Hi, I have a 743 with a kubota deisel that has a loss of power. I also noticed there is a small amount of bubbling & what appears to be exhaust in the antifreeze well. I'm guessing my head gasket is gone so my question is is there an easy fix? I don't want to have to pull the motor if I don't have to... I don't have the place to do it, nor do I want to invest another thousand dollars in this old machine. Please Help!
Depends on if there's enough room to get the head off in the machine and if you caught it in time before more damage was done. Is there antifreeze in the oil? If the rest of the machine works good, it's worth fixing.
Well if I was doing the job I would pull the engine. Where I worked we also had a 743 with the kubota engine. And I had that engine out twice, once for a major rebuild and the last time was just to fix some hydraulic leaks, bad hoses. Once you remove things like the muffler and hoses to radiator, I believe I removed the radiator each time, about the only things keeping the engine from coming out are a few wires and fuel hoses. Well the four bolts for the mounts. I did have the advantage of a fork truck for the first time but if you can scrounge up a plate of steel a little wider than the mounts and about the same length as the engine just block it up to be the same height as the floor of the engine compartment. Then once things are all disconnected just slide it back to the lip on the floor and use a small pry bar to lift it over the lip and pull back some more and it will be out where you can work easy. Going back in is a little tricky as you have to guide the drive shaft back on the splines of the pump but if you take it easy it's not bad. Unhooking things like the muffler and radiator hoses are probably more work than anything else and those need to come off no matter what. If that was closer to Central NY I would try to talk you into selling it to me as is! Rather have an old Case 1845 but would settle for a 743!
I did the head gasket on my old 643 in the machine, wasn't a difficult job. The 643 is the same as the 743, only 3 cylinders. Ed
Thank you Thanks for your help! I guess I'm going to have to buckle down & do it. I will let you know how it works out.