OH %$@#!!! I Think i'm done L245

[Poman]

I have an L245 2wd over the past two years have rebulit everything paint and all. its in awsome shape. I love this little tracctor. Never had an engine issue. Was bush hogging thick stuff the other day and noticed it spit water out the overflow. It had never done that. Stopped with engine stll running began to hear a squeak squeak squeak noise from the front end of the motor, so I shut it down immediately. waited and it got hotter and started whistling. I let it cool down and opened the radiator to check the water. it was fine. Also checked the oil, it was fine . Tried to crank again after cooling down and it turned about half rotation and stopped. It would not turn over. I Stuck a screw driver in the port and tried to rotate the motor flywheel and it would not move but maybe a 1/4 inch back and forth.

I checked the clutch for free wheel. it was fine, I pulled the hydro pump still stuck. So. I pulled the tractor apart put a pipe wrench on the front of the splined shaft and tried to turn it. Wouldnt turn. I thought I may have blown a head gasket and have water on the top of the piston. so I pulled the head and no water on the pistons. head in good shape not warped or blown head gasket. It still would not turn over manually with a wrench. Finally i rocked it back and forth fairly forcfully and heard it pop free and now it turns just like it is supposed to. All the pistons moving, no crazy grinding noises. smooth. None of the cyclynders are gauld or worn. no water in the oil, dropped the pan to check for metal or berring debris...nothing. Now dont know what to do or where to begin.

Do I buy a head gasket fill it with oil, slam it back together and crank it? or do I tear it down and sell parts on line to recoupe my money? do i pay $1000 for a rebuild kit and pay someone (dont know who to trust) to rebuild the motor for another 2 grand. Dont know if these tractors are worth that much money in value.

Thoughts? Suggestions would be welcome.

PS. does anyone know where to get the cheapest head gaskets or an engine rebuild kit is?

Thanks
Po-man out!

 

[kuboman]

I think for the price of a head gasket I would put it back together and see what happens. You might want to check the head for cracks. Sounds to me like it over heated and then seized once you shut it off hot.

 

[LT1Pat]

Does the waterpump spin freely? That would be my first guess. I'm in the middle of a L245 rebuild and there's not much that could bind. The only thing that could lock up the motor without it seizing is something getting caught in the timing gears under the front cover.

 

[Poman]

Oh hell no vic, they would run me off in a couple hours after i started. LOL
I know just enough to be dangerouse. thats why I'll be living on this site for the next little bit.

Back to the topic. Questions...

The water pump spins free(Is there an easy way to tell if its bad)

Could thermostat stick and cause over heat? like a car?

How can I tell if the oil pump is bad? I hope it didnt fail causing the squeak sound and seize a bearing?

If a bearing did temporarily sieze and i freed it by manuallyturning it, is there a chance I could run the motor again without issues? i guess if i hear the squeek squeek noise while its cold it will answer my question.

And last but most important. I bolted it all back up, had the head checked at the machine shop and going to buy a head gasket. is there any valve adjustment or anything that needs to be done before replacing the head if it was running ok before i took it off is there any timing that needs to be done or do I just bolt it down and go?

Vic, how much for a head gasket shipped to panama city Fl 32405

And thanks for your expertise its much appreciated.

 

[Orange Tractors]

Oh hell no vic, they would run me off in a couple hours after i started. LOL
I know just enough to be dangerouse. thats why I'll be living on this site for the next little bit.

Back to the topic. Questions...

The water pump spins free(Is there an easy way to tell if its bad)

With out taking the water pump off to look at the impeller, see if there is any side to side play in the input shaft. If there is you have bad bearings and should replace it.

Could thermostat stick and cause over heat? like a car?

Yes.

How can I tell if the oil pump is bad? I hope it didnt fail causing the squeak sound and seize a bearing?

I am not familiar with the internal working of a Kubota engine, so not much help there.

If a bearing did temporarily sieze and i freed it by manuallyturning it, is there a chance I could run the motor again without issues? i guess if i hear the squeek squeek noise while its cold it will answer my question.

I'd be tempted to take the pan off and pull the rod and main bearing caps for a look at the bearings. If everything looks good, torque the bearings properly and put a new pan gasket on.

And last but most important. I bolted it all back up, had the head checked at the machine shop and going to buy a head gasket. is there any valve adjustment or anything that needs to be done before replacing the head if it was running ok before i took it off is there any timing that needs to be done or do I just bolt it down and go?

I would check the valve lash after putting the head back on, the new head gasket may be a different thickness than the old one, which would change the adjustment.

Vic, how much for a head gasket shipped to panama city Fl 32405

And thanks for your expertise its much appreciated.

The squealing could have been a bearing on the waterpump, but I wouldn't think a water pump would lock up the engine.

It doesn't hurt to really study the parts breakdown pictures to try to find out what could be wrong.

Robert

 

[kuboman]

Are you sure it has a water pump. If it has the thermo-syphon system then it won't have a thermostat. Some mistake the dynamo for the water pump.

 

[Poman]

Dang I didnt think about pulling the bearing caps off the mains and rods to visually check them. I already bolted the pan back up. What a DA mistake that was. So simple i could have got a little more piece of mind before running it.

Can rod or main bearings be replaced through the bottom like that or just inspected from one side?

Also the local kubota technician said he would charge me about 3 hours to replace the head and adjust the valves. $75 per hour. Does this seem right? I would first have the head checked by machine shop and furnish the head gasket.

How can I tell if when I broke the engine free I didnt break a ring? There is no scaring of the cylindar walls or abnormal wear.

Thanks guys