# Broken down 600 tractor



## leelow (Apr 6, 2011)

I have a 600 tractor I bought 6 years ago. It ran rough at first but the carb was just out of adjustment. Last fall it just stopped completely. I boiled the carb and put a kit in and got it started again, although not running very well. I went to use it 2 days ago when I tried to start it, the engine seemed to be locked up. The starter kicked in several times, but just buzzed. after several tries and starter heating up I quit. Put charger on battery. Later tried to start again. Turned over this time and did start, but ran like crap. After shutting off I noticed a pool of oil on other side on ground. I started back up and found oil blowing out of filler cap. So now I check compression on each cylinder with gauge and find each low compression at 85 to 88psi high to low on all 4 cylinders. I am baffled now with all cylinders running so close in compression it seems like a worn engine. I suspected a blown set of rings, but that can't be, nor a blown head gasket for compression would still drop to near zero on 1 or more cylinders. But pressure has to be blowing into crankcase from somewhere to blow that kind of oil so fast. Does anybody have a clue as to what I am clueless about. Green Acres


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Welcome to the forum! Is the crankcase ventilator (if equipped) clear?


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Welcome! Have you checked the oil to see if there's fuel in it ? pull thedipstick,check the level,and if it looks overfull, hold it over an open flame to see if it burns,or just smokes,and dies out. If it burns steady,then you have a flooding problem,and it will need to have the oil changed,and the float/carb checked,and the breather cleaned.You'll probably end up changing the plugs, too.If it sat for a while,the rings may not be seated,and it will tak a bit oftrying to get it started.


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## leelow (Apr 6, 2011)

jhngardner367 said:


> Welcome! Have you checked the oil to see if there's fuel in it ? pull thedipstick,check the level,and if it looks overfull, hold it over an open flame to see if it burns,or just smokes,and dies out. If it burns steady,then you have a flooding problem,and it will need to have the oil changed,and the float/carb checked,and the breather cleaned.You'll probably end up changing the plugs, too.If it sat for a while,the rings may not be seated,and it will tak a bit oftrying to get it started.


I checked the dipstick and it was a little low, and it did have a slight stale gas smell. I then put a lighter under it and it lit and burned for about 2-3 seconds. So, I believe it possibly is just worn out rings, blowing fuel and pressure into the crankcase and also causing the low cylinder pressure 85-88 instead of 120-130 psi as it should be. I had this tractor running about 20 min. before all this started. It still wasn't running very well though. What do you think? By the way, I failed to mention before that when I did the pressure check on cylinders, all plugs were fouled up. I just really dread pulling the engine apart to do an overhaul. I have heard it is no big deal to do, but when you have never done one, it is a big deal. FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN


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## leelow (Apr 6, 2011)

tractor beam said:


> Welcome to the forum! Is the crankcase ventilator (if equipped) clear?


The only crank ventilation I know of on this tractor is in the filler cap. The filler cap has a breather element to allow ventilation but keep out dust. And that is where the oil was blowing out of. It was cleaned June of 2010 and oil & filter changed in late fall of 2010. Thank you though for the welcome into the forum.


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## dangeroustoys56 (Jul 26, 2010)

I have a teccy motor like that that was on a lawntractor - i wondered why someone blocked the breather in the air cleaner - i opened it up and oil poured from the carb .

Ive tinkered with lawntractors for many years- have done everything BUT rebuild a motor- im sorta nervous as well i guess about it - when i have time to do it i do plan on getting a couple parts motors back together.

I plan on reading up on it, find a clean large desk/bench and just sit down and rebuild them - work clean and keep parts covered and oiled when not working on it - you might want to locate a different motor first as a 'tester' ( like a 4 cylender car motor or something)- take it apart, redo it and then see if it runs when its back together- itll be a primer and confidence booster for the 'real' motor.


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## leelow (Apr 6, 2011)

dangeroustoys56 said:


> I have a teccy motor like that that was on a lawntractor - i wondered why someone blocked the breather in the air cleaner - i opened it up and oil poured from the carb .
> 
> Ive tinkered with lawntractors for many years- have done everything BUT rebuild a motor- im sorta nervous as well i guess about it - when i have time to do it i do plan on getting a couple parts motors back together.
> 
> I plan on reading up on it, find a clean large desk/bench and just sit down and rebuild them - work clean and keep parts covered and oiled when not working on it - you might want to locate a different motor first as a 'tester' ( like a 4 cylender car motor or something)- take it apart, redo it and then see if it runs when its back together- itll be a primer and confidence booster for the 'real' motor.


I did a rebuild on a car motor back in the late sixties. But back then I thought working on a car was fun and I didn't know that much about them back then. But when you're on Daddy's dime and young & dumb, you don't mind experimenting. I need this tractor so I don't want to do the wrong thing. I need to be careful. Thanks for the advice.


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## trs11758 (Oct 19, 2010)

It looks like you will have to do a rebuild. if fuel got into the oil and you ran it that way it would have washed the oil film off of the cylinder and scored the walls..all the bearings will have to be checked for additional scoring..
I had that happen once. but it was a very hard start and strain on the starter.. I checked the oil and saw it was above the level. and smelled the oil...I immediately changed the oil and filter. The fuel float was stuck open and flooded the motor when it sat..with fuel. I also added a fuel line shut off valve also..
I lucked out on that one.


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## Mowerman (Oct 13, 2003)

Sounds like your 600 Tractor has what we call Piston blowby to be blowing oil out of the engine . Maybe you do need a complete overhaul , or a cheaper way is to check the bigends & just replace the Rings . Or even worse if they're badly worn Pistons aswell . We done just the topend on a Fordson diesel once & it's still going after 15yrs .


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## PSJ (Sep 20, 2011)

How's the oil pressure? If it's running between 40 and 50 pounds, your bearings are more than likly in good shape. But, if your compression is low and way different between cylinders, a ring job is more than likely in order. If the cylinders are not egged out or ridged, a honing and new rings should do the trick, if the cylinders are egged out, then they should be bored to true them up. Other than boring, you shouldn't have to pull the engine to accomplish the other tasks. It's a tough decision some times, as you need to decide if you just want to put a band aid on it for now or rebuild it proper and it'll last another 30 or more years. JMHO. PJ


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