Buying Advice Need some help buying my first Yanmar

[WillyH]

Hi everyone- a YM135D sort of fell into my lap yesterday, and I'm in the process of evaluating it. I'm told that it needs a clutch, so I'm getting ready to order parts. The tractor was originally sold by Gary Jamieson, who's up the road from me a bit, and I spoke with him a little today. I wasn't able to name the PO, so we spoke in general terms about 135s, and he of course confirmed much of what I've learned reading this forum recently. He told me that a transmission problem is very rare in this model, but I worry about the noise that I'm hearing. Let me describe what I've observed.

Trans oil is low- about 1/4" on the dipstick. Clean and clear from what I can see. Hitch lift arms lift 230 lb easily. No noise from hydraulics. Aux hyd cylinder works properly.

1) Clutch pedal feels ok, like it's operating the release bearing and the pressure plate correctly. Pedal has ~3/4" free play, which, per Gary, is correct.

2) Engine running, trans in neutral, PTO in neutral = no noise to speak of.

3) Clutch pedal depressed, trans put into any gear = no noise.

4) Trans in gear, clutch pedal released = instant and constant gear mesh noise from forward section of trans. Tractor makes no attempt to move, no effect on engine speed.

5) Clutch depressed, trans in neutral, PTO set to either speed = no noise

6) PTO in either speed, clutch released, same gear mesh noise as above. PTO will spin listlessly, can be stopped with no effort, no effect on engine speed.

So it seems to me that there's no torque whatsoever being transmitted by the clutch, but then there's all this gear mesh noise. It really sounds like gears, not a bearing, and it sounds like its under the shifter, not in the bellhousing. Of course, I could be wrong. I'll try to add a little video below.

IMG 9496 - YouTube

I'll try to embed the vid when I figure out how.

Is there anything like a key that can shear on the output side of the trans? If there is such a thing, would it include the PTO? It sounds to me like there is input to the trans, and things are spinning inside the gearbox, and they they are engaged and disengaged by the clutch, but there's no output.

Thoughts? And Thanks.

 

[kwanwon]

I have the same tractor and I would ask Hoye Tractor, they are very helpful and a great place to purchase your Yanmar parts.

 

[winston1]

I would suspicion this. SPLINED COUPLER - NEW In Stock!!: Yanmar Tractor Parts

 

[WillyH]

Winston, that is the part I began to suspect shortly after posting last night. Glad to have your input, thanks. The fact that the tractor has the dozer blade on it sort of adds weight to the diagnosis. Thanks again.

 

[void777]

WillyH Welcome to TBN winston1 I belive your right sound like a coupler to me too.

 

[rScotty]

Do you have an exploded diagram of the transmission? Workshop manual or a good parts picture? Those old small gear drive Yanmars were all much the same.
For the next step I'd probably drain the oil, remove the tubular cleanable transmission oil filter (on the right side on most), and perhaps lift the shifting cover and look around inside.

And then get set up to open the transmission. It sounds like you have what is basically a good machine. Well worth the effort to fix it.
luck, rScotty

 

[winston1]

If it is the coupling it will be in the clutch (bell) housing.

 

[WillyH]

Glad to hear it. I've decided that splitting the tractor is the logical thing to do, while it's at work and near my toolbox. I'll have a look at the clutch and bearing, replace the coupler, and poke around in the trans while cleaning the screen and changing fluid. I'm looking forward to getting to know this little guy. I'd been hoping that a green Yanmer would fall out of the sky and hit me in the head, and that's pretty much what happened with this one. Thanks for the input, I'll keep you posted as I go along. This place is a valuable resource, filled with friendly people. I'm pleased to be among y'all.

 

[WillyH]

Here's a few of the old girl. Far from pretty, but I've seen worse. Just about perfect for me; needs some TLC but very functional.

 

[kenmac]

what is that on the PTO shaft ?

 

[void777]

I was about to ask the same question did some misplace the steering wheel J/K.

 

[richriddle]

What is that on the PTO shaft ?

It's a pulley for utilizing a mower, possibly a Woods brand mower. The International Harvester Cub Lo Boy utilizes a similar pulley mechanism. Here is a Yanmar YM 186D with a similar setup and mower attached:



Here is a IH Lo Boy 154 with that setup:

 

[winston1]

Blade tip speed ought to be around 50,000 fpm.

 

[richriddle]

Blade tip speed ought to be around 50,000 fpm.

You'd hate to be in the neighbor's yard if it threw a rock or stick.

 

[clemsonfor]

that's one of those pulleys that is used to run like a mid mount mower that has a super long belt and all kinds of pulleys to transfer power to the mower deck. They had setups like that for farmall cubs.

 

[WillyH]

I swear I looked for a notch. I thought it was for pull-starting the diesel.

 

[California]

Can't help it, gotta post this imaginative work of art I discovered after my 13yo niece visited here.

 

[WillyH]

I'll send a pic off to Gary Jamieson, and he'll be able to tell me what that pulley was for. There was some wonderful story that came with the tractor, about it being the third one that Gary ever sold, with the first two going to him and his daughter. He told me that that was probably not true, as he'd already been selling them for 6 or 7 seven years before he bought his. He told me that he had sold over a thousand of the 135s, and I love the idea of all those old yannies way up the dirt roads, hammering along, doing their **** jobs all these years on. I would suspect that most of them are still running. I cannot get over the cave-man simplicity of the design, and just how well and how long it has held up. When the dozer at work starts throwing codes and complaining about charging system voltage, the 40 year old yanmar is thumping along, starting a campfire in its intake manifold to get going on cold mornings. I love it to pieces.

 

[WillyH]

So I got the old girl split clean in half today, and sure enough, the coupler's got no splines on one side. Additionally, the clutch disc has no torsion springs left, which seem to have been rubber balls or some such based on the debris in the bellhousing. I think I might put the flywheel on the Bridgeport and give it a quick pass, and install a new disc and pressure plate while I'm in the neighborhood. Winston, I found the coupler well back of the bellhousing, above the rear yoke of the front driveshaft. Which jives perfectly with the location of the noise I was hearing.




Splitting the tractor was a valuable 'getting to know you' exercise, what with the linkages and hoses and whatnot. Happy to be giving Hoye some business, and glad of the help I've received here. I'll keep y'all posted, but it's pretty much going to be pushing dirt and snow until I find some more implements. I'm hoping to fix a few sheetmetal issues, but she's fairly intact and life tends to intrude. Here's hoping. Regards, Bill

 

[winston1]

I could have been a little plainer, should have said toward the rear of the bell (clutch) housing. Glad the trouble has been found and on the way to repair. :thumbsup: