I found a decent looking 246a in my area with 3500 hours on it. Then research shows this might not be the best choice due to engine failures. Or is it as bad as some of the internet thinks? I read the thread about the guy losing an engine in his '99 246 and a long thread about Perkins in general that started out talking about the 3034 but most of the listed failures in that thread were actually 3024s. So is this 3034 Perkins/Cat really that bad or is it just a fairly normal failure rate for equipment? I see a number of machines this vintage with thousands of hours. Trying to sort the hype from the reality because I would prefer this machine over the smaller ones I am also looking at. Runner up is a 1400 hr S160 Bobcat. I would like the heavier machine but not is it is going to blow an engine.
The oil pump failures were as a result of the pump body splitting open with resulting total loss of oil pressure and catastrophic engine damage. There is an updated 173-0141 Part Number of engine oil pump for the early 246 and all other models that use that same 3034T engine. If that pump has been installed at some point in the past you are probably in a better position. If it has not been installed, consider buying the machine and installing a new pump ASAP.
So it is the pump that fails and not the cover? I guess if the pump breaks and a rod comes out it wouldn't be surprising to see the housing cracked. Doesn't seem like just replacing the pump is terribly difficult. I have read a lot of posts on this here and it was Steve Fraiser that suggested the housing was the problem. Maybe though he was referring to the same thing as you are, the actual pump housing splitting. I have had three other potential purchases fall through this week, back to considering this machine...
By “housing” are you referring to the cylinder block, because if so then that is consequential damage from the lubrication failure. However if you are referring to the housing/body of the oil pump itself that is what fails and causes the resulting carnage.