JD 350 to fix, or not to fix, that is the question

[Flatlander]

I had a big long post, and it keeps telling me general error, ??

[Flatlander]

Still says debug mode

[Flatlander]

any tips?

[jtrichard]

short posts and as many as it takes it is being worked on as we speak

[Flatlander]

I saw an ad for a John Deere 350 crawler loader for parts or restore, 1,800.00. I talked to the guy for a while, and offered him 1,500.00 which he accepted. He had posted a couple of photos with the ad, and texted me a few more. Undercarriage looked decent enough, and I thought that if it it turned out to be a dud, could always get my money back re-selling it. It took me a while to get some time to go and pick it up. The old girl has probably been sitting for at least 15 years, maybe 20. I understand it to be a 1966 Straight 350.

[Flatlander]

Here is what i know. The guy i bought it from bought it at least 10 years ago. He thought he might get it running, but never seemed to have the time. Not sure if the guy before him had it running either. The rad is off, the previous owner received a loose rad with the deal, and passed it on to me. My son took the Hotsy to the crawler, and got rid of the dirt and a lot of the paint, there was the original coat and at least 2 more. Original sticker for Barber equipment, a now defunct dealer in Regina, a couple of hours from here. 1049 hours on the meter.

[Flatlander]

We pushed it into the shop and i had a good look at it. Someone had hooked up a separate line from the tank drain to the lift pump.

[Flatlander]

I re-assembled the linkage, took off the tank and had it cleaned and lined at a rad shop 300.00, got new fuel lines made, both supply and return 120.00, supply had a big kink which made me optimistic for a start. New lift pump, new batteries, a couple of cables, and the starter turns. Bled the lines but no diesel on the pressure side of pump. The pump is JD green which would lead me to believe it has been replaced or repaired. Pump is a Stanadyne DB0991.2741. I tried pressure back through one of the injector lines to get the pistons free talked to injector tech and that is what he thinks is wrong, but no joy. Now i have it at TDC, deciding do i commit to a pump re-build, or sell it for parts

[Flatlander]

Rad is off, the one i got with the machine is wrong, has no cooler for the reverser, lines are coupled, so either done when rad was removed, But looks like they were that way for a while. The rad will work, it has the brackets on the bottom in the correct places, but much smaller than the opening. The rad hose connections are on the wrong sides, so a much longer rad hose on the bottom, a similar one on the top, and sometime i will need a proper rad.

[Flatlander]

Injector pump will need at least 400, and maybe 1,000.00 worth of work to get it pumping again.
I took off the clutch adjusting covers and all looks good in there, albeit dusty. Plugs are in the bottoms, and dry.

[jtrichard]

Start at the tank and replace original lines get fuel to the pump and see what is next ....Sounds like you have a project for awhile ...We LOVE PICs

[Flatlander]

The money.
Injector pump 1,000.00
Injectors 500.00
Engine maybe 2,500.00, likely more.
Steering Clutches and brakes 2,000.00 CAD
Used Rad from Ontario 650.00 freight in

[Flatlander]

So, if just the injectors and pump i will be into it for 4,150.00, clutches will make it 6,150.00, engine re-build 8,650.00, all of those numbers are probably conservative, there is always some little part to replace while you have it apart.

[Flatlander]

I was hoping to get it running before i had to spend any serious money on it, so i could tell if it ran and operated.

[Flatlander]

Now i have to spend the 1,500,00 on the injectors and pump to see if there is anything else wrong with it, and once i do, i am on the slippery slope to 8,650.00...