New Yanmar owner - kinda sorta

[Goldchaser]

New to Yanmar, not new to tractors. Just never owned one as small as this one. YM155D. Was given this one by a friend. Been sitting for a number of years. Actually have been surprised at the good condition so far. Only a bit over 460 hours on it, no rollover. Have not yet gotten it running. Between waiting for parts to arrive and waiting for manuals, its been relatively slow process. Had to purge the fuel system due to water in the tank because of a cracked and sun rotted fuel cap. Changing out the oil and tranny fluid as the filters and other items come in. Purged the cooling system. Replaced the battery. Verified that it will turn over. However current battery does not have the strength without the charger hooked up. So am looking for another battery as soon as I can to get some CS power.

Otherwise, once I get the new cap and catch filter, which should be here in a few days, I can get fuel into this thing, purge the lines and see if I can start it.

Looking forward to getting this going. It comes with apparently factory installed FEL. Not an addon. Am guessing, from the serial, it was built around 1980, perhaps a bit later. My friend was the original owner, so I know the hours are correct and know the history. What happened and why it sat for years is he had used it. Parked it and it was sitting for a couple of months and he went to start it and couldnt get it started. Left it sit for a while longer, still couldnt get it started and pretty much gave up on it. Never took it to anyone....dont know why, he just ended up getting another one, a little larger and this one sat.

Will try and post a photo of it. Right now the bucket isnt attached and I am in the process of replacing the hydraulic hoses that go to the FEL. They were/are cracked pretty good so figured it was better to do that before I attempted to start it. Am also replacing the glow plug as a precaution. Prob isnt necessary, but I got one at about a 1/3 normal cost so it was worth it.

This tractor is worth putting some bucks into since it didnt cost me anything in the first place, except some time.

Only other thing that I am concerned about is the possiblity of the clutch sticking or being stuck. I know this is a possiblity after sitting for a long time so if anyone has any ideas about how to check it before I go ahead and start it, would be appreciated.

Paint is in poor condition on the body, some rust showing. Yanmar green, of course. Frame is black, and the paint on it is pretty good.
Seat, rotted away. Only thing left is the pan. So looks like I will be adding a cushion from the house for now, long as the wife doesnt catch me. <laugh>

The third photo below is one, not as clear as I would like, of the fuse panel underneath. I have not seen anything like this. There are no actual fuses. Wires come up to screws on either side, and between are wires that lose to be fuseble type of material but is open to the air. Never seen anything like it before. Any thoughts from anyone?

Dennis

 

[dieselfuelonly]

Nothing wrong with a free tractor!

To check the clutch see if you can put it in gear and have someone else push the clutch in and see if the tractor will move. If not its probably seized. I've heard that if necessary you can SLOWLY drive the tractor up to an immovable object and at the lowest speed possible push the front of the tractor against the object with the clutch pedal pressed in and it might break it loose. There is probably a safer method though.

Are you sure that that fuse box isn't actually a distribution box?

Good luck getting your tractor up and running!

Dennis

 

[Goldchaser]

Nothing wrong with a free tractor!

To check the clutch see if you can put it in gear and have someone else push the clutch in and see if the tractor will move. If not its probably seized. I've heard that if necessary you can SLOWLY drive the tractor up to an immovable object and at the lowest speed possible push the front of the tractor against the object with the clutch pedal pressed in and it might break it loose. There is probably a safer method though.

Are you sure that that fuse box isn't actually a distribution box?

Good luck getting your tractor up and running!

Dennis

Well, wont be quite free by the time I get it going.
Will check the clutch as you suggested.

As to the possiblity of it being a dist. box, I dont know. Its right where the fuse box is supposed to be on this model unless the fuses are somehow hidden underneath it. Just never seen anything like this before. Will try to get a better photo of it later and post it.

Had not figured it would take this long to even try to start it but it seems like every time I think I am ready I find something else I need to fix first and then have to wait for the part to arrive because the local dealers like the JD are pretty much useless and have to order any parts anyway. I gave the local JD dealer a couple of parts to order and 10 days later they still hadnt come in. So placed an online order with Howe Tractor yesterday and expecting them Tuesday morning. Thats the kind of service I like.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion with the clutch. Will let you know what I find.

Dennis

 

[California]

You did good!

I have essentially the big brother to that tractor and its loader.

My loader has the same control valves and structure, and a builder tag inside the left pedestal that shows it is a Great Bend 20. Great Bend was in Kansas then, and later was sold to Bush Hog who today don't have any manuals or parts lists. But it's built out of all generic stuff supported by any hydraulics shop.

I left the ratty hoses on mine. My experience is that I rip off about one hose per year moving snarled up downed trees, plus a couple of times I've discovered one bulging indicating it is near its end. One had been too close to the exhaust for a couple of decades. Just put your good new hoses on the 'lift' circuits so you can get the tractor home if an old one breaks!

That's the fuse box. The fuses are tiny bare wires. I've read these were also used on early VW, but I've never found any in the real world. I think the dealers who post here can provide them. They are attached with tiny screws and tiny washers that are too small to grasp as you remove them so they inevitably roll across the floor, a real frustration maker.

I put in fuseholders for glass fuses in place of the fuses on mine. A better solution is a fuseholder for a modern blade fuse in place of each one, or better yet, replace the box with one that takes blade fuses. But if the fuses are good don't mess with them!

I think the I&T shop manual covers that model. Its available from the dealers who post here. Also from ebay and Amazon, but verify those are current editions.

I think that external air pre-cleaner identifies that as the final series of the green US Yanmars, about 1981~83??

 

[Goldchaser]

You did good!

I have essentially the big brother to that tractor and its loader.

My loader has the same control valves and structure, and a builder tag inside the left pedestal that shows it is a Great Bend 20. Great Bend was in Kansas then, and later was sold to Bush Hog who today don't have any manuals or parts lists. But it's built out of all generic stuff supported by any hydraulics shop.

I left the ratty hoses on mine. My experience is that I rip off about one hose per year moving snarled up downed trees, plus a couple of times I've discovered one bulging indicating it is near its end. One had been too close to the exhaust for a couple of decades. Just put your good new hoses on the 'lift' circuits so you can get the tractor home if an old one breaks!

That's the fuse box. The fuses are tiny bare wires. I've read these were also used on early VW, but I've never found any in the real world. I think the dealers who post here can provide them. They are attached with tiny screws and tiny washers that are too small to grasp as you remove them so they inevitably roll across the floor, a real frustration maker.

I put in fuseholders for glass fuses in place of the fuses on mine. A better solution is a fuseholder for a modern blade fuse in place of each one, or better yet, replace the box with one that takes blade fuses. But if the fuses are good don't mess with them!

I think that external air pre-cleaner identifies that as the final series of the green US Yanmars, about 1981~83??

Thanks for letting me know about the fuses....urrrr....wires... whatever. That has got to be the strangest setup I have seen though. I think the first time I blow one of those I will convert it to regular fuses. Whether the blade type or the tube, dont matter. I usually have plenty of both in the shop with all the varied vehicles I seem to accumulate.

Looked at your photos of your 240D. Yep...definately the big brother of mine. Looks like it too.

I dont think your hyd lines could be any rattier than the ones on mine. See below.

I am also going to have to ask my friend about the PTO cover, which is missing. Looks like he removed it to add some kind of bracket to the toplink bracket. Looks like he was wanting to extend the length of the toplink for something. Added the photo below of the backend of the tractor.

I am looking forward to getting this running. Had been wanting one for a long time and then this one just fell in my lap out of the blue. And its going to come in so handy.

 

[alvanko]

I replaced the one on my YM155. NAPA

 

[California]

I dont think your hyd lines could be any rattier

Wanna bet?

 

[Goldchaser]

Wanna bet?

I stand corrected.

 

[Goldchaser]

I replaced the one on my YM155. NAPA

You got the box at NAPA? Hmmm...got several of them within 20 miles or so. Worth checking out for sure. Likely will just buy it, then when I blow the one on it, will have quick fix. Thanks.

 

[California]

Originally Posted by California
Wanna bet?

I stand corrected.

I saw your post in the other thread. The durability of these Yanmars is amazing. My (non Yanmar) loader has the expected evidence of 30 years use but the tractor itself seems timeless. I have no idea if the 041 hours showing when I bought it in 2003 was 1041 hours, or another thousand or two. Nothing has worn out or broken, aside from my own user abuse such as ripping those hoses off plunging blindly into a downed tree - hardly a reflection on Yanmar!

I think the only things that needed renovation when I got it were the Thermostart module, the seat and the rubber bumpers it rests on, and the ignition switch. (The previous short term owner had replaced the radiator and starter). I spent a couple of weeks tinkering like you are doing but that was all normal scheduled maintenance that had been ignored for years - loose wheel lug bolts, replace fluids & filters, etc.

I keep spares in the barn for those pictured loader hoses!

If your loader is the same, get some spares for the little hydraulic elbows where the hoses go into the curl cylinders. It's easy to lift rubbish, tree limbs etc, and discover all the weight is bearing on those elbows. I've broken two of them.

Here's what broke them. I'm clearing berry bushes that are choking an old apple tree. Occasionally I snag a limb.

 

[swedish-fish]

Ha! Is that a golf bag strapped back there? Pretty clever, California!

I also have a 155D and replaced the fuse block with a modern blade style. The second picture is a funny angle, but you get the idea. It's exactly like alvanco's but I got mine at Advanced Auto. The mounting holes almost match exactly.

 

[Goldchaser]

I saw your post in the other thread. The durability of these Yanmars is amazing. My (non Yanmar) loader has the expected evidence of 30 years use but the tractor itself seems timeless. I have no idea if the 041 hours showing when I bought it in 2003 was 1041 hours, or another thousand or two. Nothing has worn out or broken, aside from my own user abuse such as ripping those hoses off plunging blindly into a downed tree - hardly a reflection on Yanmar!

I keep spares in the barn for those pictured loader hoses!

Here's what broke them. I'm clearing berry bushes that are choking an old apple tree. Occasionally I snag a limb.

Yea, I have to agree with you RE: the durability of them. Mine was sitting in the guys yard for 8 years. And short of a relatively few things really needing fixing other than normal maintenance is really amazing at how good the condition of it is. Does look like I am going to have to replace the starter as well. Had noticed it was pretty stiff and it isnt getting any looser. I figure its pretty dirty and corroded inside. It still works but not like it should. So thats one other minor thing to fix soon.

I can see why you would lose hoses and break fittings. If you go look at my website you can see why it wont be that much of a problem around here. Not many bushes...let alone trees. Our place is out...well...the middle of nowhere comes to mind. <laugh> I have 2 neighbors within 3 miles. The rest are at least 7 to 10 miles away. There are alot of abandoned farmsteads in the area. And there was a town less than a mile away at one time. Just foundations now though. We live on what is called the high prairie. About 4000 to 4500 foot elevation generally. And you better not mind it being windy. Not much around to block the wind. We had 3 blizzards last winter and spent about 2 weeks total snowed in over the winter. My neighbor has a huge 4WD wheel loader and almost got stuck when he came down to dig us out. We couldnt move out of our place. I even got my big AC tractor stuck. Course it isnt 4WD but I figured I could use the box blade to move some of the snow. NOPE#**$*$&#&#&

 

[Goldchaser]

Ha! Is that a golf bag strapped back there? Pretty clever, California!

I also have a 155D and replaced the fuse block with a modern blade style. The second picture is a funny angle, but you get the idea. It's exactly like alvanco's but I got mine at Advanced Auto. The mounting holes almost match exactly.

I think I saw where California used that golf bag for his toolbox in one of his posts.

Yea, I see what you did. Thats likely what I will do once what is there now goes out. Will buy a fuse block and just have it in the parts bin for when I need it. Hopefully it wont mean a long walk...OR having to tow the tractor back to the shop.

 

[California]

Will buy a fuse block and just have it in the parts bin for when I need it. Hopefully it wont mean a long walk...OR having to tow the tractor back to the shop.

These things are simpler than that. They don't need electricity to run, aside from cranking the starter and the feedback line that tells the alternator to recharge the battery. There's no fuel shutoff solenoid, electric fuel pump, etc, any of that modern fru-fru that would strand you if they broke. It can't break if its not there.

You might burn out the alternator if you ran a long time with a smoked fuse, but if you see the warning light there's no question you would make it back to the barn.

 

[swedish-fish]

Gold, my yanmar loves the snow! I picked up a used 4' rear blower that does everything I need. With the drifting blizzards you get, I bet it's a different story. Around here we will get a few coastal storms, but mainly it's a few inches almost every day due to lake effect snows off lake Ontario.

I'm curious, what is your serial number? Yours seems very similar to mine. Mine is 56547

Also, the loader looks different than my OEM Yanmar loader. I think someone mentioned great bend? Good luck getting yours running. If I can be of any help let me know. I've collected the owners and service and parts manuals for this machine.

 

[California]

Goldchaser thanks for putting up your Yanmar Green avatar!!!

There were times when I thought I had the only US Yanmar they ever brought over, or at least the only green one. It's good to see a similar avatar.

A note on colors - they quit using that green on the Japan-market Yanmars about 1976?? when they moved the headlights from outboard to the top of the grille. So people think our models are older than they really are. But for the US models they continued the lime green into the second series (headlights in grille) for the models they were already selling here. I think red was first used on US Yanmars when they started shipping 3 cylinder models over, about 1980 or so, but they continued green on the existing 2 cylinder line until the end of production. If someone has better information I would like to hear it.


You mentioned a website but I didn't find the reference to it - could you share that with us again?

 

[Goldchaser]

These things are simpler than that. They don't need electricity to run, aside from cranking the starter and the feedback line that tells the alternator to recharge the battery. There's no fuel shutoff solenoid, electric fuel pump, etc, any of that modern fru-fru that would strand you if they broke. It can't break if its not there.

Hmmm...wish my big AC tractor was that way.... Had an old Oliver with a FEL for a long time. That thing had more jerry rigged wiring and parts than you would believe and it still ran like a champ when I sold it. Wish even now that I had held on to it. It was a good running tractor...looked like ****, but boy could it work. And it was a gas guzzler, not a diesel. The only times I ever had a problem starting it was when it got cold enough to make the oil thicken so much the engine wouldnt turn. Never did get around to putting a block warmer in it. The one time I really needed it running in the cold I just threw a tarp over the front end and stuck an electric heater underneath. Couple hours later things were nice and toasty and it started right up.

 

[Goldchaser]

Goldchaser thanks for putting up your Yanmar Green avatar!!!

There were times when I thought I had the only US Yanmar they ever brought over, or at least the only green one. It's good to see a similar avatar.

You mentioned a website but I didn't find the reference to it - could you share that with us again?

Yea, I figured that was the esiest avatar to put up. Plus most everyone else if they showed their tractor it was red.

I had put the website in my profile and then forgot to save it. Anyway, you can find it now through my ID above the avatar now. I saved it this time.

 

[Goldchaser]

Gold, my yanmar loves the snow! I picked up a used 4' rear blower that does everything I need. With the drifting blizzards you get, I bet it's a different story. Around here we will get a few coastal storms, but mainly it's a few inches almost every day due to lake effect snows off lake Ontario.

I'm curious, what is your serial number? Yours seems very similar to mine. Mine is 56547

Also, the loader looks different than my OEM Yanmar loader. I think someone mentioned great bend? Good luck getting yours running. If I can be of any help let me know. I've collected the owners and service and parts manuals for this machine.

Swedish..I have been thinking about trying to find one of those blowers to use here once I get this YM going. My AC is too big to find one for. Or if I did, would cost way too much. My neighbor doesnt mind digging me out, but I really dont like depending on him.

My serial is 55843. I figure its one of the later ones sold here in the US. So far I havent found anything showing the brand of the FEL. Havent checked the upright inside yet though where California found his.

Thanks for offer of help. I have the owners manual and have the service manual on the way, hopefully will be here Monday. I think Wednesday will be the big day for me to try to start it for the first time. Keep your fingers crossed. I liked your photos. Thats one working tractor.

 

[BruceR]

Nice ride Goldchaser, I have been looking for one in that size range for a while now. PM me if you want some of those original fuseable links, I think I have a few sets laying around.

Bruce