I guess spinnin' wrenches is metalwork of a sort . And I'll be doing some over the next few days/weeks . Weather permitting I'll be picking up a new to me tractor ... It's a Yanmar YM1500D , a 'compact tractor" that's still small enough to get into the woods to drag logs out for firewood . It's powered by a 2 cylinder diesel motor and comes equipped with a Bush Hog branded finish mower deck . It's been sitting for several years , but the motor turns over by hand and it has compression so it shouldn't be that hard to get it going . Oil on the dipstick is clean and shows no sign of water in the crankcase , but the fuel tank has some water , probably from condensation . Get the fuel system sorted out and change fluids and filters is where I plan to start .
Not quite metalworking but ...
May 18, 2025
Last reply: 1 year ago
6 Replies
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Nice find👍️
Per TractorData it may be 4x4 and only ~1500lbs. Simple machine and nimble to get around the woods too...
My little John Deere 3320 uses a Yanmar diesel. Its a 2007 and I do very very little maintenance. I'm pretty sure its a 3 cylinder, but its been so long since I looked under the bonnet I am doubting myself. The only "engine" issue was a cracked bowl on the filter separator. I found it online from some outfit called Green something. Other issues have all been Deere related implementation. Leaking wheel seal dumping hydraulic oil on the ground. I've blown out 3 of the four hydraulic cylinders on the loader. The cylinders may be Deere exclusive, but seal kits are available from a number of sources. Took me about two hours to reseal the last one. This was the first one I did myself. Knowing what to expect I could probably do it in half that time next time. Its kind of an odd, but elegant capture in the end cap. You have to "know" how to take it apart. Fortunately the seal kits come with the disposable plastic part necessary to do it.
Yanmar actually has a decent reputation. If it turns over and has compression its likely you can get it running just fine.
I don't know about your implementation, but the Deere/Yanmar hybrid on my 07 3320 has decent on board diagnostics that are readable by me. Unlike the big commercial Deere that are explicitly designed to F*CK farmers into expensive and often incomplete dealer only proprietary repairs.
Anyway, Yanmar engines used on smaller stuff tends to be well regarded.
It is indeed 4 wheel drive , one of the major selling points . The terrain here is hilly and the woods are very dense . I don't mind cutting paths thru the underbrush to get my wood out and the small size is the other major consideration . A finish mowing deck comes with it , and I only paid (actually will pay on pickup and there's an envelope on my desk) a thousand bucks for it .
I'd heard good things about Yanmar motors , this one is a 2 cylinder diesel and makes 17 crankshaft horsepower - same as the Kohler on Rusty Tractor . Turns out this model was only produced from 1975-79 so totally analog/mechanical , not a chip in sight . There might be some electronics in the alternator .
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I think you done real good👍️
It's a REAL tractor too, not a "lawn tractor" which they sell for eye-watering prices nowadays. New or used...
Even in over-valued Yankee Bucks you pretty much stole it for a grand (about 1400 CanaBucks) Very similar in quality to the Kubota, I believe it was also sold as a Massey Ferguson? for a couple years in Canada.
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