Persistent reduced power issues affecting some Massey Ferguson tractors at low operating speeds have led a group of remapping engineers to develop software capable of delivering full power when the tractor requires it.

The engineers are part of Avon Tuning HD’s network of authorised agents applying remaps to agricultural equipment. Their collective experience with MF tractors allowed a greater insight into diagnosing common power delivery issues that some customers were experiencing.

This detailed understanding of how engines are setup to deliver the indicated power on the side of the bonnet, meant engineers could delve deeper into the ECU characteristics, and found the issue was more complex than simply adding power to fix the problem.

Gareth Jones, director at Avon Tuning HD, says this is now a common request from MF users. “The owners of MF 6S and 7S tractors were experiencing reduced power on demanding tasks such as mowing. They assumed the machines were just flat from the factory, but, on certain jobs, the ECU limited the amount of power supplied by the engine.”

It is well-known that tractors leave the factory conservatively set for operation across the world. This is great from a manufacturer’s perspective as it guarantees longevity in a wide variety of environments. However, it can be a limiting factor for users working on specific jobs. Gareth says the engineers found the problem to be deeper than simply fitting a stage 1 power boost.

“The MF 6S.180 tractors in question come standard from the factory with a max power of 180hp and boosted up to 200hp. However, we discovered the ECU had a third power band that reduced output to below 140hp, making the tractor feel sluggish and underpowered. Similar power delivery characteristics can also affect models within the MF 7S range. It was great for yard work and helped save fuel, but there were issues when operating at low speeds.”

Part of the diagnosis was understanding how the tractor would select the lower power curve for certain jobs, which would then affect performance on power-hungry jobs. The issue was common in heavy, first cut grass crops, where tractor forward speed would be slow and the transmission in a low gear.

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MF is a well-liked tractor brand in the dairy sector and is known for versatility across a wide range of jobs. Front and rear mowing combinations demand a lot of power but are the backbone of many dairy operations carrying out mowing jobs in house. The MF 6S and 7S models should handle this no problem.

Gareth continues: “The more research into the power issues we did, the more apparent it became that this lower third curve was the limiting factor and the work the tractor was doing dictated how much power was available. On PTO work at slow speeds, the tractor would automatically choose the lower power band, severely limiting output when it needed it the most.”

Once he had found this to be the case, he was able to advise farmers that adding top-end horsepower wasn’t the solution. Editing the way the tractor delivered the standard power, by preventing it from choosing the lower power curve when working at low forward speeds, was key.

The MF 6S and 7S ranges have more than enough power available to comfortably handle the jobs being asked of them. Part of the benefit of working with Avon’s UK team of software engineers is the agents can request bespoke maps for MF 6S and 7S tractors that deliver full power regardless of the operation.

By understanding where the increases are required to deliver improved operation in a controlled and professional way, Gareth and the team can produce safe performance improvements.

“In cases such as these, getting expert advice can save a significant amount of time and money by understanding the cause of the problem, rather than applying numerous, costly, and unnecessary, power increases that will only mask the issue and potentially cause damage.”

Gareth says this knowledge has allowed the wider agent network to benefit and help several farmers by quickly diagnosing an issue and applying the correct ECU map to allow power to be delivered in the right areas.

“Increasing top end power to try and solve this problem would make little to no difference. Instead, we’ve changed the engine parameters to allow boosted power to be available on key tasks such as mowing. This knowledge and detailed understanding are reasons why being part of a larger network of agents is invaluable. It also allows us to diagnose problems quickly and adjust remaps to suit requirements,” concludes Gareth.