This is my 1973 Ford 4550 Backhoe. Ford 201 ci 3 cyl diesel, around 62 hp. Always has run pretty good, but the engine has been burning oil for a while, and recently has been spitting oil out the exhaust pipe. Then, last weekend, it blew the head gasket and that was it. So it's time has now come...doing a complete rebuild on the engine. I thought you guys would enjoy some pictures of this. Oh, and don't make too much fun of me...it is an old machine and the sheet metal is...well...more rust than sheet metal these days, if you know what I mean. But it works well for what I need. Hopefully when we get this done I'll have several more years of good work out of her. Here's the pics:

Here we are taking the front loader off. I had taken the backhoe part off the day before so I could trailer it up to Bill's.




Fat guy in a little...well, nevermind. Bill borrowed this from his buddy to assist in some of the dis-assembly and maneuvering of the backhoe.




Tractor part in Bill's shop.




Front part separated.




Engine out. Woohoo!




Engine dis-assembled. Turns out someone had been into this engine in 1989. Looks like they sleeved it (no sleeves on this one from the factory) and turned the crank .020"/.020". It needs it again. I'll have new sleeves installed too.




Overview of most of the parts. There were more parts to the left side of the shop, but this was most of it. Not too bad for maybe 8 hours of work or so.





That's it. There are some other things I think I'll replace while I'm in here, but I can't do everything because of what the cost is. But I'm hoping that she'll run like brand new when we get done with her. I'm hoping we can get her put back together next weekend, as long as I can get the parts in time.

Anyway, just thought you guys might enjoy! Everyone likes pictures!

 

Wow thats pretty sweet man! Props to you for "keeping it going" I'm sure there would have been some that would have figured it wouldn't be worth it. Keep us posted!

 

Well, I just came back from the machine shop to drop off the crankshaft, head, and block. Have to have the crank turned, which doesn't appear to be a problem. The head doesn't appear to be a problem - I'm going to have them do a valve job on it. But the block is a "mess" according to them. It had been sleeved at some point, and they think they may have a problem re-sleeving it because the sleeves that were in it were "step sleeves", with a lip at the top. They're going to check on everything and let me know. We'll see!

I thought about scrapping it, but it's worth way more to me running than the $1,200 i might get for scrap. I can't buy another one for that, so I figure I'll put a little into this one.

 

PSSSH what you have the day off or something?!

lol looks good man!
I hope everything can be put back together at minimal cost... Tools are one of the best investments!

 

No, I'm working. Just took a ...well.... a "Break" to post this up on here originally. lol And I went to the machine shop on my lunch break. I get an hour.

 

I know im just giving ya static. Looks real good tho! love the 62 hp lol
Doesnt take much to do heavy work.

 

Looks good Tyler! NOW I see why Bill never gets to work on his crew cab!

 

Well...I can't take ALL the blame for that. I mean, we're not rebuilding the engine on a backhoe every day! And besides, if he'd been working on his crew cab, then all those pics would have been of the backhoe sitting OUTSIDE his shop, because his crew cab would have been in there...

 

Very cool!

 

LOL!!! You tell him Darin! The "Things Tyler owe me for" list is growing longer and longer! And the fat guy comment will cost him

 

The truth hurts! I've seen you eat. Lol

Looks like a cool project Tyler. You and Bill need to come back up this weekend so I can get 2 projects crossed off my list. Then my CC can get pulled in the shop for dismantle!

 

You just need to get all the parts for your build together, then take a long weekend and come down here and we'll knock that thing out!

 

Looking good Tyler, the first grand you make with that machine, Bill gets to keep, right??

I think that Bill & Todd need to find a shop half way in between your places and meet there on weekends to work on projects. Sound romantic???? LOL

 

I like it better when he owes me Glenn

 

ditto! especially when it's an old ford!