# YM2000 Questions.... Mark777!!!



## Chris

I am looking at a small tractor to maintain a property of about 8 acres of pasture. The YANMAR YM2000 is available and it is one of the older "green and yellow" models. (22HP 3-cylinder D) 

Questions:
Does anyone have the exact specs on this unit and what is the quality/concerns for this one? It looks incredibly solid and in great shape for its age. Definately a strong tractor --- sounds & runs perfect from what I can tell. Mark777/twentynince, any advice???

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I emailed the local owner and this is what I got back:
"The tractor is in good shape, no problems with leaks or smoke. I did have a problem with the hydraulics bleeding down, I changed the o rings and pretty much solved the problem. However when I drive from food plot to food plot I close the hydraulic valve under the seat because if you are running at low RPMs the implement will bleed down still. However it does work fine to pick up the bush hog or disc while working, its just long drives at low RPMs that is a problem, hope you understand what I mean. I used it for our deer lease last year for 28 food plots, and bush hogged an 80 acre hayfield, its a strong machine, and runs great. I'm selling it because another hunting club member just bought a large Kubota, so I wont be needing this one anymore."

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What is a fair price to offer for this unit with no implements? Here is a picture of the unit. Looks like railroad iron attached for front bumper and/or weight!!

<img src=http://www.tractorforum.com/ym2000.jpg>

Thanks!!!!
Andy


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## Live Oak

Andy, my understanding is that the YM2000 is a 2 cylinder diesel. The YM2001 & 2002 is the 3 cylinder.


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## twentynine

Hey Andy

Just checked in and seen you had a question concerning this little tractor.

From outward appearance it seems sound. I get good service out of my 2000 with very little money spent towards maintaining it. It is capable of doing more work than it's 22 horses would seem to indicate.

Fair price? Gee I wish my wife was here, she is the one that can figure the money. All I can tell you is that I paid $4k for mine with no implements. Since that time I have bought new rear tires and a starter.


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## Chris

Thanks Chief & 29, just trying to figure it out....Guy is asking $2900 for it now, but was thinking of offering him $2500-2750 or so to see what he needs to get out of it. Need something small just to bushhog flat acreage and do light box work etc. Would this work a 5' scraper box? How about a light duty 5' Howse? too much for it probably I guess....

Let me know and thanks.
Andy


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## twentynine

I use a 5-1/2 foot box with my 2000, it does okay with it. A 5' would probably be even better.

Price sounds okay to me. But like I said I usually put my wife incharge of all money. She is real good with a dollar. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of.


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## twentynine

Chief might be right about that model number, my 2000 has two cylinders.


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## mark777

Hello Andy,

These guys are right on the money. 

It is most probably the strongest 2 cylinder Yanmar ever produced. And definitely the best supported parts wise. They were manufactured with Bull, PTO and transmission gears nearly twice as wide (thick) as any other, not only for the rice paddies but the YM2000D saw lots of Japanese dairy farms in it's product run. The geared transmission and rear end are quite desirable by dealers as they will outlast any tractor newbie who may be reckless with a 5' roto-tiller, box blade or rotary cutter. Will handle any 6' finish mower, rake or back blade that I know of.

Don't see any red flags except the paint colors. Wrong shade of green and Yanmar has always painted their wheels (almond) white on every model I've seen. Those are John Deere colors so it's a repaint. Oh, and the price seems ridiculously low for a 4WD as they usually bring $3900-$4500 tractor ONLY.

I can only suggest what you already know, check the hour meter, operate the tractor and bring it up to temperature and engage the FWD and verify everything works including the multi speed PTO. The ONLY thing that would scare me away from this Yanmar is if the owner indicated it was reconditioned and the hour meter showed less than 200 hours (Vietnam Rebuild from salvaged parts).

Mark


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## Chris

Thanks, Mark...Is it a 4WD or were all of the earlier models 4WD?
I didn't notice any indication from the photos. Ok, gotcha on the repaint, funny trying to look like JD, even though I know they have a good relationship! Yep, heard that those "paddle tires" are used to being nearly submerged in water and still plow on through with little to no problems. Assuming this would ride OK on a standard 16 foot utility trailer? Guessing weight to be about 1500-2000 #s?

Assuming lots of hours due to the email stating "maintaining 28 plots and hogging 80 acres" --- wow, cannot imagine BHing 80 acres with a 4 foot cut.... must have taken about a month... 

:furious: 

Thanks again, guys!
:tractorsm :tractorsm :tractorsm


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## DixieTom

Amazing little workhorses for the size. I would recommend them to a great investment for smaller property without question. They were built like Mark said to be used every single day, all day and operate in some of worst conditions known to man. Water up to and past the mid level on the rear axles and then some, boggy/muddy and humid areas, and just keep on trucking.

Price seems very fair for the age and condition of the unit. Much better built than most mini-CUTs and tractors today that is definately for certain. No competition. Let us know what you decide. Best of luck.


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## mark777

I believe the YM2000D is right at 2100#'s, and there were both 2 and 4WD - the designation D in all of their model numbers means 4WD, including the ones built to date.

Yeah...I don't know how to calculate 80 acres with a 4 footer. But usually you could knock it out in daylight hours over a weekend, and maybe one weekend a month (during growing season - 6 months maybe??). Maybe a fair guess is 80 to 100 hours a year. And only used it for one year is a positive indication of still low hours.

The Japanese land owners, to maintain their farming status and receive sizeable government subsidies, have to cultivate the land a minimum of two weeks a year....that's it. That is why the grey market tractors are becoming even more popular. It's not too often you can find anything with an American badge that has 1000 hours or less and is 25+ years old. The depreciation write off last about 7-8 years and then the farmer starts getting 'dinged' and pays the tax....So it is financially intelligent to surrender the tractor and equipment, apply for another subsidized plan and start the cycle all over again. Used tractors and equipment are not only worthless for resale (in Japan) but start getting expensive when the farmer postpones government assistance. 

The dairy farmers equipment has a much higher usage, day in and day out so they are less desirable due to considerably more hours they accumulate yearly.

Tom, I have had Yanmars in my shop with the silt-water line at the back of the instrument cluster. The farmers run fuel line to the existing axle and transmission vents above the valve cover height. Submarines .

Mark


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## Chris

Ok, checked the tractor out. 
Concerns:
1. The hydraulic lift lets down right away when tractor shutoff or in a very low idle. I have seen this being solved by relief valve, control valve etc on other tractors, any ideas on the YM2000?

2. The brake linkages are not connected properly. Looks like they were broke and never repaired. Was told that "I just need to get a new set" - cost and comments?

3. No knowledge of amount of hours on engine. Should this be available from the display on the tractor? 

Good:
1. Started easy cold and engine sounds great.
2. No leaks on rear axle seals, tranny, engine etc... let run for a while under load. 
3. No wobble in PTO and speeds seem to work OK. 
4. Shifting is smooth and controlled through all gears and L/H
5. Steering is solid and no surprises there.
6. Fluids look clear and clean
7. Radiator looks clean with no bubbles only circulation when operating.
8. Battery/charging system seems to be working with key turn check.

Anything else to check? Any opinions/help on pricing for repairing hydraulic lift and brake linkages?

Thanks!
Andy


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## Chris

Oh, yeah the "80 acres of cut" were just food plots, cut through the wooded 80 acres about 1/8 acres in size each....not BH'ing the whole 80+ acres. Was thinking about a 5' tiller, can this tractor handle it? Hard to find a 4' here and price new is only $50 difference from Howse/King Kutter between 4 and 5 models.


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## mark777

Andy, 

The majority of the time, Yanmar 3PH problems stem from trash around the hydraulic filter on the screen, as it's seldom problems with the lift assembly internals.

Brake rod.......$4.83 x 2
Bottom rod.....$6.98 x 2
Turnbuckle......$4.72 x 2
Rod Nuts........$0.77 x 2

Andrew was kind enough to shoot these prices to me via the phone (at HOYETRACTOR.com) and brought up an interesting point about the YM2000 vs. YMG2000 as the "G" model is a 3 cylinder.

Did you engage the 4WD and try it out?? Otherwise the unit seems pretty solid (on this side of the monitor).

Mark


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## Chris

Thanks for the effort with the parts pricing and such, Mark.
Looks great in terms of cost...bet it would be a couple hundred if it was the 'real green and yellow" tractor.

haha


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## OleGrandWizard

Brother in Law has a YM2000. He lives in AL and his tractor is green like yours! maintains about 5 acres with it. 30 years old, has about 3000 hours and still running strong. I must say I was more than skeptical about its capabilities....reminded me a mini-me wanna-be go-kart with big wheels, but I was shocked to see how much work that beast could do. Those diesel engines are built to last and that unit was like MIGHTYMOUSE! He has owned it for 3 years now and really enjoys it. Only routine maintenance so far --- He paid $3500+ for the basic setup ---


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## mark777

OG'Wizard,

"Mighty Mouse" is an excellent description . In fact if you compiled a list of negatives, the power (torque) to weight ratio is deceptive and probably #1 on the very short list. #2 would be the small operator area. Those that 'Hop On' and equate it's size to a big lawn-garden tractor are destined to be injured....or heaven forbid, worse.

Mark


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## mark777

*5' tiller*

Andy,

All Yanmar models indicate the first two numbers as PTO HP. A YM20(00) has twenty, which is very capable of running 5' implements, including a tiller. Plus if you engage the creeper gear it turns the hardest surface into fine powder. You can actually get off the tractor, drink your favorite beverage and watch as it screams along at 3.8' per minute (@ 2200 rpms).

An over-run coupler (ORC) is a must when brush hogging...otherwise the hogs tend to push you through fences, off cliffs and through garage doors...(don't ask).

Mark


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## Chris

Went out again to inspect with Jaso22 & tractor looked good. 

Started up cold, drove it fast uo the street in H-gear and full throttle, got one small puff of black smoke from it for a second, but nothing more. Fluids were clean and clear. Looks decent for the size, have not handled anything this small but I hope it will work OK. Got em down to $2400 on it --- but only took "cash" and I didn't have cash and because of some delays, the banks were closed by the time the "deal" was made. Great, wasted trip with the trailer and time for both of us. I guess Monday will be the day. 

BTW, This is just a 2WD, YM2000 model. 2-cylinder 24HP --- looks like this engine would outlast me easily. Didn't realize how stout and well-built these tractors are, they are like mini-Panzers w/o the tracks. So I wasn't gonna offer em anymore on the tractor, if he wanted more I was going to walk and get a bigger 30-35HP tractor, but "bang for the buck", I think we did OK. 

What is the best way to access the "hydraulic filter screen" to check for debris and fix? Anyone have a scanned manual for one of these models available that they could post?

Thanks.
Andy


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## mark777

I don't have a manual for the YM2000.

HoyeTractor.com has an interactive parts section for many models, including the YM2000. It has exploded, detailed views of the hydraulics, engine and chassis. 

Pretty sure the filter is at-behind the return line, made of stainless steel and cleaned with carb cleaner....You have to dump nearly 5 gallons of JD-303 hydraulic oil to do the maintenance though.

sMark


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## Chris

Mark, what do you think of the price?


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## mark777

I would say it is $1K under any honest retailer's bottom line. From the condition reported by your test ride (and the picture) I would say you've struck and excellent bargain.

It will be interesting to read about your first impressions once you take it home and try it out..


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## twentynine

Sounds like a good deal. The hydraulic filter is under the tractor on the return line, it is a screen. I have a 5' tiller that I have only used once or twice, the tractor does an amazing job with that thing. The normal implements I use are a 5' finishing mower, 4' bush hog, 5-1/2' grader box. It pulls all implements well and has plenty of power for the cutters. The grader box is just a little heavy for the tractor, the tractor tends to rise up if the box is fully loaded. $2100 I consider that a very good deal. Also I agree an over run clutch is a necessity, once again don't ask.


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## Live Oak

> _Originally posted by admin _
> * Anyone have a scanned manual for one of these models available that they could post?*


The manual should be thrown in at no charge as part of the deal in my opinion.............along with a baseball cap and maybe even a coffee mug.


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## Chris

Hmmm.. going to get the Yanmar in lieu of the 1910....and spend the difference on a used 5' tiller.....makes more sense to me! Especially since 29 & Mark777 can swear to its capabilities!!!

Thanks guys
Andy


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## OleGrandWizard

Yeah, grab the little tank in the Yanmar and have fun. I know it easy to discount b/c of the size but you will be surprised, trust me! Neighbor had one that I thought would do a job that my Ford 3000 with turf tires couldn't do, and it chomped down in creeper gear and it ran through it like butter. Slowly, but surely is the name of this tractor.


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## mark777

> _Originally posted by Chief _
> *The manual should be thrown in at no charge as part of the deal in my opinion.............along with a baseball cap and maybe even a coffee mug.   *



LOL.... I don't know,.... Andy got the guy so bad he'll want to keep his key chain .


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## Chris

Looks like my YM2000 (YM240 American model) is lacking a working hourmeter. It is stuck on 945.5 hours, but lord knows how many have been on that tractor in last 30 years. Looks amazingly clean for the years to be honest though. How would I go about reconnecting the hourmeter to this tractor? Any ideas?

BTW, ran into a tractor friend of mine and he had one for his 5 acres property closer to town....had it for 19 years with not one single mechanical problem. He bought it for nearly 5K and traded it in for 3K over that time. Not too bad considering the amount of work and $/per hour if you ask me! 

Thanks
Andy


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## mark777

Andy,

Disconnect cable at meter head and the other end at timing case cover (it is cam shaft driven), discard cable drive, replace.... and KEEP cable housing. Should be cleaned and re-lubed every 300 hours (or 5 years).

Used tillers normally run $100. per foot with wheel gauges and the drive line.

Mark


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## Chris

Thanks, Mark....Guess I will needhourmeter cable part from Andrew @ Hoye. Do you have his direct contact info?

Andy


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## mark777

940-592-0181

Either Aaron (co-owner) or Andrew.....

Aaron does monitor other tractor boards and I let him know about TF. 

He has, in the past shared stories, provides great information and displayed some very unique Yanmar products.....Like Yanmar helicopters used for crop dusting OR a remote controlled lawn mower . Mostly, they are nuts & bolts guys that keep very current of what works, where it is and do's and don'ts.

Mark


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## arnold

Live Oak said:


> Andy, my understanding is that the YM2000 is a 2 cylinder diesel. The YM2001 & 2002 is the 3 cylinder.


I have a ym2000b. it is a 3cyl 23hp diesel. a very good tractor.


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## winston

This thread is several years old but I'll bite. I have never read of a 3 cylinder ym2000b. You have any pictures of it?


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