Yanmar Tractor Support Message Board

At the end of last summer the engine would overheat after about a half hour of mowing. This only happened when temps got above 80F. The engine needs a rebuild or at least a ring job because it has always used oil and smokes blue smoke until it fully warms up. Could the oil consumption cause the overheating, or is this strictly a cooling issue? I bought this tractor about 5 years ago from a relative and it has always used oil, but never ran hot.

I had planned to up size to a larger 3 cyl. version this year, but the bad economy situation forces me to try and get another year or 2 out this one.

Stan

When you get ready to sell it let me know. I have a 1700 that I purchased a few weeks ago and have no plans of getting rid of it, so I might need a parts tractor down the road.

Wish I could help with your overheating problem, but I am new to the Yanmar tractors.

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Happy owner of a YM 1700!

I'm sure you've checked the usual issues -- fan belt, proper coolant, internal and external cooling passages -- but one explanation for the oil consumption and the overheating is simply a leaking head gasket.

A leaking head gasket was one of the 1st things that I had considered.....along with proper coolant blend that I was told on this site should be 30% coolant. But, there is no water in the oil, or oil in the water so I figured the head gasket was OK.

Maybe the gasket's OK, but you'd have to drain the oil, let it sit, and drain from the bottom to see if there's coolant in it. Or, you might not be able to see or smell a little oil dispersed throughout the coolant.

But Snap-On tools makes a sniffer that detects engine oil (I think hydrocarbons) in coolant. If you can find a garage or engine shop that has one, you could bring them a sample.

Meanwhile, you could try a new rad cap (gasket wears out). Or a thorough cleaning of the rad and block.

I guess that since the engine needs an overhaul anyway, I may as well go ahead and tear it down to give it what it needs. Everything else about the tractor is great with the exception of the faded paint.

My cousin owned this tractor before me and used it to mow the church property. One year he had noticed that the air filter housing gasket was partially off and that there was evidence that dirt/dust had entered the filter housing. Not long afterwards, it began to smoke and use oil. I'm pretty sure the cylinders and rings have scoring on them from this. It has steadily gotten worse over the last 5 years that I've owned it. Time to bite the bullet and do the work. After all, it's way cheaper than a new one.

Hoye can provide manuals, parts, and advice. (No, I don't work for them.)Good luck.

If you plan on tearing it down, spend a little cash at a machine shop and have the head checked. Cheap insurance, and these little 2 cylinder heads are notorious for cracking.