I have the chance to buy a YM2000 for $500. It has one brand new R1 rear tire and the other is a rice tire that is weathered. The fronts are "donut spares" from a car. The tractor runs but it dumps water into the oil. It has one external crack in the block that has been drilled and fixed. The current owner thinks it was overheated and says it would most likely be best to replace the engine. What do you guys think? How much should I plan on spending on a replacement engine and how difficult are they to find? I am a bargain hunter and am willing to spend some hours scrounging online for the parts.
Buying Advice Looking at a YM2000 with bad engine
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kenmac
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Search for bruce1966us. He maybe able to help you locate an engine. He's on here from time to time
California
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- Yanmar YM240 Yanmar YM186D
Do I understand that the water jacket repair was successful?
Does it run now? If it doesn't, there is a possibility of endless problems yet undiscovered and even $500 may not be a bargain. 3 tires differing from original may be a red flag of incompetent patches and repairs. Plus overheating to that extent may be a clue to severe abuse. These models are usually extremely troublefree.
You might get lucky and discover that water in the oil is nothing more than a head gasket. I think it is worth trying a head gasket first ($50) before doing a major overhaul or a replacement engine.
If there is any question of water where it doesn't belong, be sure to spin it using the compression release -every- time before starting it. With the high compression of a diesel, water in a cylinder will bend a rod or shatter a piston.
If you can tenatively line up an engine from Bruce before committing to buy this, repairing it might make sense. He is honest and will do right by you.
On the other hand if buying an unknown engine ... I still feel terrible about bringing an ebay auction to the attention of someone who needed an engine. The donor engine was from a tractor that had been on a trailer when the whole rig crashed. 'Light rollover', he said. He had a crashed tractor, but I suspect it was enoute to the scrap dealer. First he jerked around the buyer for a month before shipping the engine, then the buyer found severe crash damage and extreme wear so he was no better off than the engine he intended to replace. I've quit recommending ebay auctions to people.
Caveat emptor.
I assume you read all the way through Domush's overhaul thread. His previous two overhaul threads are relevant too. Mandatory, before buying a fixup tractor.
Does it run now? If it doesn't, there is a possibility of endless problems yet undiscovered and even $500 may not be a bargain. 3 tires differing from original may be a red flag of incompetent patches and repairs. Plus overheating to that extent may be a clue to severe abuse. These models are usually extremely troublefree.
You might get lucky and discover that water in the oil is nothing more than a head gasket. I think it is worth trying a head gasket first ($50) before doing a major overhaul or a replacement engine.
If there is any question of water where it doesn't belong, be sure to spin it using the compression release -every- time before starting it. With the high compression of a diesel, water in a cylinder will bend a rod or shatter a piston.
If you can tenatively line up an engine from Bruce before committing to buy this, repairing it might make sense. He is honest and will do right by you.
On the other hand if buying an unknown engine ... I still feel terrible about bringing an ebay auction to the attention of someone who needed an engine. The donor engine was from a tractor that had been on a trailer when the whole rig crashed. 'Light rollover', he said. He had a crashed tractor, but I suspect it was enoute to the scrap dealer. First he jerked around the buyer for a month before shipping the engine, then the buyer found severe crash damage and extreme wear so he was no better off than the engine he intended to replace. I've quit recommending ebay auctions to people.
Caveat emptor.I assume you read all the way through Domush's overhaul thread. His previous two overhaul threads are relevant too. Mandatory, before buying a fixup tractor.
Reading that thread now; thank you for the link. The tractor does indeed run now and the seller said that the external crack has not leaked in a year's time. As for the internal leakage, his opinion was that it overheated and possibly melted the o-rings in the piston sleeve. Again, who knows.
I know a local guy who is a Yanmar nut (no offense intended) and am trying to get in touch with him to see if he might happen to have an engine he'd sell for a decent price. He's a mechanic who works on tractors regularly and is a valuable resource.
I know a local guy who is a Yanmar nut (no offense intended) and am trying to get in touch with him to see if he might happen to have an engine he'd sell for a decent price. He's a mechanic who works on tractors regularly and is a valuable resource.
Smoody
Platinum Member
I'd buy it, probably could part it out and get $500 back
clemsonfor
Super Member
I think this is good advice. I would do the same if you really are interested in trying to get it going. The one good rear tire will bring $150 to someone who need its, the other may bring $75-100 easy both sold with rims. The 3pt top with piston and valve can bring $150 -200 to someone who needs it. The pto assembly is potential few hundred as an easy pulled assembly. The tranmission is worth hundreds, the radiator an easy $50. See where im going from here. I think you could make money on it if you parted it out and waited, but i think you can easy get $300 quick cash for some parts and have most your money back if needed. **** scrap value has to be at least $200!
Doing some searching online on another forum, I just so happened across some postings concerning this exact same tractor by the current owner. Sounds like it has at least one scored cylinder and he put rings in it to get it going. Other than the previously mentioned items and the 3-point having been stuck in the "up" position after no use for 6 months or so (which he got freed up again) he didn't mention any other particular problems. Probably gonna stop by and at least look at it tomorrow, and either sit on it until I find another motor or else part it out. Hate to do that to a tractor if not necessary, though.
Well, I met with the guy last night and it ended up on my trailer for the ride home. Probably won't have time/money to tackle it for a little while, but just couldn't pass up the deal. Got it for $475. Odd thing is that when we met it started up just fine, then after it sat a while and we got ready to drive it on my trailer the started barely "bumped" one time with the key and then nothing. Jumped it with his truck and it still would do nothing until touching the starter with the positive cable from his truck. Wondering if the solenoid is bad.
Ginormous
Gold Member
Or maybe a bad cable/connection...
careyo63
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![557466-Yam240Elec[1].gif](/forums/data/attachments/29/29782-bccc7250271d7873637689b47eef7222.jpg)
shawnjvl
Silver Member
I the same problem with my 2000 when I bought it. On the solenoid the spade connector gets loose.
California
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Ah, optimism!
My YM240 was about the same when I found it. After I got it home and went back later for the disc, the seller boldly asked me 'How in the world did you get that thing started to get it off the trailer?'
WTH???
I still wonder what gimmics he did to prepare it for demoing to me. But I won the gamble. Bad fuel was the one thing he hadn't fixed in the short time he owned it. Attempting to remedy difficult starting he had burned up and replaced the starter, trashed the clutch safety switch (instead of analyzing and replacing the flaky keyswitch), replaced the air and fuel filters (but not the oil filter and oil) and botched a couple more things while he overlooked the bad fuel, dead Thermostart, and intermittent keyswitch - which were what it actually needed fixed to attain the reliability I've enjoyed.
I won that gamble - but that wasn't obvious until I got it sorted out. Good luck with yours! :thumbsup:
Wasn't able to really do anything with the machine today, but on a hunch just went out and looked at the solenoid. Sure enough, the small wire had popped off the connector (it's a spade connection). The key turned it right over after doing that.
I did notice, however, that the decompression lever was disconnected from the rod that goes to the dash panel. I can't get any movement at all from the lever so it'll probably need to be disassembled to see if something is bound up. Does anyone know of an owner's manual in PDF format? I have an original YM240 service manual that the seller gave me, thankfully.
I did notice, however, that the decompression lever was disconnected from the rod that goes to the dash panel. I can't get any movement at all from the lever so it'll probably need to be disassembled to see if something is bound up. Does anyone know of an owner's manual in PDF format? I have an original YM240 service manual that the seller gave me, thankfully.
clemsonfor
Super Member
i think if you buy one from LMTC he sends you a CD rom version ,, I think??
Smoody
Platinum Member
On the decomp lever, its not bound up, just never used. spray some pb blaster or wd40 whatever on it and tap it with a rubber mallet, it will free up. had same issue with mine. I had to hit it one way then the other multiple times to get it completely free moving.
oh, and you can remove the small caps on top of the valve cover and see the rod, shoot some lube on the lever on both sides.
oh, and you can remove the small caps on top of the valve cover and see the rod, shoot some lube on the lever on both sides.
Ginormous
Gold Member
I had the same experience as Smoody on my YM1700. The previous guy obviously never used it. I think all it took with mine was to break it free then work in back and forth a thousand times then it worked great! :thumbsup:
