random values from the probability functions. A
Monte Carlo simulation could involve thousands or tens of thousands of recalculations before it is
complete. The objective of this study was to estimate two distribution functions for tractors Massey
Ferguson 285 (MF285) and 399 (MF399), the first function will estimate life distribution and the second
one will be used for estimation of maintenance time. Then, the number of required repair-mans was
estimated considering minimum tractors waiting time for repair in one hand, and minimum cost of
repair in another hand. The statistical methods were applied to determine distribution function and
Monte-Carlo simulation method was used to determine required number of repairmen.

Materials and methods

This study was conducted in 8 months from spring to autumn 2016 in Fars province, Iran. The data
related to the life of three tractors were gathered. The tractors were MF285 and MF399 having a life of
5100hr at the time of study. The MF tractors were chosen since this tractor is most common tractor in
Iran while MF285 is more available. Thus, we consider the condition of the study when two MF285 and
one MF399 are available. The data of tractor repair times was gathered from a local repair center where
the data was recorded. The life and repair data of around 1100hr were gathered representing that when
and why each tractor was broken down and how much time was taken to be repaired.

Results and discussion Fitting model The parameter U of tendency test was higher than that of chisquare
for all the tractors meaning that the data related to the life and repair times were homogeneous Hall et
al.14 The fitting tests revealed that the best function for tractors’ life and repair were Exponential and 2-
parameter Weibull, respectively. The fitted Exponential function of tractor T1 has been shown in Figure
1. The parameter λ for tractors T1, T2 and T3 were 0.021, 0.017 and 0.023, respectively. Accordingly, the
life function of tractors has been given in Table 1. The parameter α and β and the predicted 2-parameter
Weibull functions of tractors T1, T2 and T3 has been shown in Table 2. The magnitude of β for T3 shows
that the tractor is near to the end of its economic life or the frequency of repairs are increased Najafi et
al.,15 In other words, tractor T3 need more repair than tractors T1 and T2. After the prediction of
distribution functions, the cumulative functions were estimated. The cumulative function of tractor T1,
for instance, is as following: Cumulative Exponential function ( 0.021 ) () 1 t Ft e − = − (6) The Monte-
Carlo simulation was applied to simulate life and repair times of tractors for 3500hours. Some part of
the results has been shown in Table 3. For instance, the first random data from the simulation of T1 was
0.48 and the corresponding life was 31.3hr, and for the repair simulation, the first random data was 0.96
and the corresponding repair time was 4.75hr. the data for tractors T2 and T3 are also given as well.

Conclusion

Most studies have focused on the estimation of tractors repair and maintenance costs, not estimation
of required repairmen for tractors to minimize tractors down time. This is the first study on the
investigation of required number of repairmen for Massey Ferguson tractors in Iran in order to minimize
costs of repair and waiting time to repairs. The results showed that the best function for life and repair
of tractors were Exponential and 2-parameter Weibull distribution function, respectively. Monte-Carlo
simulation suggested that two repairmen should be employed if minimum cost besides minimum
waiting time is critical. Although only the calculations related to the costs have been shown here, the
reduction on the waiting times lead to one time farm

operations which in turn increase crop yield which is not described more here. More investigation on
this issue is suggested for future studies. Our observations revealed that around 80% of farmers are
more satisfied with tractor MF285 than MF399. Seemingly, one of the reasons is that farmers are not so
practically familiar with the new tractor MF399 and cannot work with it suitably. Especially, some of
regular daily and weekly services are important to mitigate emergency repairs and maintenances. The
fitting of load with tractor power is also effective to reduce unwanted repairs. Currently, most farmers
do not pass training periods in tractor regular services and work based on their experience. It is
estimated that increasing farmers’ knowledge especially to use MF399 (driving, regular services) is
essential

How to correct Massey Ferguson repair

issues
Eg a 67 MF-135, gas, z134. I have 2 issues:

1. When I am mowing (6ft Land Pride), the tractor runs fine for about 15 minutes then it starts to cut out and will die. It used to be
about 30-45 min, but the time is getting shorter and shorter of good run time. When it starts to cut out, if I push in on the clutch so
the tractor is only running the mower and no longer moving, then it stops cutting out and powers the mower smoothly. If it
happens to be starting to cut out and then I go down a slight hill to where the tractor doesn't have to work to go forward, then the
cutting out stops. It did this with my "old" gas tank and with the new one that I just installed. Any ideas on what I can start
tinkering with or checking?

2. My gas tank started to rust out and leak so I got a new one. When I got the new one, my sediment bowl assembly would not
screw in to the bottom of the tank. I dropped it off at a machine shop and they cleaned the threads and it now screws in nicely.
However, when it gets to the point of where it is tight, the assembly is about 180 degrees from where it needs to be...has to be
facing a certain direction for the gas line to hook up on the back and the front to be available to turn the gas on and off. I used
some sealant when I installed it and just left it 180 degrees short of being tight and deal with a very small leak while using the
tractor right now (the yard really needed mowed, but I know this isn't safe). Should I just take this back to the machine shop and
explain the angle it needs to face when it's tight and they would be able to shave a slight bit more off the threads to let it go in
another half turn to be tight?

Solution would be
 Problem #1 sounds like coil. #2 take the tank and the fitting both to the shop or you could wind a few turns of Teflon tape
around the fitting before screwing it in.

To keep running, you need 3 things. Fuel, ignition, and air. That being said, air is probably the least of the worries.

A few trouble shooting ideas. Try running with the fuel cap loose. This eliminates a tank venting issue. Check for fuel flow. Take off
the fuel line at the carb and check flow. (This is my guess for trouble). Make sure to clean the screen in the bowl if so equipped.

The final thought is loss of spark. Coils fail, and it seems they all run until they get warm. But they typically will fail regardless the
load on the engine. Same with condensers.

But this may not be the fully information. You must need a repair file or book to understand the basic or complete information
regarding the issue and how to repair or fix it. Lots of online methods are available for it Big-manuals.com is the best source for the
repair of any issue of the machine

If your tractor experiences any of these problems…..

 Shaking hydraulics

A common problem with the hydraulic lift on the Massey Ferguson is when the lift arms begin to judder.
Common symptoms are the need for high engine revs to get the tractor to lift and the normally smooth
action of the lift arms becomes a shake or judder. This shaking occurs both when the lift arms are raising
and also when the lift arms are held at any point by the position control.

As well loosen up the lock and move the draft control through its full range and the hitch control. Change the fluid
and filter (don't remember what that one has)..... Use the right oil!!!! Think they spec out permatran, Need to
make sure what you are putting in matches that spec or.just use the right stuff It's a good idea if you don't use
that tractor much to atleast once a year or more to move all the controls around, those valves can and.will stick.
Picked up a 1085 cheap that way because the hitch controls didn't function. Hitch worked..... just couldn't move it
at the platform. All over a stuck valve.... Little tlc and you should be good.

Weak lift
Pull the right side access plate, engage the pto and start the engine. UNDER NO CONDITION PLACE YOUR HANDS INTO THE HYDRAULIC
CPOMPARTMENT WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING! Using a flashlight, look up at the lift cylinder and see if you see a leak coming from it If so, the
lift cylinder needs new rings , or the cylinder is cracked, etc. Look for a lot of turbulence near where the H shaped control fork enters the
fluid. The relief valve may have some crud in it and is stuck open. Look at the corners of the pump. If there is a lot of turbulence there maybe
a blown pump gasket. Look toward the front right corner of the hydraulic compartment. There is a supply tube that runs up to the lift
cylinder. It has some O-rings the can leak. Now actuate the lift lever full up and see that the linkage moves the H shaped control fork. Finally
shut the engine off and reach into the hydraulic compartment at the bottom of the control fork and see if you feel a "T" shaped piece which is
what connects the control valve to the control fork. Make sure the arms of the "T" are in the sockets of the control fork. Also make sure the
cross piece is connected to the control valve stem. You should be able to pull the control valve in and out easily and the total range of motion
is about an inch. Some times crud get into the control sleeve and makes the valve hard to move

 The lift arms drop after the engine has been switched off

 If the tractor has been stood for a few months and the symptoms have developed all at once then
it is most likely just the o’rings on the stand pipe. Just remove the cap (front right hand side of
hydraulic top cover, under seat) and pull the stand pipe out. Replace the 3 o’rings (1 under cap
and 2 on stand pipe) and also preferably the back-up washers (nylon spirals).
 It is obviusly a leak on the system somewhere, but the reason suspect the o’rings is because they
do not sit in oil and so may have dried out.
  Eratic control when using the Draft system

Here is a good way to setup your draft control or to check one out.

- First lower the position control to get the implement at the depth you want it to be working at. Depending upon implement and terrain type,
you may need to be moving to get things at the depth you want to work at.
- Then while stopped and watching the implement (you may need to backup a tiny bit to get the implement disengaged from the ground),
slowly move the draft handle up until the implement starts to slightly move up. Play with it a bit to get the feel. Mine shutters when I am at
that perfect center point while doing this. 
- And the draft control is now set to the depth you want. It will keep the implement basically at this depth no matter how deep it would like to
dig otherwise. And it will be helpful doing the same as the tractor see saws over unlevel ground, depending upon the tractor's forward ground
speed. Your ground speed may need to be adjusted if the draft control's response is slow. And I am more successful at slower speeds relative
to the speed I would like to be traveling :-)
- Also, some tractors have different ways of sensing draft, most I think from the top link attachment, but I have also heard of some lower link
sensing mechanisms. My top link sensor system has three positions, as I seem to recall (tractor is 35 miles away so can't verify). One position
to bypass draft and the other two for quicker or slower draft response.

 Noisy pump

this is quite a common noise from MF hydraulics...9 times out of 10 there is

nothing to worry about as it is caused by the drive gears to the hydraulic pump
working under pressure when the hydraulic pump is under load....it's known as
Henderson Knock....occasionally a bush in the endplate of the hydraulic pump
comes adrift or a pump support pin breaks...the choice is yours as to what path you
want to take
Temperature Related

Many noises are temperature-related noises. For example, when the tractor is first started up one might notice a ticking sound
coming from the side or top of the motor. After the engine warms up the ticking may disappear and not show up anymore until the
next morning. This is usually attributed to either hydraulic lifters on the newer tractors or the tappet clearances on older ones.
Hydraulic lifters are like small hydraulic pistons that take the rotary lift from the cam shaft and transfer the motion to linear lift
through the push rod to the rocker arm. When the oil is cold and the lifters are old accumulated varnishes in the lifter causes the
piston to remain collapsed. When the oil warms up sufficiently the piston bore expands enough to let it move up and down in the
bore of the lifter. If there is extreme varnish in the bore then the lifter will tick even after warm up. Sometimes an oil additive will
be adequate to help dissolve the varnish buildup and help the lifter quiet down. If the lifters are noisy all the time they should be
replaced to prevent rocker arm damage. On the older style tractors the engines used solid lifters with an adjustment between the
push rod and rocker arm called the tappet clearance. An excessive tappet clearance will cause a noisy tapping or ticking sound
especially when the engine is cold. After warm up the metal parts expand and close up some of the looseness. Check the engine
manual for proper clearances and the appropriate temperature for testing and adjusting the tappets.

Another cold related noise is the high pitched squealing sound either from the front of the tractor or underneath the seat. This
sound is usually related to a pump trying to move cold oil. It can be the engine oil pump, the hydraulic pump in the front of the
tractor, which runs the loader, or, perhaps, the hydraulic pump in the final drive casing which runs the three-point hitch. Best
advice is to keep the engine rpm's relatively low until the oil warms up enough to circulate freely. One also might check the oil
viscosity number to make sure the correct weight is being used for the corresponding outside temperature. After the tractor has
warmed up sufficiently this noise will usually disappear. If the hydraulic pump still likes to squeal when the loader valves are
actuated check to make sure the pump has the correct inlet and outlet hoses attached. For example, if the outlet hose is too large
the pump may be pumping the hydraulic oil out of the pump faster than the inlet hose can deliver the oil from the reservoir. This
condition, called cavitation, can cause excessive wear on the pump because it could be operating under no oil conditions. It is
always wise to let the tractor idle for a little bit to let the fluids come up to normal operating temperatures before putting the unit in
working conditions.

A more ominous noise is the deep throaty knock that comes from the engine after it initially starts in the morning. This noise can
disappear quickly after the oil starts to circulate. When clearances get excessive on the crankshaft journals the oil runs out quickly
after the unit is shut off. An overnight cool down shrinks the crank and accentuates the distances leaving a void between the
journal and bearing. This void causes the knocking noise on early morning start-ups. It is an indicator that the bottom portion of
the motor is in need of some crankshaft journal measuring and attention. If the noise persists after the oil pressure comes up or is
heard while the engine is running then the motor should be switched off and the motor taken apart and repaired. If it is run for any
length of time while knocking the odds get real high that the crankshaft will be permanently damaged. That spells big bucks for
replacement.

Other temperature related noises include a high pitched whistling sound coming from the front of the tractor. Look for punctured or
cracked radiator hoses. When pressure builds up in cooling system and the motor is overheating the coolant can shoot out the
tiniest fissure in old rubber hoses. Also check for a weak radiator cap or pitted surfaces on the seating components of the cap.
Occasionally there might be a deep howling noise from the front of the transmission or rear of the engine when the clutch is
engaged. This usually means the pilot bushing or bearing between the flywheel and transmission main shaft has dried out and is in
need of replacement. This condition can also cause a grinding of gears in the transmission when trying to shift the unit into gear
from a standing still neutral position. Many times the howling will disappear after the unit has warmed up because the remaining
grease in the bearing has warmed up enough to provide some lubrication. A repair should be in the near future though.

Non-Temperature Related

There is whistling sound that is independent of the temperature of the unit. Look for a partially plugged air filter or air inlet screen.
Leaves, weeds, and debris will cause the air to have only a small opening to get through which causes the whistling. Remove and
clean accordingly.

If a battery is not maintained adequately a layer of lead oxide will build up between the battery post and the terminal on the cable.
It is recognized as a blackish crust that keeps the electricity from flowing to the starter. When the starter is engaged this type of
oxidation will show up as a type of hum. It almost sounds like someone is holding down the middle C key on an accordion. Of
course, the starter won't start but the hum is there. Similarly, this bad connection can also keep full voltage from getting to the
starter and can imitate a low battery condition. A rapid fire clicking sounds as the starter solenoid repeatedly engages and
disengages due to low voltage. Remove the battery terminals, clean with a wire brush post cleaner and try again.

One disturbing noise is a steady clicking from the transmission when the tractor is in a particular gear as it drives down the road. A
missing gear tooth is the inevitable cause. Removal of the transmission cover will verify. It is best not to use that particular gear as
any load can cause more teeth to dislodge, get into other gears/bearings and cause more extensive damage. If you don't really
want to repair it this year, change the fluid and feel around in the housing for the missing teeth. If they are found install fresh or
filtered fluid and simply don't operate the unit in the offending gear. Of course, there is no guarantee that your boy won't drive in
that gear, but that is the risk I guess.

Listen for other noises like a grinding noise when the brakes are applied. Check the brakes for worn linings. Older tractors had
riveted linings which, when worn down, grind into the drum leaving grooves. If caught soon enough they can be turned out with a
lathe. Otherwise a new drum will be needed. Likewise, worn clutch linings will also grind into the flywheel when the clutch is
engaged. This condition will quickly cause more serious damage to the flywheel and pressure plate and should be given immediate
attention.

Of course there are the typical rattles and clunks that most tractors with their corresponding attachments tend to make. Look for
loose three point hitch brackets, loose bolts, or just plain worn out parts. Some of these items can be procured at a farm store for
replacement; others can be corrected by a simple bolt replacement. Keep in mind that the manufacturers did not intentionally send
the units out in a rattling state. By locating and correcting the myriad of rattles the tractors life span will be effectively extended.

 Quadrant levers not controling the pump properly

 Make sure quadrant levers are set at their sector marks.The round lever exactly over where it
says ‘FAST’, the square lever next to where it says ‘DRAFT’ between the two dots
and exactly where the arrow is.

 Relief valve blows when Position control lever is in transport position

Position control lever in Transport. 

Screw in lower knurled screw until 3-point has risen and relief valve 
blows off. Scribe line across edge of lift cover and on to lift arm. 
Scribe two further lines on the cover at distance of 1/2" and 5/8" 
from first lines. With the oil at least warm screw out lower knurled 
screw until the linkage takes 5 seconds to pass between the second 
and third lines. Stop engine, raise Draft lever and remove wedge. 

Move the adjustable stop to Constant Pumping. Move the Position 

Control lever up against it in the Transport position. Slacken the 
quadrant bolts and adjust until the original scribed lines are 1/16" 
to 1/8" apart. Retighten. 

Draft lever up and Position control lever in Constant Pumping. 

With 4000psi gauge fitted screw in upper knurled screw until gauge 
needle and pump control valve arm fluctuate from side to side. Screw 
out knurled nut until needle and lever are steady and as little oil 
as possible exits from the rear of the diaphragm housing. 

For a 135 the pressure reading should be 2350psi for early tractors 
or 2550psi for later ones. 
Draft lever UP, Position Control lever in Constant Pumping. 
If you need to correct this the Pressure Control adjuster should be 
turned accordingly. It is easier to adjust if you lower the Position 
Control lever fully in the Pressure Control quadrant and then return 
to Constant Pumping to check the pressure. Doing this releases the 
spring pressure. 

 Control vavle sticking

 this is caused by the spindle in the valve itself gets worn and then it tends to jam very slightly. Because there is no return
spring on the spindle, and no firm connection bewteen the control linkage/knob and the spindle, any slight friction means
that it tends to stay in "up" position.
 took the side cover off the trans case and got the spindle to move back by fiddling with the linkage bits, as per
instructions of Big Dean and others. This worked immediately, but the prob returned the next time Permanent solution is
apparently to replace valve spindle, which means removing the pump from the trans case so as to dismantle the control
valve and get at the spindle itself.
 This job looked daunting to me, but in fact it was relatively easy - there's many posts on this board about the procedure
to follow.

Control valve will be stuck in raise position. Drain a bit of oil then remove the cover with the dipstick in it. Move the quadrant levers and see if
the lever coming from the top moves the lever with the roller on it moves forward. If not the control valve is stuck. Sorry to say I've never had
much luck freeing them and it will stick again. Of course this is worst case senario and you could have some broken linkage in the top cover
but this will be evident with the cover off.

 System not operating as it should be doing

checked the level of hydraulic oil in the transmission? Mixing a small amount shouldn't hurt since tractor's transmission holds about 8 gallons
of more. If you're low on fluid, you could potentially be starving the pump. At this point, all that fluid is likely well mixed together.

Repair information must be focused on

 Animated diagrams of the system components

 Troubleshooting the fault

 Safely remove the hydraulic top cover

 Remove, assess and repair the pump and vavles

 Control valve replacement

 Refurbish the cross shaft

 Remove and adjust the draft control spring

 Replace the rubber cover on the draft control spring

 Assess and set the position and draft control linkages

 Set linkage arm drop rate

 Set safe transport height

 Set quadrant levers