[AT] refusing to replace old equipment - N-Complete

Keith Kinney kkinney at herculesengines.com
Thu Dec 18 09:10:21 PST 2008


You're right Steve.  It' was only locked up because the cylinder was  
full of non-compressible liquid.  We took out the spark plugs and  
turned the engine over expelling all the fuel and the problem was fixed.
I don't believe Tom really felt the engine needed replace but did it  
to make us fill better.  We were concerned because the engine had over  
heated so many times we felt the longevity of the engine might have  
been affected.  Yes, it was a very frustrating experience but they did  
see it through until it was resolved and did put the new engine in to  
make sure we were satisfied.
As far as trouble shooting skills, I wondered about that too.  The  
only thing I can think of is the fact we drove 250 miles with the wind  
blowing through the radiator at 70+ miles per hour.  Maybe that blew  
the stuff out of the radiator and when they test drove the tractor it  
cooled fine.  He probably was cutting a different mix of vegetation too.
Keith
www.herculesengines.com

On Dec 18, 2008, at 9:20 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:

> When you say lock up, don't forget it was known that it did not seize,
> it merely hydrolocked (on raw gasoline).
>
> Steve O.
>
> On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 8:23 AM, Cecil Bearden  
> <crbearden at copper.net> wrote:
>> I noted that Keith mentioned that the engine had locked up once.
>> Perhaps the builder felt that that had damaged the longevity of the
>> engine.  I know I have rebuilt engines that locked up before and  
>> had to
>> hone the cylinders as the best ones were somewhat rough and the worst
>> were galded....
>>
>> Cecil in OKla
>>
>> Stephen Offiler wrote:
>>> A radiator clogged with weed seed is far from unique and I am more
>>> than a bit surprised Tom was so stumped that he was ready to drop  
>>> in a
>>> whole new engine.  Kudos for standing behind his work, certainly;  
>>> but
>>> not for troubleshooting skills.
>>>
>>> Steve O.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 10:33 PM, Keith Kinney
>>> <kkinney at herculesengines.com> wrote:
>>>> About 35-40 years ago my Grandpa replaced our Ford 8N with a 1956  
>>>> Ford
>>>> 600.  The 600 has been our main tractor around the place, 22 acres,
>>>> ever since.  7 or 8 years ago it was getting to the point where  
>>>> it was
>>>> just worn out. We'd rebuilt the engine 20 or so years prior but  
>>>> it was
>>>> time again plus everything else was tried on the tractor.  Mom  
>>>> wanted
>>>> dad to invest in a new tractor that would be reliable but he didn't
>>>> want to spend the $20-$25,000 for a new, similar sized, compact
>>>> tractor.  I had heard about N-Complete and suggested for less than
>>>> half of new he could have the 600 "re-newed" and we'd still have
>>>> Grandpa's tractor.  He thought about it a while and finally had  
>>>> it done.
>>>>
>>>> It came back looking like new.  Everything went great until he  
>>>> tried
>>>> bush hogging with it.  After about a 1/2 hour of cutting it would  
>>>> over
>>>> heat.  Actually the first time it over heated and after he let it  
>>>> sit
>>>> a few hours to cool down the engine was locked up.  What we  
>>>> discovered
>>>> is the gas cap didn't have a vent and the fuel boiled and  
>>>> pressurized
>>>> the tank filling a cylinder or two with fuel.  Tom immediately  
>>>> sent us
>>>> a new fuel cap and carburetor.  But, it still continued to over  
>>>> heat.
>>>> We took it back to them, a 5 hour drive each way for us, but they
>>>> claimed they couldn't duplicate the problem and try it again.   
>>>> After a
>>>> second trip and still no duplication of the problem Tom came to our
>>>> place and watched what we did.  He saw first hand that it would  
>>>> over
>>>> heat after bush hogging for 1/2 our or so and it wasn't something  
>>>> we
>>>> were doing wrong.  He tried several things but still had the  
>>>> problem.
>>>>
>>>> So he said if we'd bring it back one more time he would put a newly
>>>> remanufactured engine into the tractor as he couldn't think of
>>>> anything else to try.  Bear in mind this has been going on for a  
>>>> few
>>>> years by now.  We took it back to Tom.  This time he finally  
>>>> found the
>>>> problem.  The new radiator he put in when he originally rebuilt the
>>>> tractor did not have proper distance between the fins.  It was an
>>>> automotive radiator core not a farm radiator???  The problem was  
>>>> the
>>>> radiator was clogging up with weed seeds and overheating.   
>>>> Anyway, he
>>>> went ahead and put a new engine in the tractor, replaced the  
>>>> radiator,
>>>> and put a screen in front of the radiator to keep the weed seed  
>>>> out.
>>>> We haven't had any overheating problems with it since.
>>>>
>>>> We did go through a lot of inconvenience with the whole process  
>>>> but I
>>>> will have to commend Tom and N-complete for standing behind their
>>>> work.  I'd certainly have no problem having them rebuild another  
>>>> one
>>>> for us or purchase one of their rebuilt tractors.
>>>>
>>>> Here's some pictures of some of our tractors including the 600:
>>>> http://www.herculesengines.com/tractors/
>>>>
>>>> Keith
>>>> www.herculesengines.com
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