Overhaul, Rebuild, Patch,How do you decide how much to spend

RBnSC · Apr 29, 2015

I was looking in a container and saw a 172 Ford diesel block. It reminds me that I have been gathering up parts for several years to put together another one after I traded away My last one. This will be a patchwork quilt with parts from several different engines. I have everything but a good injection pump and a gasket set. What I was wondering was how other people decide how much to spend when working on your tractor. Do You spend several thousand $ to do it "Right" when Your tractor in perfect condition would only be worth half that amount.
Or do you try to get by with spending less?
Ron

LAA · Apr 29, 2015

I want reliable equipment ready to go when I need it, I will spend what it takes to keep that equipment making money or replace the equipment if more cost effective. Every dollar spent on equipment or infrastructure is 41 cents less that the federal and state government gets to squander of my money, so in reality, what ever I buy that is farm related comes at a 41% discount so it would be foolish to cut corners.

oldtanker · Apr 29, 2015

(quoted from post at 10:53:11 04/29/15) I was looking in a container and saw a 172 Ford diesel block. It reminds me that I have been gathering up parts for several years to put together another one after I traded away My last one. This will be a patchwork quilt with parts from several different engines. I have everything but a good injection pump and a gasket set. What I was wondering was how other people decide how much to spend when working on your tractor. Do You spend several thousand $ to do it "Right" when Your tractor in perfect condition would only be worth half that amount.
Or do you try to get by with spending less?
Ron

Not only did I spend 20 years in the army trying my best to do things right but I was raised by a father who taught me to do it once only and you did that by doing it right.

So what's right? Block from one that is in specs. Crank from antother engine that is either in spec or can be turned to specs. Head from another that specs out good. New rings, bearings and gaskets and to me it's right. Many professional shops will piece things together to save the customer a few dollars. Absolutly nothing wrong with that as long as every thing is from the same model engine and is within specs. Close only counts in horse shoes, hand grenades and thero-nuclear devices!

Rick

Mike M · Apr 29, 2015

Well I have spent a lot repairing / restoring tractors far beyond what I will get back from them most likely.
I do try to cut costs nothing wrong with using used parts when in good shape and where you can. I restored my 1945 JDB based solely on it having a nice crankshaft with good splines. I had parted several others out so I had many other good parts. I did have to get new pistons and machine work and gaskets and bearings and such but the most money spent on it was new tires as I no longer could scrounge up good used ones.

SweetFeet · Apr 29, 2015

Ron,

Typically we fix things "right" - but try to be frugal.

Not so, with our rusty Farmall Regular. We have more into it than it would sell for - but we are both OK with that because it's a mutual interest. (I'd tell you how far we're in over our heads... but I lost parts purchase information in a computer crash last year). Gina

Anonymous-0 · Apr 29, 2015

Old tanker,
you forgot one aboot close!
In hugging is one you forgot.

Dick2 · Apr 29, 2015

I suspect that a lot of "newbies" start in thinking that they can do the job for a reasonable price - and when they get in real deep, realize that they have to decide to finish, regardless of cost, or quit and absorb the loss. Those who quit probably should sell parts to offset some of their costs.

Like most everything else, everyone has varying opinions that they use to make decisions. Pretty much like every other buying decision. How much is it worth to you to have a unit that will sell for half of the money that you put into it?

Married2Allis · Apr 29, 2015

A while back someone on YT said how disappointed they we're with people who 'restored' a tractor without rebuilding the motor. Now that's somebody with more money than brains or needs to wake up in the morning and feel good about dropping 5-10k in an engine until they get over it and the honeymoon is over. And that's when it hits you ... when you realize what you could have spent the money on!

todd hamilton · Apr 29, 2015

My dad always said you can buy lots of oil for what it costs to overhaul an engine. We didn't rebuild until forced into it.

tomturkey · Apr 29, 2015

I have solved part of that dilema by not selling any tractors. I'm going to will them to my Grandkids. They can sell them if they desire, afterall they will be their tractors. I will warn them that soon after they sell, the money will be gone and so will Papa's ole tractor. As for how much I spend, whatever I feel comfortable with at the time, I consider myself upside down on tractors the minute I buy them but I don't care. gobble

Charlie M · Apr 29, 2015

Couple of years ago I bought a 42 A - the smart thing was to let the guy part it out. However it was close to home (I towed it home), complete and I wanted it so I got it and put the money into it. I now have $4000 into a tractor maybe worth $1500 and that is without a paint job. I fixed everything that was not right - wheels, steering wheel, seals, electrical, one rear tire, seat, you name it.I have a tractor that I will play with for the rest of my life and after that I guess I won't care.From a money stand point you can all feel free to tell me I'm an idiot - I still had fun fixing it and I have fun every time I start.

Steve@Advance · Apr 29, 2015

I have to ask myself, is this a hobby or a business?

If it's a hobby, and to most of us it really is... Combined with a desire to preserve history, and keep something alive that I can still work on without plugging it in to a laptop! Then to me it's worth spending more than I know I'll ever get out of it.

If it's business, then more about profit, and not taking chances on having to do it over at my expense, and have a mad customer, and a tarnished reputation!

But, you are asking about a diesel engine. My limited experience with diesels, they are extremely unforgiving of short cuts!

KenL · Apr 29, 2015

I go through my tractors from one end to the other. Whatever they need, they get. If it needs the engine redone, I go all the way. Everything new. Block goes in for hot tank, line bore and cam bushings. Rods go in for refurbishing. Head goes in for hot tank and whatever else it needs. On assembly it gets new automotive paint. Every tractor I have has more stuck into it than what I can get out of them but I feel good knowing that they are in excellent condition. One thing that helps you to not feel so bad about how much you spent is on the way home with any parts, let the receipt blow out the window.

notjustair · Apr 29, 2015

It depends. On my field tractors I put money into them to keep them in top shape. If it has a seal that leaks, it gets fixed. If it uses enough oil that I have to add too often it gets rebuilt. Those are the machines I rely on to make money. They are in the same shape they were new (with the exception of paint and interior). I've spent a thousand dollars fixing the air conditioner on a tractor from 1969. That's my office and I have to live in there for hours a year.

I have some that don't get many hours. I have a Farmall A that gets about 20 hours a year - running augers and such. It has a ton of blow by and leaves a little blue fog. It won't get rebuilt. I won't use it enough in my lifetime for it to get bad enough and I wouldn't find it feasable. I have considered doing a complete restore just as a hobby, but then I find that I have other stuff waiting in line. I still have two cars I had in high school that need to be restored. Those are staring at me from the back corner of the shed. They will get done some day and I will be upside down on them. That's the way it is.

oldtanker · Apr 29, 2015

(quoted from post at 11:50:59 04/29/15) Old tanker,
you forgot one aboot close!
In hugging is one you forgot.

Sorry I don't hug. :wink: I get hugs from 3 grand daughters almost every day!

Rick

jeffcat · Apr 29, 2015

Don't forget projectile vomiting and explosive diahr------.!

howdy1960 · Apr 30, 2015

I do as right as $ on hand permits. Learned a long time ago if redoing something work out your budget then double it then HOPE you have enough.
I'm redoing my Ford 2N engine as it dropped a sleeve this past winter while pushing snow (3 ft in 3 days) and snowblower wasn't running right. Someone in it's past did a bad job changing oil so crank needed turning and lower front seal area needed repair. These were 2 repairs I wasn't planing on and almost doubled my budget of $400 to close to $700. My recourse is brakes won't get fixed this year either.

Overhaul, Rebuild, Patch,How do you decide how much to spend

RBnSC

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LAA

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oldtanker

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Mike M

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SweetFeet

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Anonymous-0

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Dick2

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Married2Allis

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todd hamilton

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tomturkey

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Charlie M

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Steve@Advance

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KenL

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notjustair

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oldtanker

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jeffcat

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howdy1960

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