Buying Advice YM1600

[California]

As John said, that tiller matches your YM1600.

One point that may not be obvious: Most 3-point implements you might use (mower etc) use a standard top link, but Yanmar's tillers use a special short top link that goes half way forward to meet a temporary 'bridge' attached where the front end of a normal top link attaches. You might look around (or ask FIL) to be sure you have both types. That special tiller top link is hard to replace.

And again as John said - we love photos. I don't think anyone minds if you start in this forum. Title a new thread something like "What model tractor is this?" and the whole site will pour in here with well intentioned advice - probably including invitations to come post more photos in the Farmall forum etc.

 

[romoshka]

As I search for data on the 1600 in the barn I see few references to a plain 1600 - more often it is a 1600D - I can find no references to differences between the 1600 and the 1600D - what does the D designate?

 

[scottlw]

On all yanmars the "D" is for four wheel drive.

 

[romoshka]

Thanks scott

 

[romoshka]

OK!!! Fired off the 1600 and it ran well - only ran it for a minute or 2 as the oil in crankcase is BLACK and a little overfull. So gonna change oil, filter, and put fresh fuel in it. Air filter looks new. FIL has some manuals "somewhere" and while we are hunting can someone give me data on proper oil and filter? Also need a battery but the higher amp start circuit on the charger did the trick.

 

[California]

As my kids would say, Yay!!!!!


Oil filter NAPA/Wix 1334. It's the standard for most Hondas and Subarus, and used on many other Japanese cars, so available everywhere.

Oil: Anything that says for Diesel and 15W40 weight. Buy a gallon but stop pouring after 2/3 and watch the dipstick to finish up.

Battery: largest that will fit the space, if you don't have to pay much extra for a larger size. (and you could rotate it around to the larger tractors as you experiment with them). These little Yanmars all need ballast in the nose, and a bigger battery than specified will probably get you a couple more years use.

If that old fuel will start readily I would just use it up, not purge it. I would look at the fuel filter bowl, but not remove it unless you see water in the bottom. (Because purging air from the fuel system is a nuisance that you don't need to get into.) As I said, the tractor doesn't know its been 3 years and should simply run as if there wasn't a long storage period. I assume it was parked out of the weather. If it was outdoors then there is a possibility of water in the transmission and the steering box. Its easy to replace the transmission fluid and clean its 'filter' (wire screen). The steering box not so much.

 

[romoshka]

Thanks Cali - it has been under cover but I really have no idea what its life was before I met the new bride 3 years ago so I will change the fluids. The FIL says that the hitch had a problem in that it would go up but not down. After the battery and new oil I will tackle that issue and before I put it to use. FIL says he bought some parts for that problem but like the manuals we will have to find em. Smart guy - Mech Eng - but he has WAY too much stuff to keep up with.

Cali - Since you have taken on the task of my tutor and I am not too far off of Eddie Albert from Green Acres - can you explain (or give me a link - google had been no help) the difference between a 2 and a 3 point hitch? I have looked at all the tractors and if I see things correctly it appears as if the 3rd point is connected to the lift mechanism vs a stationary link on the 2 point but I really want to understand.

 

[California]

Well until somebody comes along who actually knows something ...

3-point was introduced on the Ford/Ferguson tractors of the late 30's and soon became the universal standard for farm tractors everywhere. Category 1, 2, 3 describe how much they can lift. (and cat 0 for garden tractors). Yanmars are cat 1, maybe some of the big ones are cat 2.

2-point re Yanmars is proprietary, for tractors in Japan that will have their tiller attached for the life of the tractor. Instead of lifting the tiller with 3-point lower arms, the tiller itself attaches near where 3-point arms would normally be.

A conversion kit to add 3-point components to a 2-point Yanmar is about $200 from Hoye.

Ok, that's it more or less. Somebody else probably can describe 2-point better.

 

[284 International]

Some of the older International machines came with what they called Fast Hitch, a two point style hitch. It's set up with lower links kind of similar to the hitch receiver tube on an automobile, but narrower. A male, barbed prong on the implement slides into each lower link and clicks into place. The advertised advantage was the ability to back up to the implement, click in, lift and drive away, without ever getting off the tractor. The Fast Hitch doesn't have a top link, the male/female connection adds the rigidity to the system.

The three point is now the standard, common system. Two lower lift arms attach to pins on the implement and provide lifting force. A top link, usually adjustable, connects the top of the implement to the tractor, and provides rigidity to the system, allowing the implement to raise at the rear as well as the front.

As California described, the two point system on Japanese compacts like your Yanmar is basically two lifting rods that lift the body of a tiller and a central connection at or near the PTO. There are different styles, some attach to a bracket on the rear of the tractor, others bolt directly onto the transmission housing.

Some, like the YM2000, have a hybrid setup where a very short rigid top link bracket attaches to the tractor, and a shorter link provides limited articulation for the top of the implement, a way to closely couple the tiller for increased maneuverability.

I don't know what the YM1600 came with for a factory tiller attachment, but, as California said, conversion parts are readily available to construct a standard 3 point hitch. If you have the implements, I see no reason why your YM 1600 wouldn't work fabulously with Fast Hitch implements for a Cub.

 

[romoshka]

Well we are making progress - new battery is in and despite FIL telling me that it charges but has a short that pulls the battery down and his solution was to disconnect the battery between uses it became apparent after 1 minute with a multimeter that it is not charging - 12.6v despite the RPMs. So off to the local rebuilder to see if they can rebuild it burqat my question is there an off the shelf equivalent perhaps for some small Japanese car?

Think we have figured out why the hitch wont go down - there are what looks like 2 pistons in the hydraulic valve under the seat that gt depressed when the shift leaver is ithe up position and one is stuck in. despite some break free and brass drift tapping around the housing it remains stuck. Four bolts hold the cover and it looks like that will be required to be removed to free that plug/pisTon. my question is what springs and other potential "gotchas" are gonna jump out at me?

FIL is looking for the manuals that he says he has.