Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
After giving the situation a lot of thought, and after micing the rod journal and determining the wear is just too much, I am resigned to splitting the tractor and pulling the crank. I don't know if an oversize rod bearing can be found for it or not, but if not, then of course I'm tapped for a new cranshaft. And main bearings and rod bearings, and a new connecting rod. I just don't see any other way around it. So I have gotten a start on the job, pulled the hood off, pulled the loader off. Drained the coolant. Pulled the upper and lower rad hoses off. (Note, need new rad hoses). Tomorrow, will continue with the dismantle and on with splitting the case.
Ben, I looked thru your site and found the individual bits and pieces, but I didn't see any reference to a short block. Now, in my world, a short block is the block complete with sleeves, pistons, rings, rods and bearings, crank and bearings, cam and bearings, freezeplugs, oil pan, and so on, all installed. Not a complete engine, but one ready to install the head, lifters and pushrods, timing assembly, oil pump, injector pump, water pump, and so on. Is that what you are referring to?
It's been a while since I ran this tractor but as I recall, I'd take it pretty easy on it till the temp got up to 80c (assuming some degree of accuracy inherent in the temp gauge), and it'd go up to around 90c during normal working. Now, I am old enough I never got the “c” to “f” conversion, but was told 80C is about normal.
If the tractor requires more warm-up than that before moving it around the place, then I have to conclude, it's just too delicate for me to get much use of around here, and I'll fix it, sell it, and continue using my 640 Ford for my tractor needs. The old Ford requires minimal warm-up before I start moving it, and it gets to about 190f getting to to where I will be wsorking it, and it stays there the whole time I'm using it. Not as handy as the 4X4, ps and live power, but I've made do in the 3 years the diesel tractor has been parked to the side. It has a Du-Al loader, runs my brush-hog mower, my back-fill blade, my box scraper and my LITW backhoe just fine.
Anyway, nuff on that subject. I need more coffee, and some shop time working on my Christmas gift to my granddaughters. Ya'all have a great day!
Bob I very much appreciate your input, and yes I will plasti-gauge each insert. This tractor had been the dealer's own personal tractor for the first 60 hours, so I have to assume it was properly prepped and broken in before I got it. The filter I use is the recommended NAPA filter. As for cold oil, that could be a possibility, though I tried to always let the engine warm up before putting it to use, used a magnetic heater on the pan to prewarm the oil etc. I now have a block-heater to install in it once I drain the coolant.
What do you guys use for torque settings on the mains and on the rod-caps? This is the KM385 BT series, Laidong engine.
Pulled the other two rod caps, and they both look as good or better than the main! Tempted at this point, to clean up the bad journal with emery cloth, and if it mics to within .0010 of spec, install a new rod and bearing, gaskets where needed, torque to specs, fresh oil and filter, and fire it up and see what it does. It may not work out and I may have to tear it back down again for more extensive repairs, but if I can make it run right without knocking and avoid splitting the tractor……..
This is the main bearing, #2 from the front. That journal doesn't look too bed. Far better than the journal with the earlier rod bearing.
That's kinda what I thought Bob. And I am also guessing most of the other journals will be comparably damaged, which begs the question, does it make sense to have it re-ground, or best to just get a new crank? How far do ya go before replacement is wiser than re-conditioning?
Probably what annoys me the most about all this is, I should have followed my own gut instinct when the knock first appeared. “They” kept telling me it had to be a bad injector, but I felt like the knock as too loud to be that simple. “They” weren't there to actually hear the knock. What's past is past, and I can't undo what's been done. But knowing I probably could have saved myself a whole lot of money, time and trouble if I had followed my own suspicions just annoys the heck outta me.
Wonder if any of the dealers sell a short-block for a Laidong KM 385 engine. Or, if anybody knows of a good used engine to be had at a decent price.
Thanks Tinbender, and yes I should have realized that's what he was asking. The journal for that one looks rough to me as well. I haven't looked at the rod itself too closely yet, kinda tough for an old man to crawl around under the tractor, lol. I haven't yet determined for sure, what was doing the knocking, but I am hopeful by taking off the other rod caps I can pinpoint it. I can hunt around and see if I can come up with a dial caliper, either from the parts house I use locally, or perhaps from a pawn shop.
With the ground up bearing material floating around throughout the engine, isn't it gonna have to be taken completely apart to flush it out and make sure I have all the residue out? I hate doing this job,and I'd doubly hate to have to do it again later. Seeing the other two rod bearings and such should tell me a lot more, but that's gonna have to wait till tomorrow, and possibly longer. I have a Christmas project for my granddaughters I need to get done, and I'm thinking I'll do that before I dig much deeper into this engine. It's inside the garage. and it ain't going anywhere. Once I have those rod caps off, I'll post pics of those as well.
I haven't popped the crank caps yet. Once I saw that rod bearing and cap, I sorta knew I was in for the full teardown, like it or not. It looks to me like the bearing may well have rotated in the cap, just from the roughness of the outside of the bearings and the cap.
