John Deere 440IC question

(quoted from post at 10:10:35 09/19/22) I recently looked at a 440IC dozer, nonrunning. The engine seemed seized but the owner had said it was moving just last year and had been under cover, so he pulled it out of the shed with a skid loader, and wanted to try to see if it could be persuaded to move a bit.

It didn't seem like the clutch was working. With the transmission in gear and the clutch in, it wouldn't moved. This one had a reverser, and this was with it in forward. I didn't think there was supposed to be a neutral position on the reverser, but it seemed like there was. You could feel on the reverser an "in between" and it would free roll in this position regardless of the clutch pedal. The pedal felt good.

I've never operated one of these, and this was an estate item so these guys weren't sure either. The question is if there is a neutral type position in the reverser or if this indicates a problem with the reverser.

P.S. We figured out why it was seized after it wouldn't budge. It had initially moved a partial stroke with the starter, so we thought it might have had a stuck valve or something. Never seen anything like this. They pulled a spark plug and one cylinder was full of sand. Seemed like someone's kid dumped sand from the nearby sandbox down the exhaust manifold. Lots of it.

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(quoted from post at 10:50:28 09/19/22) Thanks Jim. Sounds like it was doing what it was supposed to. Can I ask your thoughts about the sand? This machine had a great undercarriage. I'm sure I could tear it down and rebuild it/clean it, and that would be the only way to have any confidence in the sand being removed. Is this a frame out rebuild?

How are these to rebuild, for a guy who hasn't done any engine in quite a few years? It was supposedly gone through before it sat for maybe the last 10 or 12 years, only running a couple times during that time.

I've looked at another running machine with the undercarriage at near 100% wear. Not sure if I should pass on both or if the good undercarriage is worth it. I'm sure that's where all the value is on the sand machine. Any idea what that's worth to have to replace?

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