What to do with my Yanmar 1802?

[tallyho8]

I've had my 1802 for over 10 years and it has been the most dependable machine I have ever owned. Even if I lay it up 6 months it starts the very second I turn the key. It purrs like a kitten, never leaks oil, the front end loader and shredder will stay up a month when parked without lowering an inch.

I haven't bought one thing for it in the last few years except for diesel, and to change oil and filters. Last month I bought a battery because the old one was about 20 years old and not dependable anymore.

Since I have over 20 acres of pasture, swamp and woods and constantly have large jobs to do, bush hogging, clearing downed trees, digging ditches, spreading fill, maintaining driveways and many other chores, I bought a new larger Kubota a few years ago.

Loving my Yanmar the way I do, I kept it in the barn using it on small jobs about every 6 months and watching the shiny hood and fenders lose their gloss over the years.

I don't need the money but I don't know if I should sell it so it could serve someone else as well as it served me for so many years or if I should keep it for a few small jobs I may have for it in the next few years.

I am worried about what could happen to it if I keep laying it up for 6 months at a time. I keep the clutch clamp on so it won't get frozen stuck and I keep treatment in the diesel. Will a seal in the motor or transmission dry up and leak from being laid up? Or one go bad in the water pump and it will leak? Will the fuel tank corrode? Will the tires rot? Other concerns?

There is really nothing it can do that I can't do with my larger tractor except for fitting through the 4' gates on my chicken pen and goat pen making it a little easier to work in them every now and then.

What should I do? Sell my beloved Yanmar while it's in top running condition, or watch it slowly pass away with age while stored in my barn?

Just call me: Sentimental old fool.

 

[DT86]

While not a Yanmar I too have a tractor that is only used seasonally. I thought about selling it, but after I thought about it the little tractor was worth more to me when it was needed than the money.

It might need a boost and the fuel bowl emptied when it is needed but it still pulls its weight around here.

 

[normde2001]

Shut off the fuel, (to prevent leakage into crankcase), keep the tank full of diesel, (prevents corrosion), keep doing what you are doing and you are good to go for 6 months.

 

[careyo63]

Have a lot of Family in Hartford and New Haven.
I'll let them know it may be Available.

 

[bmaverick]

I've had my 1802 for over 10 years and it has been the most dependable machine I have ever owned.What should I do? Sell my beloved Yanmar while it's in top running condition, or watch it slowly pass away with age while stored in my barn?

Just call me: Sentimental old fool.

Do you have family? A son or nephew who would enjoy owning it? Or do you have a family in church that you are close with to help them out? I have a few sons, yet one tractor. They have wide eyes in hoping that one of them will get it years from now. Maybe you know of a family with a small farm that would be very blessed to have it. Or just to hang onto it until you can't physically use them anymore. A retired man in his 80s just donated 8 tractors to various small farmers in my area. They were IH, Deere, M-F, Ford/NH, and Kubota tractors. He had no family to pass them down to.

 

[California]

What should I do? Sell my beloved Yanmar while it's in top running condition, or watch it slowly pass away with age while stored in my barn?

Just call me: Sentimental old fool.

If you don't have a destination for it - I don't think it will hurt anything to park it, with occasional use. Any aging should be minimal and trivial.

I say this because I was told my YM240 had a history of normal use in its first decade. Then after the owner closed his riding stable business, it sat 10~15 years abandoned outdoors and was started infrequently for a few minutes when its loader was needed etc. Then the second owner that I bought it from did the expected 'deferred maintenance' - flush radiator, buy a battery etc when he bought it. But he said it wasn't big enough to disc with so he sold it to me. It still needed the nasty aged fuel flushed out, and another couple hundred $ of minor renovation; free up a stuck brake for example.

My experience since then has been troublefree for 11 years. My point here is I wouldn't expect deterioration or damage as the years go by if you store it out of the weather. If I were you, and didn't need the storage space or cash, I would just keep it. These things - especially a clean one - really are of a quality to be admired.

 

[clemsonfor]

If you don't have a destination for it - I don't think it will hurt anything to park it, with occasional use. Any aging should be minimal and trivial.

I say this because I was told my YM240 had a history of normal use in its first decade. Then after the owner closed his riding stable business, it sat 10~15 years abandoned outdoors and was started infrequently for a few minutes when its loader was needed etc. Then the second owner that I bought it from did the expected 'deferred maintenance' - flush radiator, buy a battery etc when he bought it. But he said it wasn't big enough to disc with so he sold it to me. It still needed the nasty aged fuel flushed out, and another couple hundred $ of minor renovation; free up a stuck brake for example.

My experience since then has been troublefree for 11 years. My point here is I wouldn't expect deterioration or damage as the years go by if you store it out of the weather. If I were you, and didn't need the storage space or cash, I would just keep it. These things - especially a clean one - really are of a quality to be admired.

thats the good thing with diesels that they can be parked for years and cranked right back up. Even the same fuel is often times ok.

 

[Djames55]

I would just keep it... I don't see why you couldn't start it up and drive it around the property for 15 to 20 minutes once a week or even once a month should keep it all charged up and well lubricated and all... I would think you would need to be checking on the property anyway... Just use the tractor... I have 2 Yanmar tractors my self... One of the tractors is only use for tilling and garden work... The other for FEL works and forklift...

 

[elancaster]

My YM 1700 came with the place. It was hard to start and eventually blew out the radiator. I invested in a rebuilt head. (The old old one had a crack) Now the tractor starts instantly even when it has sat for a few months. When I bought a old JD 1450 with a loader my wife thought I would sell the Yanmar. NOT! It pulls a middle buster for ditching, a dirt scoop, a 42 inch mower and my favorite, a 300 lb seed/ fertilizer spreader. It is amazing what its 19 hp will do and how dependable it is. Sooo, given its service for the last five years, it ain't goin anywhere but my place in Abita Springs La.

 

[tallyho8]

Well, I went to check out my Yanmar 1802 the other day and the turn signal knob broke off when I tried to turn it because the switch froze up from non-use. I couldn't bare to see things start going bad on it from laying up so I decided to sell it. I put an ad on Craigslist for $5200 and sold it to the first person to come by within a couple of hours. I had about a dozen other calls within a couple hours of people wanting it so evidently I sold it too cheap.