I'm back!

[handy1]

My 2004 254 Nortrac Jinma went down after 393 hrs. in 2006. Before I used the tractor, I made up a list of what and when things would fail and when. I am a retired heavy equip. mech. and made some pretty good guesses. I wrote down 400 hrs on the engine to fail. 393 is fairly close. When working on my fishing pond, I felt a surge on the engine and brought it back to the compound and shut it down for the night. Next morning it started and ran for 5 seconds. It has not run since. The engine seized up. It has a leak at the rear of the engine and was two qts. down on oil but had 75 lbs. oil pressure when I felt the surge. I contacted Tommy down in Texas and had a nice talk about the problem. At that time he would send out a new liner, piston and all the other little stuff for about $125. That would be fine if the crank is not scored. Easy job, but I am not sure a Chinese tractor is worth it and have not yet made up my mind. I am not up to splitting the tractor for the seal and clutch as Tommy said. I am going on 75 and although I still remember a lot of what I learned in college, it seems like a lot of work and I would have no help out here. I have dug a nice pit with stairs to work standing up, but that is where I stopped. Just wanted to check back in and let a few of you guys that may remember me, that I am still in the vertical position and doing fairly well.
Carl

 

[Bird]

That does sound like a big job. I wish you luck.

 

[20 20]

Sounds like a rant against jinma Why did you make bets on when your equipment would die? If you did have a time frame for it dying did you help it get there? If you had a list of things that would fail why didn't you fix them? Are you sure you're a heavy equipment mechanic...... sounds more like a heavy equipment destroyer. I'm a DIYer and when I find something wrong with my machines they get fixed, wouldn't that be the proper thing to do? I have two Jinma machines with more hrs then yours each and they both work fine. From the way you started this thread it sounds like you'd kill just about any running machine, NH, Kubots, JD, Massy, Cat Yanmar. I don't think the problem was with the tractor???????????????

 

[Egon]

Welcome back! Are you staying.

Quite a job for one person to break the tractor in half.

 

[handy1]

I won't bother to reply to that kind of post. I guess things have changed since I was on before. With out knowing anything about me, you assume an awful lot.
Carl

 

[teg]

Seems like we are getting off on the wrong foot but your other post a few years back say:

"I work it hard..."

"Although I run the **** out of the tractor..."

"operating engineer heavy equip." (Kind of sounds like you ran the Jinma like a D9??)

You bought (sorry, but my HO) the cheapest, as in most affordable, tractor out there... It has limitations. I hope you hang around and don't get run off...

It really did sound like you were bashing the tractor... and that's not allowed here.

 

[20 20]

I won't bother to reply to that kind of post. I guess things have changed since I was on before. With out knowing anything about me, you assume an awful lot.
Carl

You came on here bashing jinma, no problem, as long as some questions could be answered? Your post lead me to my QUESTIONS and assumptions. Whether things have changed or not doesn't change the way you started this thread. Your not answering speaks in volumes, so why not give some reasons instead of blank drawn post?

 

[handy1]

Jinma bashing? I call it an informed opinion. Not allowed? How did I come to form this opinion? Well, I did order some of my replacement parts from large Jinma dealers. Of those dealers that sent me parts, two of them offered their opinions on the Jinma. I will not repeat their exact words, but they both said they would never buy a Jinma knowing what they then knew. I did not pay much attention to either of them because it was just their opinion and I had no idea why they formed it. What did get my attention was one of the nations largest diesel powered dealers, the biggest of the items were Jinma tractors and China diesel generators. I have dealt with them twice and when I went back a 3rd time they had in really big letters, a statement that due to the many complaints on their tractors and generators, they would no longer carry any Chinese products because of the loss to their company on those two items. The 2nd company was also a large company that sold all kinds of diesel generators. They had a statement saying much the same thing as the first company. They would no longer sell the Chinese generator that I had wanted for so many years. I am not positive, but I think I posted the picture of that generator on this forum. In general, I liked my Jinma and was very impressed at the power it had. I think of all this as an opinion and not a rant on Jinma tractors. I still feel that most of us would be hard pressed to find a better tractor for what it cost.
Carl

 

[20 20]

Jinma bashing? I call it an informed opinion. Not allowed?

It's not informed if all we get are rants, correct? This is why I asked questions, being an owner I'd like to be informed. You say your tractor died, in an old post you said you beat the ______ out of it. So again an opinion formed on reasons would be exceptable. An opinionated rant is nothing more then someone blowing off steam.

How did I come to form this opinion? Well, I did order some of my replacement parts from large Jinma dealers. Of those dealers that sent me parts, two of them offered their opinions on the Jinma. I will not repeat their exact words, but they both said they would never buy a Jinma knowing what they then knew.

I've talked to many of folks on many different types of equipment{cat, deere, gehl, yanmar} that like to bash. This doesn't mean anything except that they were PO'ed at that company/product for some unknown reason. Or they owned something else and needed to justify why they bought the way they did.

I did not pay much attention to either of them because it was just their opinion and I had no idea why they formed it.

agreed

What did get my attention was one of the nations largest diesel powered dealers, the biggest of the items were Jinma tractors and China diesel generators. I have dealt with them twice and when I went back a 3rd time they had in really big letters, a statement that due to the many complaints on their tractors and generators, they would no longer carry any Chinese products because of the loss to their company on those two items. The 2nd company was also a large company that sold all kinds of diesel generators. They had a statement saying much the same thing as the first company. They would no longer sell the Chinese generator that I had wanted for so many years.

If you don't mind could you post the company names, or PM me? From everything I've researched and witnessed jinma is on a growth spurt? I have had no issue on getting positive info or parts if/when needed.

In general, I liked my Jinma and was very impressed at the power it had. I think of all this as an opinion and not a rant on Jinma tractors. I still feel that most of us would be hard pressed to find a better tractor for what it cost.
Carl

Then I'd like to ask, in reference{your words} "I am not sure a chinese tractor is worth it?" if not bashing, then what? Does that mean jinma is junk or this personal tractor/fix may not be worth it? If it were a different brand would it be worth it? Maybe I read your post wrong but you came off with a lot of negative opinion with nothing to back it up.

If you really need some help or answers to your tractors issue's then why not ask for information? There are a lot of folks on this forum that have Jinma tractors and I'm sure they could help with questions. Ya never know maybe someone is close enough to even give a hand in the fix?????

 

[handy1]

I have made my last post about this subject. I could post until Christ comes and it would never be enough. Each post would only bring more questions. When I returned here, I only wanted to be around the friendly people that I chatted with before and let them know that I was still alive. At age 74, I am not into confrontation. If that is all you re here for, then do not count on me keeping it going.
Carl

 

[Bedlam]

We are still here..'friendly people that I chatted with before '

 

[20 20]

I have made my last post about this subject. I could post until Christ comes and it would never be enough. Each post would only bring more questions.

Sorry you feel this way. If you were really trying to figure out what to do with the machine it seems like questions and ANSWERS would have helped?

When I returned here, I only wanted to be around the friendly people that I chatted with before and let them know that I was still alive. At age 74, I am not into confrontation. If that is all you re here for, then do not count on me keeping it going.
Carl

You came here with blank statments, I asked some questions. You say I hit you with confrontation, but your the one that pulled the trigger. I'll definatley stand behind my post of bashing because that is all you did !!! Then you try to cover with being a nice 74yr young person.

age 24-54-74-94 has nothing to do with what you posted. I don't believe you were trying to be friendly at all, just wanted to put jinma {and chinese products in general} down. I'll probably get in trouble for this post, but I never take kindly to folks slamming something just because.

 

[wampum]

I have never had one of the Chinese diesel generators. I remember them from probably at least 25 years ago in the Mother Earth News. I believe they were a British design,and were extremely easy and cheap to operate. At that time they even came with a rebuild kit,which was according to the Mother Earth very easy to repair and overhaul and was not needed for thousands of hours. I often thought about buying one because of the cheap price,and simplicity of the machine. I could be wrong but I thought they were being phased out because of emissions,by the EPA. Even today,if they are as good as they were said to be,I would love to have one as a back-up for power outages. From this post it sounds like they are not that good. Does anyone else have a take on them?

 

[20 20]

Wampum; I can't answer about the generator system because I don't own one. I can answer about the chinese gas engine though. I have 2 of them and plan on getting a 3rd{for mill} when I have the cash. I have a small water pump and a larger one both run by the chinese cheapo's. They have worked great so far, used them for many hrs. They start easy and don't burn a drop of oil. I highly recommend them.

 

[bdeboer]

Wampum; I can answer about the chinese gas engine though. I have 2 of them and plan on getting a 3rd{for mill} when I have the cash. I have a small water pump and a larger one both run by the chinese cheapo's. They have worked great so far, used them for many hrs. They start easy and don't burn a drop of oil. I highly recommend them.

Which brand?

My son has a JD-Tek (Briggs clone?) in a go-cart. It seems to be cold blood but starts fine when warmed up.

 

[Bud Soda]

WOW this is crazy. Look out old man, someone will try to push you down in the liquor store if your not careful. (incoherent rambling) Looks like his nose was rubbed in scat. I probably wouldn't come back either. That's not many hours at all on a tractor. I would think its not even broken in good. Maybe only had a few oil changes by 400 hours.:licking:

If I thought a motor would go out so soon I wouldn't have bought it or any other brand. Good thing it didn't run off in the pond, oh wait maybe it would better if it went out that way. That would be easier to explain that not checking the oil. Oh wait, oil is two qts. low and I don't have time to add any but I have time to hook up a oil pressure gauge. ( more incoherent rambling):confused2:

Not bashing you at all. My dad is 77 and can still get-r-done. He has been running the snot out of a ford 3000 for 25 years and it never misses a beat. (not made in china) No telling how many thousand hours on it now. Well thats about all I have to add right now. LOL. But I will probably have a bad dream about owning one of these China tractors with a low hour engine failure tonight. Ha. Note to self, Be sure to check oil in tractors when I get home from work. If oil is two quarts low go ahead and add three just to be sure. Man I just love reading the post, just makes my day.:thumbsup::

I must go back and read this whole thread again so I can:laughing: out loud