new/used/rebuilt engine needed for JD 4100

[coloradotrout]

I don't think I'll get the answer to the cause. The water pump went out at 600 hours -- makes me think that that could have been the cause. I agree the 3000, even 6000 hours should be attainable. The 1800 for labor is about 25 hours.

[coloradotrout]

This tractor runs good.. just uses 1 qt of oil every 5 hours. Dealer noted a fairly rapid backoff of power under load, though, but for hauling rock, etc, it seems OK to me. When I do use the box blade and drop the 4 teeth to 6" or so, it bogs down pretty quickly in our clay soil. If the blade drags, it stops. But I bought it as "well maintained" and that's not the case.

[Charolais]

Did you see the results of the dyno test? In print or in person?

If the engine has lost a lot of compression it would be hard to start. Is it hard to start? I don't know how cold it is in your area right now but I've seen diesel engines that had lost some compression that were a dog to start at 45 deg.

I may be to nontrusting of repair outfits but I would want to see something broke, cracked or busted before I would buy an engine. Now that's not saying you don't need an engine. I just know when I go to make a repair I want to see,feel or smell what's wrong or broke.And I dig until I find it for the most part.

[cp1969]

I am going to guess that if getting hot is the root cause of the oil consumption, probably the only thing it needs is a new set of rings. At 1000 hours, it hasn't been run long enough to wear out the bores. Rings lose their temper with excess heat and don't seal well after than. The bearings are probably still good, too, but they are cheap to replace while you're in there.

To do the rings, all you need are the rings and a gasket set. And rod and main bearings if you wish.

Now, it sounds simple. But I would ask a few questions first:

What do you have in the way of hand tools?

What is the most complicated job you've completed with them?

If this is your first engine, think twice. There are too many nuances of being a mechanic that no book can cover satisfactorily for a novice to dig in and do a major repair to a diesel engine without asking for trouble. Most tech manuals assume a certain level of mechanical competence to begin with.

[Louisiana_John]

Like I was saying an in frame with rings, main and gaskets not that big of deal. Parts should not be that much. If you can get after market under $200.00 from JD who knows. I did my dads Kubota L-175 very easy job. When you hone it use a dingle berry hone.
John

[cp1969]

I agree, John--I wouldn't think twice about it. But for someone who doesn't know tools and how to use them, it is a somewhat big deal.

All it takes is one broken off bolt to throw the laugh meter in reverse, big time. I had a job once in which I had to use semi-skilled help to do mechanical work. At the end of the day, you would just want to hang your head and cry (or go get drunk), because all you would be getting done is sweeping up the messes these people made. It would s-l-o-w-l-y get better as they gained experience, but the first units were typically disasters.

Nothing against Rosie the Riveter, but how we ever mass-produced functional armament in WWII is nothing short of a miracle. One must have to have tried to use semi-skilled labor to have a full appreciation for what was accomplished back then--I tip my hat to those who did so much with so little.

[tillerkiller]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Nothing against Rosie the Riveter, but how we ever mass-produced functional armament in WWII is nothing short of a miracle. One must have to have tried to use semi-skilled labor to have a full appreciation for what was accomplished back then--I tip my hat to those who did so much with so little. )</font>

BLAM! My hacked-off-ometer just blew a fuse. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

My grandmother (who is deceased) was a Rosie-the-Riveter. She used to tell me stories about how she and her best friend of 60 years after that (also deceased) would race other rivet teams to see who could produce the most finished pieces, day after day AFTER DAY AFTER DAY EVERY DAY. Rejected parts were rare among any of the rivet teams that were proficient. The teams themselves would not tolerate lousy parts either, peoples' lives were on the line and they built the best airplanes that they could, as fast (or faster) than was humanly possible. My dear granny would slap you in the head herself if she had ever heard anybody say something like that.

I do understand your point about non-mechanicly inclined people being let loose on poor innocent machines, but her Rosie-the-Riveter experiences were far from that type of situation.

Not dogpiling on you here specifically either, it is just that the level of speed and workmanship that was attained during the war was substantial, and I think we forget what it was like when people really were afraid that America was the next target for invasion.

I will now resume my normal fun-loving relaxed personality. This was only a test. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[coloradotrout]

..think I'd be up to the job. I've never done an engine, but I can appreciate the need to take things apart carefully, label parts, find/read the specs, and then assemble w/ care; using a torque wrench in these cases. I don't have an expensive set of tools - some odds and ends and a few sets of cheap wrenches, socket sets, etc.

[Marlowe]

You've already got the most important ingredient; you're willing to try. The cost of the tools doesn't really matter. It's not rocket science after all, it's tractor science, which come to think of it, might just be more technologically advanced. If the engine is already broken, what harm can you do in simply taking it apart? If you choose to do so, look everything over carefully, take notes, pictures, whatever, and report in. Then we'll totally confuse the heck out of you with sage advice. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Seriously, I've rebuilt countless engines in my lifetime. I'd be happy to help in any way I can.

Tom

[coloradotrout]

I'll probably take everyone up on the help. I may send you a private email asking for phone numbers. Plan right now is to settle w/ prev owner on the amount. I may just drive it for another year or whatever before tearing into it. A quart every 5 hours is not pretty, but it works. Maybe this winter I'll pull 'er into the garage and see what happens. If anyone has tips for where to start, let me know..