ENGINE REBUILD?

Something that might help you decide would be to order the rebuild video. It's 24 bucks at the link below.

Then you can decide if it's a project you want to take on yourself. Once you have the knowledge from the video, you're in a better position to ask around your neck of the woods; there might be some old timers who could get you through the "tricky" parts. Then there's the great folks here.

All my wrenches fit jet engines, but I wouldn't hesitate to tackle a rebuild knowing the amount of help available.

Good luck with whatever the decision. I've got to admire your desire to keep the old tractor alive.

Russ
8N58182*

• Rebuild videos

I just finished rebuilding my engine so I will give you my findings...

My tractor had about a compression of 30 on two cylinders and 60 on two. Burned oil at a good pace. Was a bear to start, which required turning the motor over while choking for 10 seconds, then turning on the ignition. But the tractor ran and I was able to use it for mowing.
Finally I got motivated.

Total parts cost me under $250 (which included everything...sleeves, pistons, gaskets, bearings, etc). Getting my crank turned cost me $100. The key to making it easy is getting a manual and having the right tools. The engine is about as simple as it gets. My biggest problem was removing my old sleeves, which required welding a bead to shrink the sleeve, then hammering them out. Other than that, the job was a breeze.

The question you have to answer is...how much can you afford and do you have the time? For me, the project took about 5 days working a couple hours each day in the evenings...by myself. Or, can you live with what the tractor is giving you now ?

First, you can simply put it back together and live with the power just the way it is. You can probably go for years on end this way without catastrophic failure. You'll be low on power, and probably burn some oil. Can you live with that?

The second alternative is to do a partial job. Maybe just a new set of rings. Rings and a honing can get you quite a ways. Bearings aren't cheap, but they really aren't expensive either. Helps if the oil pressure is badly low.

Some folks will baly-ho and decry the notion of doing what they call a "half arsed" job. If that's all your wallet can do, there's nothing wrong with doing it. In fact there's nothing wrong with it period. Sometimes that's all that's needed, or wanted. Only when you do this and then sell it as "fully rebuilt" would there be anything less then honest or acceptable in doing enough to get by.

Btw, I'm sorta in your boat myself. I pulled the head off tonight for a look and see, since I'm replacing the radiator. Looks like I've got about 200-300 thousanths clearance around the pistons. Do they need to be replaced? Yep, sure do. Is it going to happen? Nope. Can't afford it and don't have the time right now. So it'll continue running and burning oil. At least now I know what I'm dealing with - a worn out engine. So be it.

• Rebuild Pic & 'Shop'

Bill Mc

• seat

SF, Maybe the most imortant question is, do you have the desire, resolve and determination to do it? If you do, then you can do it. Read down the pages and read those posted by "9 nr", to give you an idea. The most technical aspects will be done by the machine shop grinding the crank, fitting the pistons. Another thing to think about, it may not be cheaper to do it yourself because you will be buying tools you don't have now. enginestand, cherry picker, gear puller and lots of other stuff. But, you will have those tools forever, and its money you would have paid the shop in labor anyway. It will be a lot of work, but you will know how the job was done, and you will learn a lot.----- Michael