Price Check Value 1992 Kubota B1550 bad engine

[Kubota1939]

Hi.
My husband has a 1992 Kubita tractor which he has kept in excellent condition. Only problem is that he now has dementia and put gas in the diesel tank! I took it to mechanic who worked on it and says the engine is shot and needs replaced. He offered me $1200 for tractor which includes mower deck, 2 grass catcher bags, a grass catcher box my husband built, the motor and chute that sends grass to catcher (don稚 know what it痴 called), the U shaped bar that goes behind driver, 3 metal hitches or whatever you call them to hook up an implement.
Anyhow, I知 just wondering if that痴 a fair offering price or if I should get it returned and put it up for sale. As you can tell I know very little about tractors!
Thank you so much for your thoughts.

 

[Streetcar]

Do you the model number of the tractor

 

[Tompet]

I just sold a B1550 for a friends sisters estate for $3,600, but about $400 was put in it to fix several items, so $3,200 net. It was a deluxe 4wd model for comparison, but was weather worn with a mmm. Engine hours were only 1,000.

A difficult situation your dealing with no doubt and I assume tractor was run with the gas from what was written. If the engine is toast the offer is not terrible, I would think $1,500 to maybe a max of around $2,000 to right person and condition other than engine is excellent.

Maybe counter him with $1,500 or $1,600?

I am sure others will chime in with engine replacement costs for a further sense of value. Good luck to you.

 

[Kubota1939]

Do you the model number of the tractor

I thought B1550 was model number.

 

[RickB]

If you think he is being honest about the condition of the engine take his offer. You have more to be concerned with than a few bucks one way or the other on an old broken tractor. Let him bear the cost of his diagnosis and work to this point.

 

[finn1]

The engine should be ok even if the tank was filled with gasoline. Happens every day on highway vehicles.

The Kubota won’t have an expensive common rail system. The engine was likely run for only a brief time on the gasoline / Diesel mix, and the low cetane would have resulted in extreme ignition delay, lots of combustion noise, and plenty of white smoke.

I would suggest that you find another competent diesel mechanic and ask for a second opinion. Draining the fuel system, replacing the filters, and bleeding the system to purge gasoline contaminated fuel is a good place to start.

The injection pump is probably the most vulnerable component, but a new pump, if required, is cheaper than a new tractor.

Sounds to me like your dealer senses an imminent sale of a new high dollar tractor.

 

[Kubota1939]

If you think he is being honest about the condition of the engine take his offer. You have more to be concerned with than a few bucks one way or the other on an old broken tractor. Let him bear the cost of his diagnosis and work to this point.

Thanks to all of you who have replied so quickly. At least I feel that I now have some knowledge behind my decision. I値l take his offer and he値l absorb cost of what he has already put into it in diagnostic work.
I think part of my reluctance to let it go was also that I knew how much my husband prized and valued that tractor; of course, chances are he won稚 remember it now.

 

[4570Man]

How much is the diagnostic fee if you picked it up? Are hauling fees involved or are you hauling yourself? Do you trust his diagnoses that the engine is really shot? It seems unlikely to me. Assuming the engine really is shot and any charges have already been deducted from the 1200 that seems like a fair offer to me. Keep in mind Kubota parts are very expensive and you’re pretty much limited to the availability of used parts to fix it.

 

[skipperbrown]

I would take it to a Kubota dealer or second mechanic and ask him to pronounce it dead. I am concerned your mechanic may think he is dealing with a distressed unknowing female who can be taken advantaged of. Running briefly on a diesel/gas mix shouldn't destroy the engine if it ran for a minute or two. As noted, there are very obvious signs something is wrong when gas runs inside the engine and if the engine was quickly shut down, it should be repairable.

 

[crashz]

Tractor house has a variety of these and they almost all priced at $6,000, some with loaders, some with hydro transmissions, some with 4x4, and various implements.

So if your machine really needs an engine, a third of the price is probably reasonable ~$2,000. If it really does need an engine.

I agree with Rick, you have too much on your plate to deal with haggling over a couple of bucks. I wish you and your husband the best of luck.

 

[SDT]

Hi.
My husband has a 1992 Kubita tractor which he has kept in excellent condition. Only problem is that he now has dementia and put gas in the diesel tank! I took it to mechanic who worked on it and says the engine is shot and needs replaced. He offered me $1200 for tractor which includes mower deck, 2 grass catcher bags, a grass catcher box my husband built, the motor and chute that sends grass to catcher (don稚 know what it痴 called), the U shaped bar that goes behind driver, 3 metal hitches or whatever you call them to hook up an implement.
Anyhow, I知 just wondering if that痴 a fair offering price or if I should get it returned and put it up for sale. As you can tell I know very little about tractors!
Thank you so much for your thoughts.

I own a 1993 B1750, the big brother of the 1550. Though mine is exceptional and highly optioned, I would not sell it for $7,500

Putting gasoline in the tank may well have destroyed the injection pump and, perhaps, the injectors but likely did not damage the rest of the engine.

I think it's worth more. Always be suspicious when a "mechanic" offers to buy your car, truck, tractor, etc.

Might want to talk to another "mechanic" or even a dealer.

SDT

 

[SDT]

The engine should be ok even if the tank was filled with gasoline. Happens every day on highway vehicles.

The Kubota won’t have an expensive common rail system. The engine was likely run for only a brief time on the gasoline / Diesel mix, and the low cetane would have resulted in extreme ignition delay, lots of combustion noise, and plenty of white smoke.

I would suggest that you find another competent diesel mechanic and ask for a second opinion. Draining the fuel system, replacing the filters, and bleeding the system to purge gasoline contaminated fuel is a good place to start.

The injection pump is probably the most vulnerable component, but a new pump, if required, is cheaper than a new tractor.

Sounds to me like your dealer senses an imminent sale of a new high dollar tractor.

Bingo, FINN.

SDT

 

[RickB]

There is never any shortage of commentary on how big a check someone else should write or how bad a diagnosis is. It is a 25 year old 17 hp non running tractor. Whether it needs a short block or injection pump it has limited value.