5040 Allis Chalmers for sale Engine 'stuck'
There's one for sale for $1,600 in my general area with a front end load bucket. Diesel, no idea yet of visuals nor hours nor tires etc...I'm wondering if anyone has tips on how to tell if the engine is "stuck from sitting " as advertised, or whether a serious problem exists.....like a broken crankshaft for example. Without an engine that runs, how do I know even know if the gearbox is functional? The price is more than I want to pay, but is not crazy in comparison to auction results I see online.
Any general comments and tips for things to look at would be appreciated. All I really want to do is move mulch around my property, maybe some dirt on occasion, and who knows, maybe move mulch for nearby neighbors at a reasonable price...I'm handy and have been repairing and reselling riding mowers during retirement for about five years but I am not looking for a massive project....
Thanks for you attention.
Any general comments and tips for things to look at would be appreciated. All I really want to do is move mulch around my property, maybe some dirt on occasion, and who knows, maybe move mulch for nearby neighbors at a reasonable price...I'm handy and have been repairing and reselling riding mowers during retirement for about five years but I am not looking for a massive project....
Thanks for you attention.
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That will be a larger scale project than working on a riding mower.
I would expect to have to disassemble the engine if it doesn't turn over, maybe you get lucky and there's only water in a cylinder, and you can clean up the rust and get it going, but more likely something's not working right inside. And to do that, you need to split the tractor, as the engine is being used as the front half of the frame (so you need some larger lifting equipment than mowers), as well as a way to move a pretty heavy object with two wheels on one end. And, depending on what they've tried to get the engine turning, it may be they've damaged the engine just doing that (you can wreck the starter, flywheel, crankshaft, piston/rod).
Another thing to concern yourself with is the injection system, it may not be working properly, and can be expensive to refurbish or replace the parts for it.
And you can't really test anything without the engine running, either the transmission or the hydraulic system.
You might get very lucky, and it's some trivial thing to get it working again, but IMHO it's not something you'll have running soon without working on it full-time and putting a fair amount of money into it (and assuming you can get the parts and any work done externally that you can't do yourself, like maybe the injection pump or injectors need rebuilding).
I would expect to have to disassemble the engine if it doesn't turn over, maybe you get lucky and there's only water in a cylinder, and you can clean up the rust and get it going, but more likely something's not working right inside. And to do that, you need to split the tractor, as the engine is being used as the front half of the frame (so you need some larger lifting equipment than mowers), as well as a way to move a pretty heavy object with two wheels on one end. And, depending on what they've tried to get the engine turning, it may be they've damaged the engine just doing that (you can wreck the starter, flywheel, crankshaft, piston/rod).
Another thing to concern yourself with is the injection system, it may not be working properly, and can be expensive to refurbish or replace the parts for it.
And you can't really test anything without the engine running, either the transmission or the hydraulic system.
You might get very lucky, and it's some trivial thing to get it working again, but IMHO it's not something you'll have running soon without working on it full-time and putting a fair amount of money into it (and assuming you can get the parts and any work done externally that you can't do yourself, like maybe the injection pump or injectors need rebuilding).
My guess is if it is truly stuck from sitting, rain and snow down the exhaust got into a cylinder and the rings/valves are stuck.
That might be as easy as soaking the affected cylinder with oil or it might be an engine rebuild.
Same machine, running, Tulsa Oklahoma, 5750 dollars Hours 949 showing
www.tractorhouse.com
Out of 5 with prices, no loader 9900 most expensive, 6900 two of them, one auction tomorrow starting bid 100 dollars.
1600 not running and not really knowing what is wrong, sounds like a lot to me for a machine that old. Seems to be a 78 or 79 for a year of production.
I guess bright side, you will have about 4000 pounds of scrap metal if it is junk.
That might be as easy as soaking the affected cylinder with oil or it might be an engine rebuild.
Same machine, running, Tulsa Oklahoma, 5750 dollars Hours 949 showing
ALLIS-CHALMERS 5040 For Sale in Tulsa, Oklahoma
ALLIS-CHALMERS 5040 For Sale in Tulsa, Oklahoma at TractorHouse.com
www.tractorhouse.com
1600 not running and not really knowing what is wrong, sounds like a lot to me for a machine that old. Seems to be a 78 or 79 for a year of production.
I guess bright side, you will have about 4000 pounds of scrap metal if it is junk.
The loader alone is worth a lot more than the 1600 dollars.....for the right person with a place to work on it as described above it could be a good deal....if you need something and you need that now, it is not really for you
Rob, From what you posted, a stuck engine, that doesn't allow trans and hydro operational checks means the risk factor is quite high. You also said it was more than you wanted to pay.
If close by, can't hurt to go have a look and talk to seller. Look for evidence of attempted unsticking like scarred front crank bolt etc. I guess you could get into oil analysis, looking for bits, water, and grit, but that is nothing for sure either. The price is exceptionally low for that model. But if it is junk sitting in your garage or shop, then what. $2k for an engine and maybe trans work? You'd quickly be up into the going market price range.
Take a step back and assess the risks, their potential costs, your budget and your ability and time for a potential major job. And particularly, what could be had in running condition for not much more than you'd pay for this question mark.
Your money, you decide.
Whatever you do, good luck.
If close by, can't hurt to go have a look and talk to seller. Look for evidence of attempted unsticking like scarred front crank bolt etc. I guess you could get into oil analysis, looking for bits, water, and grit, but that is nothing for sure either. The price is exceptionally low for that model. But if it is junk sitting in your garage or shop, then what. $2k for an engine and maybe trans work? You'd quickly be up into the going market price range.
Take a step back and assess the risks, their potential costs, your budget and your ability and time for a potential major job. And particularly, what could be had in running condition for not much more than you'd pay for this question mark.
Your money, you decide.
Whatever you do, good luck.
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