Inherited this tractor. It has 417 hours on it, and it is clean as a whistle! It really is a beauty. I am interested in any and all info you all can share with me on this particular model. I don't know much about Yan Mars, but grew up with Deere and a Pasquali. Intend to use it around my farm, wnow removal, light logging, etc. I have ordered a reprint of the manual, but figured I would start with y'all here first! Thanks so much for any and all info in advance!
ponytug
Super Member
Welcome! (And congratulations on your inheritance!)
Where are you and your Yanmar located?
All the best,
Peter
Where are you and your Yanmar located?
All the best,
Peter
TractorTYMe
Veteran Member
Tractor Co - Services a niche market of used reconditioned diesel 4x4 tractors. in Thorp, WA sells these are remanufactored units and sells parts for them.
Yander
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2022
- Messages
- 1,915
- Location
- Ohio
- Tractor
- Mine - Yanmar SA425 - Kubota G6200 GT. Wife's LLC - Massey Ferguson 1750M - JD 3010, All Diesel
Welcome, but you can't come on here talking about how clean your Yanmar is without a pic! It is just unacceptable behavior. The Yanmar tribe will have issues! 
bmaverick
Super Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2013
- Messages
- 5,520
- Location
- Beloit-WI
- Tractor
- Yanmar YM2610 ■YANMAR GURU■ EXTRAORDINAIRE
You have a YM1700BD. Originally made in 1977 thru 1982. After it was used in Japan, it was sent here as exported to the west coast. From there, a small outfit would then work on the machines to restore the machine. Some outfits were better than others.
California
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
- Messages
- 14,743
- Location
- An hour north of San Francisco
- Tractor
- Yanmar YM240 Yanmar YM186D
Well almost. Most of the Japanese Yanmars brought over several years ago were first 'reconditioned' and repainted - museum quality paint job - in VN. Likely following a second life there.
Photos I copied off Tractorco's website back before Yanmar-USA sued the US importers and mostly shut them down:
Last edited:
California
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
- Messages
- 14,743
- Location
- An hour north of San Francisco
- Tractor
- Yanmar YM240 Yanmar YM186D
You say inherited, do you know when it was purchased in the US? Most of those were brought over about 1998 to 2010(?), at which time Yanmar-USA lost a liability lawsuit, and choked off import of used Yanmars that had never passed through their hands. Only Fredricks in Alabama escaped that lawsuit, and continues to import/refurbish top quality used Yanmars. If you happen to have one of theirs, you won the jackpot!
Yanmar quality is so solid that a rebuild anywhere likely comes out as good as new.
There have been cases posted here of 'Frankensteinmars', assembled with parts from various models, but you are not likely to encounter that with a YM1700 because there were so many of them.
Those shop photos likely show swapping parts around to build tractors where everything is within spec.
The only thing to watch for on your 1700 is to keep the radiator clean, flushed if needed, and get the coolant proportions right because it is 'thermosiphon' with no water pump. Like a Model T, hot/cool water circulates by just gravity. Keep the cooling system within spec and don't worry about it, it was designed by geniuses to work just fine. And it does.
If your paint doesn't look 40 years old then that 400 hours is likely meaningless. The hour meter is just to keep track of periodic maintenance. If it's 400 hours since overhaul and new paint, then that 400 hours without problems proves that the rebuilders got it right.
One more point, your same model imported and sold by Yanmar-USA is named YM195. Some slight differences to meet US safety specs. And the next larger YM2000/YM240 (Japan/US) Yanmar is a near twin to your YM1700, just larger displacement and hp, so all the service manuals are relevant to all four versions.
You'll love your Yanmar. We all do.