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John Deere Engine Rebuild

8 posts
  1. Nicholas Daak
    Nicholas Daak avatar
    3 posts
    3/9/2017 9:03 AM
    In the process of tearing down a Yanmar in a John Deere 3245. Local dealer will do it for $12,000. New engine roughly $7000. Rebuild kit roughly $600. Anyone know of a company that refurbishes them? I'm not a great mechanic, no formal training, and don't want to rebuild and end up wrecking engine. I also don't want to spend $100/hr shop rates. Basically I want it to run good again for around $3000.



  2. Keith Lamb
    Keith Lamb avatar
    3 posts
    3/9/2017 12:03 PM
    Maybe contact a local Superintendent who has a good mechanic and see if they want to do it as a side job.



  3. Christopher Thuer
    Christopher Thuer avatar
    101 posts
    3/9/2017 3:03 PM
    Find a local engine shop and see if they will do it.

    We had an engine blow in a pro gator a few years ago. (new mechanic did an oil change without adding new oil. He sent it out with the crew who flagged me down saying there was a light on and the engine started sounding bad. New mechanic went awol the next day) Local Deere service tech said it was cost prohibitive $5k to $7k to rebuild it and the engine was discontinued so no replacement. We traded it in on an off lease replacement. Several months later we saw in their used equipment offerings for $7k. So, he fixed it or dropped in another engine.

    Last winter our other Pro Gator had the bed ram knock a hole in the valve cover. The engine started burning lots of oil. The same tech took it to their shop and replaced the valve seals. We got it back and it still blew smoke severely. He took it back and than said there were chunks of metal in the oil pan and the engine was beyond repair.

    Remembering how the other pro gator situation turned out I had our tech tackle it. Young kid, no experience when we hired him (after the oil free guy) and it was his first engine rebuild. Told him before we get burnt again I would rather spend a little time and money and get his feet wet with this job than give up and spend another $15k on another off lease pro gator.

    Our tech pulled the engine and removed all external parts. He took it to our local Car Quest store that also has an engine/machine shop. We do a lot of business with them so they treat us fair. They discovered a bent valve stem. Everything else was good. They did put all new rings, bearings and seals, and valves in it and we ordered the parts from Deere. Our tech put all external parts back on and that machine is still running fine a year later.

    Just under $2k for parts and the shop labor.

    Chris Thuer, CGCS, Bear Slide Golf Club, Cicero, IN

  4. Melvin Waldron
    Melvin Waldron avatar
    43 posts
    3/9/2017 4:03 PM
    Christopher Thuer, CGCS said: Find a local engine shop and see if they will do it.

    We had an engine blow in a pro gator a few years ago. (new mechanic did an oil change without adding new oil. He sent it out with the crew who flagged me down saying there was a light on and the engine started sounding bad. New mechanic went awol the next day) Local Deere service tech said it was cost prohibitive $5k to $7k to rebuild it and the engine was discontinued so no replacement. We traded it in on an off lease replacement. Several months later we saw in their used equipment offerings for $7k. So, he fixed it or dropped in another engine.

    Last winter our other Pro Gator had the bed ram knock a hole in the valve cover. The engine started burning lots of oil. The same tech took it to their shop and replaced the valve seals. We got it back and it still blew smoke severely. He took it back and than said there were chunks of metal in the oil pan and the engine was beyond repair.

    Remembering how the other pro gator situation turned out I had our tech tackle it. Young kid, no experience when we hired him (after the oil free guy) and it was his first engine rebuild. Told him before we get burnt again I would rather spend a little time and money and get his feet wet with this job than give up and spend another $15k on another off lease pro gator.

    Our tech pulled the engine and removed all external parts. He took it to our local Car Quest store that also has an engine/machine shop. We do a lot of business with them so they treat us fair. They discovered a bent valve stem. Everything else was good. They did put all new rings, bearings and seals, and valves in it and we ordered the parts from Deere. Our tech put all external parts back on and that machine is still running fine a year later.

    Just under $2k for parts and the shop labor.


    If this post doesn't show the value of a good equipment technician/mechanic, I don't know what post would.

    Great story, well except the part about you getting burned up front.

    Mel

    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

  5. Larry Allan
    Larry Allan avatar
    0 posts
    3/10/2017 7:03 AM
    Christopher Thuer, CGCS said: Find a local engine shop and see if they will do it.

    We had an engine blow in a pro gator a few years ago. (new mechanic did an oil change without adding new oil. He sent it out with the crew who flagged me down saying there was a light on and the engine started sounding bad. New mechanic went awol the next day) Local Deere service tech said it was cost prohibitive $5k to $7k to rebuild it and the engine was discontinued so no replacement. We traded it in on an off lease replacement. Several months later we saw in their used equipment offerings for $7k. So, he fixed it or dropped in another engine.

    Last winter our other Pro Gator had the bed ram knock a hole in the valve cover. The engine started burning lots of oil. The same tech took it to their shop and replaced the valve seals. We got it back and it still blew smoke severely. He took it back and than said there were chunks of metal in the oil pan and the engine was beyond repair.

    Remembering how the other pro gator situation turned out I had our tech tackle it. Young kid, no experience when we hired him (after the oil free guy) and it was his first engine rebuild. Told him before we get burnt again I would rather spend a little time and money and get his feet wet with this job than give up and spend another $15k on another off lease pro gator.

    Our tech pulled the engine and removed all external parts. He took it to our local Car Quest store that also has an engine/machine shop. We do a lot of business with them so they treat us fair. They discovered a bent valve stem. Everything else was good. They did put all new rings, bearings and seals, and valves in it and we ordered the parts from Deere. Our tech put all external parts back on and that machine is still running fine a year later.

    Just under $2k for parts and the shop labor.

    Your story reminds me of the day I was a spray tech. Due to lack of tank agitation we would put the chem in the tank and mix it using high pressure from the irrigation hose. Lets just say I put the chem in the tank, then went for lunch. After lunch, I sprayed about 50 yards of fairway before the tank ran out. OOOOPs, for got the water!



  6. Melvin Waldron
    Melvin Waldron avatar
    43 posts
    3/10/2017 11:03 AM
    I'm sure I've told this story before, but maybe not here.

    Back in the very early 80's we had a Toro Turf Pro 84, I believe it had a single cylinder Kohler engine in it (can't remember the horse power). We could not keep that thing running. It would run if we held the key in the start position, (don't remember what the starter was doing), but otherwise it would just die. Finally someone lifted up the seat, checked the oil, and we found out it was low (one of the first oil sensors I remember). Put the proper amount of oil in it and after that I just remember it used to smoke like we were spraying for mosquitoes. (guessing I just gave my age away using both of those references).

    I tell that story to all my new hires when I show them where the dipstick is, and then I also mention, if they can't remember to check the oil, our weedeaters don't have dipsticks on them.

    Mel

    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

  7. Christopher Thuer
    Christopher Thuer avatar
    101 posts
    3/12/2017 12:03 PM
    Those had a 2 cylinder Kohler if I remember right. I tore a few of those down and rebuilt them, a couple of them on the 84. The first fairway mower I ran was a Parkmaster in 1981.

    Chris Thuer, CGCS, Bear Slide Golf Club, Cicero, IN

  8. Paul Double
    Paul Double avatar
    37 posts
    3/12/2017 9:03 PM
    Nicholas, first of all why do you think the engine needs rebuilt...what is wrong with it? I have rebuilt a few engines in my day, and I have had a few people ask me to rebuild engines for them and come to find out there was no need to rebuild. I have had to remove and rebuild heads and have had a couple times bad diesel injectors made engine run so rough they thought the engine was about to blow.
    If the engine really needs rebuilt and you don't want to tackle it, like Keith said, call around and see if another mechanic at another course may want to do it on the side. I have rebuilt a couple Yanmar engines and they are pretty easy to rebuild, but one I came across had damage to the block where the crankshaft bearings and shims gave way and the crankshaft slid back and forth hitting the block. In this case, the block was damaged and had to be replaced. Likely on Yanmar engine, if you have the engine out and you can grab the crankshaft and it slides back and forth the slightest amount, good chance the block will have to be replaced...not defenite, but good chance.
    Where are you located? I would recommend go online with Yanmar and find a local dealer and service center and get a price from them, or call your local Deere dealer and see if they don't happen to have a 3245C they are parting out and have an engine. I know a used equipment dealer I will ask if he knows of any engines around, but you could also call used equipment dealers and see what they have, you may even try Cutter Equipment in Canton, Ohio http://www.cutteronline.com

    Paul L Double



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