John deere 4020 LP

Hello i have some questions regarding the 8 John deere 4020s i need to get running.

first i need to know what parts are known to go bad and not typical things like belts, filters, and hoses, I'm talking things that you wouldn't think go bad?

What is a good interval to check fluids or drain fluids and what is the amount of use recommended to check/change fluids?

is storing the tractors inside better to mitigate the premature failure of parts or is tarping them off completely good enough?

i will have more questions but i figured this is a good place to start.

Hello greasemonkey welcome to YT! You said ..what
parts are known to go bad and not typical things like
belts, filters, and hoses, I'm talking things that you
wouldn't think go bad?
This is sort of a different approach to getting
information on your tractor, particularly the last
sentence. Is there a particular part of the machine you
are directing this question towards? Are you trying to
gather information on what may be involved with
getting it running?
Have you had any experience with a propane fueled
machine? What area are you in? In the 50s - 70s the
areas of western Kansas, OK and TX had a lot of
farmers that used propane machines.
A operators manual covers a lot of your questions. You
can get a PDF operators manual from Deere for free,
go to the link and follow these instructions. You may
want to have your tractors serial number before you
dive into this, it is on a plate back by the PTO.

At the linked page find your applicable machine type
and model click the arrow pointing sideways so it
points down and it shows the operators manuals and
other tech manuals. Click the arrow to point down by
Op manuals there you can put it in your cart. Also
there is a square at the right with the arrow up to the
right corner when you click that you can view it. The
down arrow with the line under it will down load it to
your PC. If you prefer not to view the manual on your
PC you could print it off and put it in a 3 ring binder.
JD manuals

so I'm looking at the overall tractor just things that i can keep an eye out for depending on use that can cause issues to arise.

yes i am gathering information on how to get these machines in full working order.

no i have no experience with propane machines. I am a certified airplane mechanic that got hired to be a ranch mechanic.

i am located in Arizona.

is storing the tractors inside better to mitigate the premature failure of parts or is tarping them off completely good enough?
If you live in a dry desert climate a tarp can be adequate. In most other climates storage under roof is preferred. If the engines are not stuck yet, periodically crank over the non-running engines to prevent the piston rings from rusting tight to the sleeves (stuck engine). A teaspoon of engine oil or fogging oil can also help to keep the engines free.

What is a good interval to check fluids or drain fluids and what is the amount of use recommended to check/change fluids?
The crankcase and transmission sump will breath air in and out with every temperature change, drawing water vapor in that can condense inside the tractors. You can drain off excess condensation when the tractors have been parked a few days by cracking the drain plugs loose enough to drip. Oil floats on top of water so the water drips out first. Tighten the drain plug when oil starts to drip out. Hydraulic fluid will absorb some water until it is saturated. Water in hydraulic fluid can break down the wet brake linings and wet power shift linings, releasing debris into the hydraulic system. This is discussed every few months on these forums, you can scan the archives to read earlier discussions.

If the tractors have been hauled in from a warmer climate it is worth checking the engine coolant concentration freeze point, and any fluid ballast in the tires. A cracked engine block, split radiator or split tire caused by freeze can be expensive to replace.

Are all 8 4020s LPG engines?

thank you for your information and yes all 8 tractors are LP engines

(quoted from post at 11:04:29 12/05/23) Hello i have some questions regarding the 8 John deere 4020s i need to get running.

first i need to know what parts are known to go bad and not typical things like belts, filters, and hoses, I'm talking things that you wouldn't think go bad?

What is a good interval to check fluids or drain fluids and what is the amount of use recommended to check/change fluids?

is storing the tractors inside better to mitigate the premature failure of parts or is tarping them off completely good enough?

i will have more questions but i figured this is a good place to start.

Click to expand...

I J


Stuck or leaking LP regulators .
Water condensation in engines and transmission .
Depleted corrosion inhibitor in the coolant .

sweet thanks you for that information.

The reason for mentioning the areas in my post is that
there are probably still some old timers that know
about servicing propane fuel systems in those areas.
Where you are finding service for propane systems will
probably be limited to forklift or other machines that
are run inside were the fumes are a concern. A gummy
thick oil drops out of the LPG and is one enemy of
propane carburetion. Also holes in the diaphragms
are another common trouble. One thing that is often
neglected on tractors is the front wheel bearings. If
you got one of them to the point where you are going
to use it at least jack up the wheels and shake them to
check how loose they are.Then spin it and make sure it
does not sound rough. If it passes those tests it will
probably be okay for a bit. It would be a good idea to
eventually go through them all and repack them.
Not sure if anyone else mentioned this but an I&T shop
manual would be a good purchase as well. See the top
selection in the link. Unless you want to spring for the
Deere manuals.
YT JD 4020 manual offerings

That's actually very helpful I'm making sure to keep bearing grease on hand so repacking those bearings will be added to my routine maintenance program and ill be sure to purchase extra bearings incase any go bad.

In regards to servicing the propane on the tractors we are going to have a propane fill up station installed and I'm going to be taught how to properly fill those tanks. additionally we have a propane guy who is converting our three 3300 combines to propane and he is going to teach me how to diagnose and fix any problem with the propane systems.

I had one and fuel related/resultant starting problems were a constant nuisance plus high fuel consumption (to my later diesel
model), problems refueling at temperature extremes...low and high ambient, and lots of heat from the engine sitting in the operators
seat...fine in the winter but bad in the summer when you use it most. I am saying this because you said you needed to get it running
so I assumed you never had it running and weren't aware of what I am saying here. I bought a Nurse tank that was a 100 gallon
wheeled cart that you could take to the field for refueling which consisted of Propane liquid, not gas......suction tube on any supply
tank had to have the fill pipe extend down to the bottom of the tank to pick up the liquid. Some tanks have that access and some
don't. That tractor would not go all day on a fuel fill up......like diesels will do.

It was my first JD and on the side of the block are 6 little holes midway (considering top to bottom of the block proper). That
tractor uses wet sleeves and there are 2 Orings per cylinder, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the sleeve. One is black
and the other orange. Been 30 years ago but if I remember correctly, the orange seals off the top where coolant is present and the
bottom looks to be Neoprene to seal off the oil in the crankcase. My block was weeping and I didn't know what they were nor how
they worked. Wound up doing an inframe engine overhaul which went very well since I had a mechanic from the local IH/OTR truck
dealership help me with the OH. I had never done that before.

I had an IT manual and it told me what I needed to know on fluids, type numbers, and amounts. I had a JD dealer about 25 miles
away and on parts like filters or what have you, I just told them the year and model and they looked up the necessary parts.

Mark
I've been around both diesel, gasoline & lpg fueled JD tractors & there no feasible way the type of fuel consumed will cause operator any more discomfort if engine operation at normal engine operating temps with either style fuel. Concerning fuel when In was employed at JD dealership they had a Ford 1 ton with 460 cid engine that had been converted to operate on LPG that I had no problems filled vehicle tank from nurse tank with wet line. This 460 engine seem to operate better on LPG than gasoline. I'd choose an JD tractor powered by LPG over gasoline any day. No LPG isn't as economical as diesel.