QwikDraw
Platinum Member
Mowing some ROW this past week with the Ammbusher DL66. Engine oil light on comes flickers a bit and goes off. 10 minutes later I notice it comes on and stays on. Shut her down and exit cab. Much smoke coming from engine compartment. Go get truck, start machine drive 20 feet on to trailer. Drive 3 hours home. Next morning look in engine compartment, see missing bolt from engine mount. Drop bottom panel, find bolt. Call three different mechanics and ask if engine mounting bolt could possible go through the block and drain engine oil..all three say no way. Call ASV ask same question...why yes...one bolt does go through the block and will drain the oil out. So you are telling me if an engine mount comes loose (which isn't that uncommon) I drain out my engine oil. Answer "yes". I replace bolt fill 5 quarts of oil that had drained and start engine. It seems to idle fine. Today start machine to move around some mowers and as soon as I idle up it starts rapping and smoke comes out of crank case vent tube...99.9% sure motor is cooked.
Now do I spend the money to fix it or let it rot in the corner of the yard? This machine has cost no less then $10,000 in break downs this year and if I spend another $8000 (a guess) for a motor I can run it for another 2 months before I need another $6000 set of tracks. I still owe $25,000 and it has a value of $0 right now.
The short story is unless you charge $250 per hour this machine is not profitable. I have worked very hard over the past few years and most of my profits have gone to fixing this machine and right now I owe another 25k that I haven't made yet to come out even and that's after I pay for the motor.
Now do I spend the money to fix it or let it rot in the corner of the yard? This machine has cost no less then $10,000 in break downs this year and if I spend another $8000 (a guess) for a motor I can run it for another 2 months before I need another $6000 set of tracks. I still owe $25,000 and it has a value of $0 right now.
The short story is unless you charge $250 per hour this machine is not profitable. I have worked very hard over the past few years and most of my profits have gone to fixing this machine and right now I owe another 25k that I haven't made yet to come out even and that's after I pay for the motor.