Yanmar YM240D

[nostep]

Thanks for the extra effort. Still looks high in the front. Maybe it's just the photo. Doesn't matter anyway, strapped for cash. Hopefully it'll still be there after tax refund and the Surburban is paid off

 

[nostep]

Does anyone know if there any difference between a YM240D and a YM2000D? They sure look the same (other than color). I think someone said the 240Ds were made from 1978 to 1981. How about the 2000D?

 

[California]

Well after displaying my ignorance in the matter of tires, above, take this FWIW:

YM2000 came first. (Early 70's??). The early ones were green and had headlights alongside the hood, not in the grille. An American version was adapted from this with minor differences to meet American standards. For example the US YM240 has an overrun ratchet in its PTO, and its PTO speeds are 540/1000 instead of the three speed PTO of most Japanese Yanmars. The US throttle pulls down to stop; YM2000 push up to stop. All the main stuff is identical and these were just adaptations to make the tractor conform to US standards.

About 1977??? the second series YM2000/YM240 came out. The big difference is the headlights are now in the top-front of the grille. Mechanical improvements were minor. At that point YM2000 started using red paint while YM240 continued the weird leisure-suit green. YM2000 production ended about 1977-79??. YM240 production, or at least the US marketing, continued through 1981.

These two tractors had smaller siblings, YM1700 (Japan) and YM195 (US) that had smaller cylinder bore and smaller tires, and not much else different. Maybe the gear ratios. (No water pump on YM1700).

And the 'D' option indicates 4 wheel drive, as you probably know.

 

[nostep]

It's good that they are alomost the same since that probably helps with parts availability. Ever see a YM240D repainted in the red? At first the green was rather sickly, but it's kinda growing on me because it's different.

Thanks for the awesome history lesson. Someone should do a Yanmar garden tractor book with all this.

 

[California]

You don't want to paint your 240D red.

Many Deere dealers once sold Yanmars as well, and remain authorized Yanmar Parts sellers. They still have the shop manuals for your tractor and will work on your legitimate US Yanmar alongside their Yanmar-powered Deeres, if you ever need a really major repair. But they won't touch a gray market Yanmar (or what they fear is a bastard combo of US/gray parts) for fear of losing that Yanmar Parts franchise.

I asked about service at my local Deere dealer and the service manager threw a tantrum. They can only see the US parts catalog so they get blindsided if they order parts from Yanmar-USA and the customer's tractor turns out to be some gray variant that isn't described in that US catalog. I couldn't get the guy calmed down. He was sure I was trying to slip a gray market Yanmar into his All-American shop. I haven't bothered to go back. In five years I've never needed anything I couldn't install myself - filters etc, plus some renovation parts right after I bought it that came off ebay. (My initial setup included replacing bashed headlights, a few knob tips, etc. that the previous owner had neglected.)

I've had much better service from the gray market parts sources. I bought a ROPS, a seat, the hydraulic internal screen, etc, that are unique to YM2000/YM240 by mailorder, much more simply than if I had gone back to that Authorized Parts dealer. Third-party parts support for the grays is excellent, about like maintaining an old Jeep, VW, or 65 Mustang. There will be aftermarket parts out there for years. That is a better parts channel than going through the former dealers - although it is nice that we have both channels available.

Besides: That color has some history. The first thing I thought of when I discovered my Yanmar was the old Euclid TC12's made 30 years earlier that were painted that color. 420 horsepower, twin engines, and 12 ft wide across the tracks. Not exactly wimpy.

Crank up the sound!

Youtube Vid1 - TC-12

Youtube Vid2 - TC-12

Just for fun.

It's good that they are almost the same since that probably helps with parts availability. Ever see a YM240D repainted in the red? At first the green was rather sickly, but it's kinda growing on me because it's different.

Thanks for the awesome history lesson. Someone should do a Yanmar garden tractor book with all this.

 

[nostep]

Do you have the green and white color codes? Not sure what that is. What is normally used, a "duplicolor code" or something?

I only have a postage sized lot, but we're in a subdivision without a homeowners association. We have common grounds to mow and streets to plow. Be a fun toy for that. Plus, I can plow the driveway in three passes. 3 minutes

 

[California]

Mark is the paint guy. I think he has said you have to match it by eye.

 

[nostep]

Problem is, match it to what? Old faded manuals or old faded tractor

Ans, is Mark also the one who restored a YM1601? I saw pics here:

http://www.yanmarowners.com

 

[California]

Problem is, match it to what? Old faded manuals or old faded tractor

When Mark shows up he will have the right answer. He is an experienced restorer and has completed several units to museum-quality. I don't know how he can bear to take them back out in the dirt!

I think he has said take in some piece that has never been exposed to daylight, like the underside of the dashboard, and let the pros match to that. It might be easier to just pull the hood, rub out a portion of the underside to expose the original color, then take the whole hood in.

The color on the latest VW bug isn't a perfect match but I think it is better looking than Yanmar's choice, which was a very 70's taste. Even Yanmar couldn't stand it after a while!

 

[nostep]

Since it seems to be a fairly rare beast to match, probably get close and use a bit of artistic license.

Is the attached file one of his restorations?