Can I swap out Yanmar diesel with another type/brand engine?

[Bobcat Crazy]

Hi All, I hope you all are doing well.
I haven't been on in a while, too many projects I guess. Well I have started on a new project (I thought I would learn better one day but I guess not). I have a 2003 John Deere 1600 wam (wide area mower/bat wing mower) mower that had a Yanmar 4 cylinder diesel engine (block # 4TNE82) (John Deere #4020T001) that has been totally used up, the block included.

The only parts I am finding for this engine are from China. I have found engines online for close to or over $10-K. Do any of you know of an engine which is more available that would work for this application.

Or somewhere to get parts for it other than China. It just seems have to believe that the John Deere company would have used an engine that good ole USA parts not available for. (Or did I just have too much trust in John Deere)?

 

[Welder Dave]

Give some more details and pics. of the machine. Unlikely anyone on the forum has the same machine and has done an engine swap. I'd say off the top of my head it's probably an easier engine swap being in a mower. What transmission and hyd's. does it have? If it's hydrostatic likely makes an engine swap a lot easier but you need to give a lot more info and pics.

 

[56wrench]

Well, JD has sourced parts and components for all their equipment large and small, for decades from all over the world. They are no different from any other manufacturer

 

[Birken Vogt]

I just had to get Yanmar parts and it wasn't easy.

JD used to have a thing with Yanmar, but I called the JD dealer and they aren't even a Yanmar dealer any more. A lot has changed since 2003.

Also to JD, anything over 15 years old is ancient history and you should just buy a new one. They will use any excuse to extract from your wallet. Nobody trusts JD, they are corporate evil #1.

Anyway, to your question, you need to find out if you have a standard SAE flywheel arrangement. There are a lot of charts on the internet you can measure from.

If so, get on the hunt for a similar diesel engines. Ones I can think of are the Perkins 404D-22, Isuzu 4LE1 or 4LE2, and also other Yanmar 4TN series - they have a 4TNE and 4TNV and I don't know what the difference is. They all look pretty similar. There might also be the odd Mitsubishi S4Q something or other, and Kubota D18-something, or V20-, V22-, V24. The digits are the engine size in liters, and the letter is D for 3 cyl or V for 4 cyl.

Also Cat used the Perkins and/or Mitsubishi engines sometimes so you might find a Cat product too but the bell housing might be wrong.

 

[Coaldust]

I’m thinking like BV on this one. A Kubota might be the play. It’s getting so difficult to find Yanmar parts. I feel bad for dudes that re-powered boats with them, when it was all the craze, years ago.

 

[Welder Dave]

Check with a Mustang skid steer dealer for Yanmar parts. V19 series Kubota is another possibility as is V17 series.

 

[Tones]

Check out Yanmar marine engines, they could have something very similar that can be used by swapping the exhaust manifold.

 

[Bullitt]

I can check with parts dept monday. I work at a Yanmar dealer in Central PA

 

[Coaldust]

Got an insider with the answers!

So, what’s the deal with Yanmar in 2024? Is it a dying brand in North America? Business as usual? I haven’t really been paying much attention, lately. Is the lack of Yanmar product support a figment of my imagination? I always thought their products were great. Like the 4JH2 series.

 

[Welder Dave]

I've heard people say Yanmar engines are right up there with Kubota and sometimes even better. I recall there was a certain application where only Yanmar engines were approved but not sure why. I think it may have been because they were the only engines to meet the emissions requirements. Yanmar were never known as engines to avoid but if there's little to no support changes that regardless of how good the engines are.

 

[Welder Dave]

I'm curious how long JD is going to support the Yanmar sourced tractors they sold for many years? Smaller acreage tractors typically don't rack up as many hours and owners will keep them for decades. If JD stops supporting them as fast as they do with heavy equipment, they'll have a lot of angry customers.

 

[Birken Vogt]

Got an insider with the answers!

So, what’s the deal with Yanmar in 2024? Is it a dying brand in North America? Business as usual? I haven’t really been paying much attention, lately. Is the lack of Yanmar product support a figment of my imagination? I always thought their products were great. Like the 4JH2 series.

Hopefully he comes back with some more info. But from my other thread this is what I discovered. I called my local small diesel guy and he said he used to be Yanmar but they decided to go direct and kicked out all their dealers maybe 10+ years ago. Now nobody will have them after that stunt.

When I looked around all I saw was places like Bob's Small Engine Repair and whatnot, I want to buy parts from somebody with some horsepower so that's why I went with ML. The Deere dealer told me they were not any longer and referred me to some local small shop, called and they were out of business.

The funny thing is, Isuzu who is the top tier engine player in my opinion, uses a Yanmar 3TNx as their engine when you want a 3 cyl 1.6 liter or smaller. Even though they used to make their own 3 cyl engine in house and it is identical to their continued production 4 cyl, for some reason they dropped their own 3 cyl and started buying them from Yanmar. It is an extremely good engine, never seen a major failure on one.

 

[IceHole]

I just had to get Yanmar parts and it wasn't easy.

JD used to have a thing with Yanmar, but I called the JD dealer and they aren't even a Yanmar dealer any more. A lot has changed since 2003.

Also to JD, anything over 15 years old is ancient history and you should just buy a new one. They will use any excuse to extract from your wallet. Nobody trusts JD, they are corporate evil #1.

Anyway, to your question, you need to find out if you have a standard SAE flywheel arrangement. There are a lot of charts on the internet you can measure from.

If so, get on the hunt for a similar diesel engines. Ones I can think of are the Perkins 404D-22, Isuzu 4LE1 or 4LE2, and also other Yanmar 4TN series - they have a 4TNE and 4TNV and I don't know what the difference is. They all look pretty similar. There might also be the odd Mitsubishi S4Q something or other, and Kubota D18-something, or V20-, V22-, V24. The digits are the engine size in liters, and the letter is D for 3 cyl or V for 4 cyl.

Also Cat used the Perkins and/or Mitsubishi engines sometimes so you might find a Cat product too but the bell housing might be wrong.

Pape Deere in Oregon isn't too bad for old stuff. The guys there know loggers aren't Daddy Warbucks and an 80s-90s machine isn't "antique".
Local outfit didn't even know what a skidder was and laughed like I was crazy when I said it was a 1987.
Too busy hawking overpriced green MTD lawn tractors I guess.

 

[Bullitt]

Got an insider with the answers!

So, what’s the deal with Yanmar in 2024? Is it a dying brand in North America? Business as usual? I haven’t really been paying much attention, lately. Is the lack of Yanmar product support a figment of my imagination? I always thought their products were great. Like the 4JH2 series.

I can't really speak to the changes over time, I have only been with this company for about 2 years. We do have customers say they couldn't get help elsewhere from time to time especially with older machines, or machines bought at closed dealers or auctions. As far as a dying brand I don't think it is. We sell a lot of little iron especially the mini-ex and the CTL, but the tractors move well and the newest generation are pretty good too. Right now our best machine is the Vio80 in my opinion. The newest skid steer and CTL are in production but we don't have any yet despite having them already sold. The most reliable part of the machines in the Yanmar engine itself we have very few issues with them and when we do getting it warrantied isn't a problem.

Looking down through the parts web I don't see a long block or complete engine listed. Hopefully the parts guy knows his way around the system a little better and can find it. But from what I can see each part including the block is available.

 

[Coaldust]

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Steve Frazier]

As has been mentioned, I'm thinking Kubota will be your best bet in finding something similar.

I run a grounds maintenance department and when I started they were running all J/D machines. The best thing about them was the Yanmar engines, they never broke down. Unfortunately the rest of the machine not so much. I became less and less impressed with their design and have eventually switched to Toro machines. About 1/3 more in cost but minimal downtime.

Keep us posted in how you handle this!

 

[Delmer]

They're out there used, just have to find one, and find out what will fit.

 

[Old Growth]

I have a yanmar 4cyl in a JD turf mower that runs.

I could be persuaded to put it on sale.

 

[Old Growth]

The funny thing is, Isuzu who is the top tier engine player in my opinion, uses a Yanmar 3TNx as their engine when you want a 3 cyl 1.6 liter or smaller. Even though they used to make their own 3 cyl engine in house and it is identical to their continued production 4 cyl, for some reason they dropped their own 3 cyl and started buying them from Yanmar. It is an extremely good engine, never seen a major failure on one.

Its funny you say that.

We bought a brand new Isuzu 3CE1 from Hamilton Engine in portland. Isuzu badging/tags riveted all over it.
Then, I noticed right on the side of the Inj pump and the block it says Yanmar.

 

[Welder Dave]

As has been mentioned, I'm thinking Kubota will be your best bet in finding something similar.

I run a grounds maintenance department and when I started they were running all J/D machines. The best thing about them was the Yanmar engines, they never broke down. Unfortunately the rest of the machine not so much. I became less and less impressed with their design and have eventually switched to Toro machines. About 1/3 more in cost but minimal downtime.

Keep us posted in how you handle this!

The JD dealer here used to cut prices to sell turf equipment. They've got better over the years but their technology and build quality were a little behind Toro or Jacobsen. I know a golf course that a mix of Toro and JD but I think had the same experience as you did. Just not as reliable as Toro. They've since gone all Toro. What I find astonishing is how many people spend ridiculous amounts of money on JD garden tractors and mowers for their acreage. My theory is they think they are like big farmers with JD tractors.