70D

Member
I was thinking about buying a 730 pony start what should I watch out for as far as problems with the 730
 
Well they are Old.. Real Old. Many things , almost too many to list.
If you know the seller personally & he's/ she honest with you is a plus.
We own 2 of them one electric one Pony.. Both are good & both require
servicing. If you find the right tractor that has maintained & serviced
like it should you'll be in Good shape...

Over Full on Engine Oil isn't a good sign.
Over full on transmission oil isn't either.
None Stopping PTO..
Flywheel, Clutch, Antifreeze level..
Weird Tranny noise's...
Low on Hydraulic fluid ( Will go into engine)
Oil leaks around & near crank shaft..
 
I have a 70 diesel and I know the flywheel is a big issue on them does the 730 have the same problem
 
From my experience working on them...generally the 730's had the life worked out of them....take our advise...put your shoes on and run the other way...unless you find one that Grandpa purchased and forget it was in the barn.
 
A 730 isn't that much different than your 70.... if you know the ins and outs of that one, the 730 will be similar. As compared to your 70, it will have a more complex hydraulic system with possible 3 point hitch, a somewhat improved engine ( I think the center main bearing was revised, plus more power), some tweaks to the pony motor (two levers rather than one) and a few other things. As some above have said, there is a lot to look for. They were good strong horses in their day, but most have been worked hard. The trick is to find one that was maintained well.
 
Pony starts can be a real problem.You can spend more to overhaul one than the
tractor engine.
 
Others covered it pretty well. Those old 2 cyl. diesels seem to be able to start and run with more things wrong with them than any other machine made. Pretty hard to tell how bad one is from driving it around or worse yet sitting in a barn or auction row. Best thing is if you can buy from someone local who has a decent reputation. Better yet if they have some place you can run it under actual work and test it out.
 
Yes the flywheel can have the same problems as your 70.. The Pony Start 730 we have is a 1959 & it's been on
the farm since 1966. the electric start has been here for 6 or 7 years & bought because the price was right.
For YEARS the Pony start was our BIG Tractor, we've replaced the tach twice on it & both times it rolled
over to zero's be for it failed. We've kept up with everything on it, has had many new parts since 1966 & it still
gets used almost everyday. I don't care how cold it is if the Pony starts the big engine will starts.. One thing is
for sure, it's very hard to beat the fuel economy of a 730. On the farm we 3255 4x4,2750 4x4, 2 730 diesels 630, 530 &
620 2 model 60's. 1942 Model B, bought a little M a few years ago that we use more than we should but currently restoring
it, & I'm resurrecting 1944 Model A that might get done be for the M does...
 
I have one that runs, but it's leaking fuel in the oil just sitting. If you need parts for it, DO NOT go to Deere unless it's something nobody else has. I recently found out about New Paris Tractor in Indiana. Whatever you need, start there.
 
Don't let these guys discourage you, go for it. I've had an elec. start standard since 1975 & picked up another one about 20 yrs. ago. They are getting old, but who isn't! Any of the old tractors can cause trouble, case in point, a friend bought a '72 4020, and it has been a nightmare!....and you know they were good tractors.
I will admit, I don't really like the pony engines.
 
If you want a 730, consider a gas model. They are much simpler, can be worked on under a shade tree, and have a roomy operators platform and are much quieter.
 
(quoted from post at 17:57:01 08/30/17) If you want a 730, consider a gas model. They are much simpler, can be worked on under a shade tree, and have a roomy operators platform and are much quieter.

In his defense, or maybe, the pony diesel's defense, the pony start will have the same amount of room on the platform. Only the electric start has a crowded platform...

OK, my .02 about a pony motor. They're cool. A pain, but cool. I've overhauled one and it ran great and never smoked again while I had it. The key is to run them like a regular engine. Not just for 30 seconds. After I put new rings and honed the cylinders in mine, the old time JD service manager told me how to break it in. Use cheap as you can find 10wt oil. Run it for 30 minutes motoring over the diesel in decompression. Then run it for 30 minutes longer under full compression (fuel lever in shut off position). After that, I put in 10W30. No problems.
 
My late uncle had 1 of each. Gas models should be pretty rare but are so much simpler to work on ! IIRC he had one of each of the 720 gas and diesel too ? Might be wrong on the 720 gas ? But his favorite was a 620.
All of his are row crops.
 
Pony engines are completely rebuildable and If you enjoy learning and like a challenge you will be proud after making one run correctly. They are pretty cool and no more of a challenge than learning 24volt starting systems. Inspect your flywheel for cracks and crank for worn splines. Usually hoakie repairs are the warning signs of beware.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top