B7100 Restore Project Has Begun

[j t huskins]

I have my "new to me" B7100 arriving tomorrow so I am following this thread with interest. It does have an oil leak at head gasket but I'm afraid that implies a cracked head. (I will be looking for bubbles in the radiator as soon as I can get it unloaded). Will be doing some investigating and following your rebuild.

My question is: What other Kubota engines will fit in the B7100hst frame without severe modification? I read above a 950 will fit, others?

Thank you

What area of the head is the oil coming from? The pressure port for head lubrication is located just above the oil pressure light sending unit on the left rear of the engine. This port is sealed with a O ring that is seperate from the head gasket.

 

[6mmbr]

Yes it is coming from the area around the sender unit. It was replaced by the previous owner to no avail. The concern is though the amount of JB Weld smeared around this area! I suspect bad things! ha!.

Anyway, have another engine being delivered on tuesday so I will do some investigating and put best one in. Separated the back end of the tractor today (working from back to front). Found bad U-joint for 4x4 shaft I will replace. Hydrostat linkage was misaligned preventing it from returning to neutral position (been that way for years obviously) which I will fix and improve on the original design. Tomorrow will separate the bell housing from engine and see what exciting things I can find there.

I saw another forum post here where water temp gauge is placed in radiator hose. Query on eBAy: "Water temp Gauge Radiator Hose Sensor Adaptor" and you will find the key component. I don't know the diameter of the hose yet (working back to front).

thanks
jeff

 

[Tachdriver]

Plenty of places for a Temperature sender. Since you are in rebuild, maybe a freeze plug is available to weld a coupling onto


later

 

[j t huskins]

Yes it is coming from the area around the sender unit. It was replaced by the previous owner to no avail. The concern is though the amount of JB Weld smeared around this area! I suspect bad things! ha!.

Anyway, have another engine being delivered on tuesday so I will do some investigating and put best one in. Separated the back end of the tractor today (working from back to front). Found bad U-joint for 4x4 shaft I will replace. Hydrostat linkage was misaligned preventing it from returning to neutral position (been that way for years obviously) which I will fix and improve on the original design. Tomorrow will separate the bell housing from engine and see what exciting things I can find there.

I saw another forum post here where water temp gauge is placed in radiator hose. Query on eBAy: "Water temp Gauge Radiator Hose Sensor Adaptor" and you will find the key component. I don't know the diameter of the hose yet (working back to front).

thanks
jeff

Thanks, found them. Mine is 34mm. Didn't realize that my idea was already in production.

 

[bigdad]

Thanks to all of you who have given information and links to parts. I will keep them in mind if needed. As of now I have invested 665.00 in engine parts and will have a nearly new engine if all goes well with the rebuild. Thankfully the block and crank were both machinable. May need other parts for the machine as the restore progresses. 550.00 for a good running engine is a steel when you compare the cost of little orange parts. My small box of gold arrived today from Messicks. They were very prompt with shipping and everything came as ordered. Its hard to believe that 665.00 worth of engine parts can fit in such a small box. As you can see from the pic the orange tractor parts were disguised in a CNH parts box.

I pucker up any time I see those orange and blue boxes. Even the ones that have the filters in them.

 

[j t huskins]

Finished ordering the gaskets from my local dealer yesterday. Still waiting on the machine shop. Wanted to get it together during the Christmas holiday but its not looking good. Bought an automotive choke cable and made a compression release cable to replace the factory one that was stuck. Have all the plumbing to hook up a OP gauge and will be ordering one of the radiator hose adapters to hook up a temp. gauge. Painting my front frame and axle while it is apart and cleaned. The radiator is going to the shop to be cleaned, pressure tested, and repaired if needed.

 

[j t huskins]

Picked up my pieces from the machine shop on Wed. and got to work. Checked piston skirt and ring end gaps and got the pistons installed. Bearing clearances all checked good. Got the bottom end together by Wed. night. Started early Thur. morning and finished the reassembly and painting. Bolted it up Thur. night. Rolled the front axle and frame into place Fri. morning and made all of the hookups. Fired it up Fri. night. Posted video of the fire up after bleeding the fuel system but the audio did not load so there is no sound. It purrs like a kitten. 40 PSI oil pressure reading on the manual gauge that I installed. Took it out on Saturday to begin the break-in. Now I can find out what kind of shape the tractor is in. Gear noise is more than I like to hear in 4th and 5th gears and is worse in 4wd. Lift works good but leaks down if left up for an extended time. Rear hubs are worn which I already was aware of but didn't know how it would affect the tractors performance.













View attachment 244394

 

[j t huskins]

Now comes the rest of the restore. Going to break it apart and inspect the gears to try and locate the source of the noise.

 

[General Lee]

That is coming along nicely. Last year I bought a 1978 B7100 in operating condition and planned on doing *some* restoration on it. The urge faded and I got rid of it. Kinda wished I still had it.

 

[6mmbr]

WOW! that is a gorgeous engine. There is no greater satisfaction than rebuilding an engine and having it fire right up and "purr like a kitten". Not everybody can do that and you've got to give yourself a lot of credit. I like the pictures. I can almost smell the oil and feel the plastigauge! I hope I am as lucky as you are skilled when I get to heating up the glow plugs for the 1st time!

Ugh. Sorry about the gear noise. The rear is a little more daunting for me because I know its all about replacing not rebuilding. A full line of bearing separators and a little hydraulic press can be worth their weight. Hopefully you can find a simple "junkyard problem" = "one bad dog with a broken tooth".

Did you have any metal on the sump screens?

- saw your note on the pipe thread - glad you have good resources.

Good luck. I will be watching with interest.