Engine rebuild question

I'm replacing the wet sleeves on my John Deere 2640. I'm fairly mechanical but have not done this particular job before and I'm seeking advice.

I pulled the head. it looks to me like it needs cleaning as at least one exhaust port has a fair amount of carbon built up in it. The sleeves blew
an o ring so it's no surprise it was smoking a little, but not much.

I'm assuming I should take the head to a machine shop and get it boiled out, yes?
Should I pull the valves or can they clean it with the valves in?
Is it a good idea to get the head surfaced?
I'm not sure how to tell whether the valves need work. Any suggestions?
 
Take the whole head, as removed, to the engine shop and let them do their thing. A good shop will want to check everything themselves, and then be able to stand behind their work.
 
What about the bearings and the crankshaft. Front and rear seals. The head needs to be reconditioned. Piston pin bushings checked and maybe replaced. A word of advice,after rebuilding engines for close to 40 years. Get someone that knows what they are doing to help you and do it right the first time or you will be tearing it down again and again. That gets expensive. Inframe overhauls are half azz overhauls at the best.
 
Humblesmith,Both Bob and Welding Man have given you great advise.If the O rings on the sleeves were leaking antifreeze into the pan and you have ran it like that the engine needs to be pulled and a complete rebuild done,because the main bearings and seals need to be replaced as antifreeze destroys bearings.Don't cobble it cause it wit will bite you back,cam bearings and new oil pump to would be in order. You might even have a machine shop do the complete rebuild or a short block for you.
 
As said take the head to a machine shop and have them do a valve job which the common man is not set up to do. Also take the block in to have it checked and cleaned and take the crank shaft also since it is likely to need to be turned. Sound like it is a wet sleeve engine which means it had coolant in the oil and coolant make for poor oil problem which cause more friction which means bearing problems at the rods and mains
 
I appreciate all the advice I can get. Here's my situation:
This tractor is more than an hour's drive from any shop. To pull the crank and change the main seals would require splitting the tractor, a lot of work.......this is not like pulling a car engine. To pay someone to come out and do that would cost me well over $6,000. Just to come out and do the inframe rebuild would be over $4,000. By comparison, for $750 I can get new pistons, new wrist pins w/bushings, new cylinder sleeves, plus all the gaskets. For another $300 I can get all new valves and valve springs. As long as I can get a thousand hours or so the tractor after I'm done, it's not worth the extra $5,000 to pay someone to do this job. I could almost buy another tractor for what I'd put into rebuilding this one.

The head looks to me like a lot of car engine heads, just bigger. I don't think this old design has valve bushings, though. If I take this head to a machine shop that does car engines, can I assume they'll know the specs and what to do with it? Again, any advice much appreciated.
 
(quoted from post at 14:16:11 05/15/16) I appreciate all the advice I can get. Here's my situation:
This tractor is more than an hour's drive from any shop. To pull the crank and change the main seals would require splitting the tractor, a lot of work.......this is not like pulling a car engine. To pay someone to come out and do that would cost me well over $6,000. Just to come out and do the inframe rebuild would be over $4,000. By comparison, for $750 I can get new pistons, new wrist pins w/bushings, new cylinder sleeves, plus all the gaskets. For another $300 I can get all new valves and valve springs. As long as I can get a thousand hours or so the tractor after I'm done, it's not worth the extra $5,000 to pay someone to do this job. I could almost buy another tractor for what I'd put into rebuilding this one.

The head looks to me like a lot of car engine heads, just bigger. I don't think this old design has valve bushings, though. If I take this head to a machine shop that does car engines, can I assume they'll know the specs and what to do with it? Again, any advice much appreciated.

Trailer the tractor home.
A lot of vehicles and machines only operate a few hours or none at all after an "overhaul". The reason being that it doesn't operate properly due to short cuts.
Valve recession will inhibit cool weather starting.
Could trade it now for something new with warranty?
 
Once in a while you can get by with out pulling the crank shaft out but you need to know what to look for and what things fell like. I have built many engines over the years and got by with out turning the crank but I know what to look for and what to feel for etc. I have also seen more the one guy try to do an engine and well it did not last for very long before it threw a rod or spun a rod bearing. Have a car in the shop right now that a guy took short cuts to do and when I pulled that engine out it sounded like the lower end was full or loose metal pieces. Or in other words very likely to have spun a rod bearing. I have not pulled the pan off yet to be sure. I am dropping in a 350 engine in its place the old engine is a 3-5 Chev
 
I wish I could get the prices for my work that you quote. I just did a 2630 complete. Reground crank,reconditioned rods,reconditioned head, new sleeves, pistons,rings, balancer shaft bushings, oil pump and all gaskets seals etc.All new fluids and filters from one end to the other, out the door for $3500.00 and yes I guarantee my work.
 
Yes, definitely have the head gone through by a reputable machine shop.

Diesels are unforgiving money devouring beasts! They will not tolerate any shortcuts. Doing an in frame overhaul is very risky. Several problems, cleanliness is one, not being able to mike the main journals is another.

You do what you gotta do, sometimes you get by, and sometimes you get bit!
 

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