Intermittent coolant leak- what's this? (Picture)

[pretendfarmer]

Your better day hasn't come yet. Sounds like the lyrics of a song "if it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all".

Nothing I can do but just keep rolling with the punches. Worst thing about it is the lost time on my project. At this point the tractor has cost me a month, but it's partly my fault, too, for trying to run on those old tires, and also buying the thing to begin with. I'm hoping that one day its status as the worst piece of equipment I've ever purchased will change, and I will be happy with the service I get from it. I'm actually going to buy a rock rake for it but I'm scared to do it until I run this thing a little more to make sure it's even viable. Once bitten twice shy.

 

[normde2001]

Actually the $3300 you paid for your tractor is about 1/2 the going rate for a YM1700D with loader in decent operating condition, especially in your area.

 

[pretendfarmer]

Actually the $3300 you paid for your tractor is about 1/2 the going rate for a YM1700D with loader in decent operating condition, especially in your area.

Do you live in western WA? I'll sell it to you for $6600 right now. New tires, new starter, new radiator, hoses, front end loader, back blade, and brush hog. Sound good?

This is such excellent news it made my weekend. In the event that you do not want to buy it, I've got an even better offer for you. You send me a buyer at $6600, and I'll send you a check for $500. I'd love to get out of this tractor whole. I would be a little less than whole at that price, but happy nonetheless.

 

[pretendfarmer]

Good news and bad news. The good news is that the radiator is in. The bad news is that it has to come back out. The driver side stud on the bottom snapped. Every bolt on this thing is rusty and old. I did replace all of them EXCEPT the studs. Bad move. Now I have to drill the stud out of the radiator. Speaking of the radiator, it was typical Chinese persuasion, where none of the holes line up and you have to persuade things. Hopefully I don't have a problem with a stripped nut on the radiator. If I do, then I'll have to tap it. I don't even care if I do at this point. Not sure what else could go wrong, but I'll just keep fixing things.

 

[pretendfarmer]

I was sitting here and I realized that I want a tractor which has parts support locally. I can't do this order over the internet and wait a week every time I want a part. It's nuts. I don't care if I have to pay $15k for a good tractor, I'm done with this Yanmar. It's too hard to get parts. It just does not fit into my lifestyle.

 

[winston1]

Well I wish you the best pretendfarmer. I hate your experience has been so difficult.

 

[pretendfarmer]

Thanks Winston. You know, I was just thinking that I'd probably have to wait for parts for any tractor. I think everyone is on the "just in time" inventory model which is essentially "never in time". I am also wondering what else can go wrong with this tractor. Maybe not much. Everything works. Perhaps I just need to get past these repairs and it will be good. I am just nervous as heck with this thing. Can it really be a good tractor for me? I have lost all confidence in it.

 

[pretendfarmer]

When I work on something, I try to do everything right. I cut the battery cable because I didn't want to damage the terminal on the battery trying to get it loose while on the tractor, and chose to replace it because the end over at the solenoid was so corroded as well, with the bare wire exposed. What was an honest attempt to actually improve things turned out to be a poor decision, because I was unable to get the corroded wires unhooked from the solenoid without it crumbling. I think heat and age were responsible for the brittleness. In hindsight it would have been better to ruin the battery terminal and just replace the battery. It just feels like I cannot win with this thing. If I did not need it right now, I would not care so much. I am having to work with a shovel and a wheelbarrow right now.

 

[normde2001]

I was sitting here and I realized that I want a tractor which has parts support locally. I can't do this order over the internet and wait a week every time I want a part. It's nuts. I don't care if I have to pay $15k for a good tractor, I'm done with this Yanmar. It's too hard to get parts. It just does not fit into my lifestyle.

I would not recommend buying an obvious fixer-upper next time.

 

[normde2001]

Do you live in western WA? I'll sell it to you for $6600 right now. New tires, new starter, new radiator, hoses, front end loader, back blade, and brush hog. Sound good?

This is such excellent news it made my weekend. In the event that you do not want to buy it, I've got an even better offer for you. You send me a buyer at $6600, and I'll send you a check for $500. I'd love to get out of this tractor whole. I would be a little less than whole at that price, but happy nonetheless.

That would be silly, but if in the area I would hve bought it in a heartbeak for $3300, expecting to invest a lot of time and several hundred $ bringing it up to snuff.








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