Repowering a Massey Ferguson MF10 or MF12 with a Honda Clone

This is what I did to re-power my Massey Ferguson MF12 Hydraspeed garden tractor with a 13hp Honda clone.

The tractor came with a 12 hp Tecumseh HH120 engine with a starter/generator setup and looked like the tractor on the left.








Later models had a ring gear starter and alternator, looked like this.

The Honda clone engine I used was bought at Princes Auto, 13hp 389cc, has electric start, trickle charge alt, muffler and fuel tank.

Installing the engine, the footprint is the same so mounting it on the chassis is easy as the mounting holes lining up, the crankshaft ends up in almost the same spot so all the drive belts and PTO clutch work as well.

The original pulley is 1 1/8", the crank on the clone is 1", pulley needs to be shimmed or replaced with proper size. 2 pulleys are needed, 1 for transaxle, 1 for PTO.

On the "Vari-Drive" tractors you must use original pulley because of the belt width that's used.


Modifications needed:

1- I drilled a hole in the choke lever of the clone in order that I could use the choke control cable, I had to replace the cable with a longer one, or you could use a universal push-pull type. I routed the cable around the front of the engine to get the proper action and made a small clamp to hold the cable in place which was attached to one of the carburetor mount screws.

2- The exhaust, muffler does not fit under the hood so I cut the clones exhaust pipe and welded in a 1" 90deg elbow, doing this will position the muffler outside the engine bay without butchering the hood. To do this 1 small notch was cut in the grill for it to fit.

3- Air cleaner, part of the assembly was removed, outer cover, as there is not enough room under the hood for it.

4- Wiring, tractor was rewired for the motor using the key switch that came with the motor and the clones alternator hooked up to the battery. You have to marry the old with the new here. Starter/generator and it's regulator, or on late model tractors that have alt/regulators on them need to be eliminated.


5-  The original fuel tank was removed the the clones tank used, it was left mounted on the engine. There is room for the original tank and can be left in place if that's what you want to do.

Some before and after pictures.

I have done 2 MF12 Hydra tractors with this motor, the first thing you will notice is the clones are quieter, better muffler. The clones need lots of choke to start, even when hot they need a bit to get going.

Performance, no difference noticed, a good running HH motor has just as much power as the 13hp clone. A HH100 10hp Tecumseh is the same displacement as the clone. The HH120 12hp is a larger engine.


Clone--389cc

HH100-388cc

HH120-453cc


The clone might out power the HH100 10hp at high rpm, but not the HH120 12hp. Both tractors I did worked good, all the attachments still fit and can be used without modifications.

If your thinking of re powering your MF10 or MF12 this is a option to consider and will deliver good results. 1 down side is the charging circuit that comes with the clones I used is not strong enough to run the lights without draining the battery.

Pictures of the 2 tractors I did.