TO35 engine rebuild gone bad

Had the engine on my TO35 green belly tractor rebuilt. When it was done drove it back from the mechanic's shop, made about a mile, engine started to smoke, knock & tied up. Mechanic picked it up and found bearing put in wrong, no oil flow to crank ? Got it back again, ran great for about a week & started to knock when warmed up. This time took it to MF dealer & they dropped the oil pan and found pieces of metal in the pan, bearings scored & sides of bearings damaged. Dealer tells me to repair it would be at least $ 400.00 for parts, maybe machining work needed and four to five thousand for labor. If I was to trade it in they would give me a thousand as trade in. I think it's worth more than a thousand ? I guess I could part it out or try to rebuild it myself. I'm no mechanic only rebuild a carb and rebuilt the hydraulic pump on a 9n. If I try to rebuild the engine I would need lots of help. Your thoughts and advise please, thank you.
 
I would say rebuild it yourself, can't do any worse than who ever was doing it before. Do you have or have access to the tools you might need, sockets, ratchets, torque wrenches?
 
DrLoch, Yes I have all the tools I would need. My Dad was a farmer and tool & die maker. Sad thing he also was a master mechanic worked on airplanes made by Douglas and Lockeed during WW2 die before teaching me.
 
You can get help here. Do it yourself or get a friend or someone local to help. Is there a local tractor club close? I wouldn't give a Dealer 4000 to build it. Don't let them have it. I'll give $1000 for tractor and not even look at it. LOL You can always sell it yourself. Where are you located?
 
Those are simple engines to repair.

What happened was a bearing was installed wrong, (probably a main bearing), so no oil getting to the rest of the bearings downstream. Those bearings seized and shed metal which is now circulated throughout the rest of the oil galleys. It will need a COMPLETE disassembly and thorough cleaning, and everything measured and double checked.

Not hard but time consuming.

I would be looking for a refund from the shop that took your money! Then apply that to the parts you'll need to do it right.
 
(quoted from post at 08:08:09 07/14/14) DrLoch, Yes I have all the tools I would need. My Dad was a farmer and tool & die maker. Sad thing he also was a master mechanic worked on airplanes made by Douglas and Lockeed during WW2 die before teaching me.

Then you have everything you need to do this yourself. Jump in the waters fine..... Lots of help here.

I'll bet I flew on some of the same vintage planes he worked on in Vietnam.
 
I would not touch that engine until you talk to a lawyer. Your problem is more legal than mechanical.
The first shop ruined the thing, the second is trying to take you to the cleaners. Although offering a grand for a 35 with blown motor is nice of em. Take Miner's money!!
Sue the first shop for whatever it will cost to make this right. Then decide.
 
First shop assembled wrong. Second time did a band aid fix by probably not mic-ing the crank and just dropped in another bearing shell. Crank was out of round and ate up the second bearing. Now the dealer desires to drain the bank fixing the engine.
Might even involve another crank.
If you have more time than money, tear it down and start looking. Chances are you need to replace crank and bearings, tera down the oil pump and clean it out and clean the rest of it. Popping the pistons would be smart too.
You should be out bearings, crank and a gasket set.
 
First of all sorry miner09, I going to try to repair the tractor myself, I am I NW Ohio. I appreciate all the advice all of you have given me. Looks to me that if your are a mechanic and the other tractors in the shop are worth forty to two hundred thousand, they get priority and quality work. My case I get put off and rushed work without the quality, lesson learned.
 
At this point you don't have anything to lose. My opinion Lawyers and lawsuits don't need to be involved unless you need them for fill.... Take the lesson learned and go on.
 
Four to five grand plus parts to rebuild the engine? I don't know US labour rates but assuming $80 per man hour, they are estimating 60 man hours???

Way too much.

Glad you're doing it yourself. These engines are not rocket science. Make sure you have a good, detailed service manual, preferably the manufacturer's original Service Manual.

Bob in Oz
 

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