Generic question on CUT tractor hours

[claya]

I found a TC25 NH Diesel 4wd for sale near me. My limit has been 2Khours on most any CUT except maybe Kubota. The TC25 has just over 4.6Khrs, which to me seems like a rebuild in the near future. I have zero desire to be doing a rebuild anytime soon.

It also requires pulling with another tractor to get it started, (This trick, I have never heard of) which suggests the glow plugs are shot, or a fuse is blown etc.. Once warm, it starts fine. It is a 2001, so that is quite a few hours for a 20yr old CUT. So the question: Is 4Khr midlife for a TC25, or should I keep only looking at sub 2Khr machines? It does not look abused, or shot in the photos, so perhaps has been well maintained by the previous owner. The current seller does not know much, and is just helping sell it for his neighbor, who is the first owner, supposedly.
Seller also says it has a standard transmission (Clutch and shifter), and NOT an HST. According to TractorData, ALL 1991-2003 TC25's have HST, so that is curious. Can anyone comment on that also? does anyone else have a TC25 without an HST?

 

[Rock Crawler]

Chances are, if you need to drag with another machine to get it to fire.... the engine is plum worn out. Compression is to low, it can't squeeze and fire off the fuel at the rotational speed supplied by the starter. You drag it fast enough, it fires. It warms up and tightens up a bit, it can fire off of the starter.

Unless this thing is nearly free, I'm a hard pass. Move on to the next one.

And your right, in the 4k to 8k range is end of life for these smaller machines. 4k if not meticulously cared for and was used hard. 8k if it was used soft and light, meticulously cared for with respect to maintenance and stored indoors.

Your looking at a machine that requires resurrecting. This can be a great bargain for you if the price is right and you have interest in dealing with this.

 

[5030]

Candidly, I've never seen a small tractor with a lot of hours on it anyway, only larger ones. Just bought (last year) a used M9 with 6000 hours on it which is nothing on a bigger unit so long as it's maintained. Most little ones around here might have 1000 meter hours tops.

 

[Roadworthy]

Reading Tractor Data I gather that the tractor has hydrostatic power steering. The transmission may be either nine speed manual or hydrostatic. If the glow plugs don't work, that can be fixed. I would not want a tractor which required pulling by another tractor to start it. Of course it's possible it's only a slow or weak starter. If you have to troubleshoot it before buying it you may want to shop elsewhere.

TractorData.com New Holland TC25 tractor information

www.tractordata.com

 

[5030]

Pig in a Poke tractor IMO. Unless you can get it for a song, I'd pass. Been my experience that usually used means not taken care of in a timely manner.

 

[RickB]

I found a TC25 NH Diesel 4wd for sale near me. My limit has been 2Khours on most any CUT except maybe Kubota. The TC25 has just over 4.6Khrs, which to me seems like a rebuild in the near future. I have zero desire to be doing a rebuild anytime soon.

It also requires pulling with another tractor to get it started, (This trick, I have never heard of) which suggests the glow plugs are shot, or a fuse is blown etc.. Once warm, it starts fine. It is a 2001, so that is quite a few hours for a 20yr old CUT. So the question: Is 4Khr midlife for a TC25, or should I keep only looking at sub 2Khr machines? It does not look abused, or shot in the photos, so perhaps has been well maintained by the previous owner. The current seller does not know much, and is just helping sell it for his neighbor, who is the first owner, supposedly.
Seller also says it has a standard transmission (Clutch and shifter), and NOT an HST. According to TractorData, ALL 1991-2003 TC25's have HST, so that is curious. Can anyone comment on that also? does anyone else have a TC25 without an HST?

Tractordata is full of errors, you found one. There's no such thing as pull starting a tractor with hydrostatic drive.

 

[4570Man]

The poor starting could be a weak starter or battery that’s spinning too slow but it could also be low compression. I’d pass unless it’s dirt cheap.

 

[claya]

Thanks everyone. Shot engine, I suspected as much. They are listing it for $5.5K. Which seems really high considering. It is actually a 1997, so that explains the non-HST transmission, and ability to pull start.. Going back to 2Khrs as my absolute max hr limit for a CUT. Unless they were perfectly maintained Kubota, or Yanmars.

I passed on a 3Khr Kubota L295 that was nearly perfect, yet may have front end issues down the road. Oh well. Lesson learned.

 

[rScotty]

Like Rock Crawler said, pulling a diesel to get it started is probably the sign of low compression. That means it is time for a complete engine rebuild. Some of these small diesels were made to be rebuilt, but not all. Pass.

The story is different on larger size tractors and commercial machines. Like 5030, I've bought good machinery with over 5000 hrs on the clock. I wouldn't do that with smal ones. Keep looking; they are out there. School districts, churches, utility companies, shopping centers, and summer camps often have well cared for equipment that isn't advertised.

 

[jwstewar]

As far as 2000 hours on a New Holland CUT, that is nothing. I had a 2003 NH TC24 - the one in my avatar. I had that tractor for 17 years. I had 2,700 hours on it. Still ran great. No issues with it, didn't use any oil on the engine. Heck, NH warrantied the engine for 3,000 hours. I wouldn't be afraid of one under normal circumstances. And for what it is worth, other than capabilities, I still like my 24D better than my Kubota L3301.

 

[warrendeere]

Hey though, you never know the true condition of the engine and transmission. I was helping my neighbor with his TC35D with over 6500 Hours! The tractor was in excellent shape. We took off the transmission cover just to take a look, and i swear, there wasn't even a scratch on any of those gears. Gears and everything is original. I would say it really depends on how well they take care of it. It can be like my neighbors who has such little wear on the engine and transmission, even though its considered "High Hours". Others can have 1200 Hours and be owned by a landscaping company, and be near the end of its life span. My TC35D has 1400 Hours and was owned by a landscaping company. Transmission is perfect, engine is OKAY. But again, this was used and abused for the 1200 hours. So its all about how it has been maintained. Trust me, my engine is more worn out at 1200 hours than my neighbors, all because he changed his oil more often, and ran a higher quality oil

 

[rScotty]

My experience with used equipment agrees with most of what's been said here. One thing that hasn't been mentioned are homeowner low hour machines. I see them sometimes with less than 500 hours on them. If decently maintained, they can be as good as new. Or even better.
rScotty