Greetings, I have recently inherited an old tractor with a property. I am new to the tractor/heavy equipment world but I have been an auto tech for over 20 years. This little tractor I need help identifying. It says 401-j on the id tag. The rest is illegible. Engine SN again best I can tell is 4262DT 02 221283. I am looking for the flywheel rotation tool. I suspect drive gear on dist pump, but I am still investigating. I found this number in this forum posted by diesel Dave. JD281A. I am trying to learn without buying the tool. Will it work on this little champ? Any help is greatly appreciated. Also anyone with any further info on this old machine I would be very grateful for any knowledge someone wants to drop on this tractor rookie.
I think the tractor is a John Deere 400. It is an industrial and it would be similar to a 2020 which is the ag version. I'm not sure what you mean about the dist pump and reason for a flywheel rotation tool. Can you explain farther?
Welcome to HEF JD401-J . The engine is a 4202 so I suspect the engine serial# is actually 4202DT 02 . The engine has a 142 tooth flywheel ring gear so if there is diamond shaped access hole in the flywheel housing the tool JD281A should work. Like Mr.Wrench is asking , what’s going on with your machine ? See introduction page screenshot from the 401 parts catalog , has the machine serial # break down.
Wow! Y’all are great. Thank you! This thing will crank but not start. Sounds like it’s making compression but I’ve not checked it yet. I have verified I’ve got fuel to the dist pump. When I remove the sight cover on the pump it does not appear that dist pump is being driven. I am trying to turn the engine over to TDC #1 and see if the timing marks in the pump line up. I can turn the flywheel with a screwdriver but id rather have the correct tool cause it makes life easier.
Thank you sharing your knowledge with me. I have fuel up to the pump. But it does not seem to be running any fuel out to injectors. I am attempting to set engine at TDC#1 to verify my pump is in fact not being driven. ( my thought is that I should be able to see the forward portion of the timing marks in the pump will align with the rear or I will be able to see the lack of movement.) The previous owner had told me he thought the pump drive gear was the issue. Something about them being nylon or having a nylon component. Does this sound right to you?
We are talking diesel and not gas?
The engine serial number tells me this tractor is a diesel. The 4202 in the engine serial number means 4 cylinder 202 cu. in. If you look at the pages that Diesel Dave sent it says that the diesel is 202 cu. in. and the gas is 180 cu. in. I think this engine would have a Roosa Master injector pump. The timing marks you are talking about can be hard to see. It may be easier to take off the cover in front of the timing gear and see if it is turning in there. There should be a little cover you can take off to unbolt the timing gear on the front engine cover in front of the injection pump. If the gear looks ok and is turning, the pump is turning unless the shaft is broken and that is unlikely. I think the plastic or nylon piece he is talking about is a nylon ring on the governor. It is common for these to come apart in one that has sat for awhile. When this happens pieces can get stuck in the check valve on the return line on the top of the pump. They usually don't run very good, run and die, or don't run at all when this happens. The other thing that is common if they have sat for awhile is for the shutoff to stick in the off position inside the pump. You can take the top cover off of the pump and check that. Be careful there are little springs and linkages in there. You most likely will have to have the pump rebuilt. I would see if the engine will try to start on a little bit of starting fluid. If it will it most likely is in good enough shape to run, you just don't know how well. At that point you could have the pump rebuilt, replace the fuel filters and put good fuel in it. It would be a good idea to at least have the injectors checked, if not rebuilt also. They can be gummed up from sitting. On a Diesel your pump and injectors are like your carburetor and ignition system on a gas. If you don't know that they're good, you're just shooting in the dark.
Thank you again. Armed with the knowledge you dropped on me I was able to pop the little cover off and can see the gear is in fact rotating. The pump sadly was still not rotating. I pulled the pump and the shaft is broken. Now I am looking for a heck of a deal on a pump rebuild… I am looking at using Deisel care and performance out of Memphis. Would you recommend any particular rebuilder?
thepumpguysc here on the forum has saved a lot of people with fuel injection problems
2nd vote for @thepumpguysc
How have I not seen this thread.??!! Look at the broken piece of the drive shaft.. it’ll have the p# on it.. The inj pump has a tag on it also.. is it a RoosaMaster/Stanadyne..or a CAV/ Delphi.??
Here are the pump numbers and the shaft end. I am wondering with the pump being locked up is that going to still be rebuildable?
Where any of the nuts holding the pump on loose? Can you stick a screwdriver down where the shaft was and turn the pump?
No the mounting nuts were tight. I did try to rotate with a screwdriver and it will not turn.
U have all the information needed to look everything up.. But u need to get the injectors checked.. A stuck injector WILL seize a pump..
Since you are in Longview, get with Melissa at ProMax after you get armed with all the info from here.