Posted by JDseller on February 26, 2012 at 20:59:50 from (208.126.196.144):
I have a customer that is a real nice guy but is totally mechanically illiterate. He has had trouble changing his motor oil. HE is a genius with computer network systems. He makes a six digit salary doing that. I do a lot of repair work from him. He has a small farm and likes to play around.
He has been looking for a 100 hp plus cab tractor. I told him I would go look at any tractor he was interested in within easy driving distance. FREE just friends enjoying a day off. I did not want him to get took to the cleaners.
He found this JD 4440 in southern Missouri. It was kind of far away but we could drive down and back in a long day. I told him to get the serial number so I could run it and find out what I could on the ownership trail of this tractor. He did that. This tractor has had ten different recorded owners. Plus who knows how many more. It started out in Arkansas rice country. Then it went to a sugar cane plantation in Florida. Then to Mississippi on a cotton farm. Could not track who owned it in the last ten years but it did migrate to Missouri. I told him I would pass on this tractor if it where me. Too many owners and many of them in farming areas known for rough equipment.
Well guess what??? He and the wife went down last week so he could look at the tractor. They wanted to spend the night in St. Louis and see the sites. That is fine. He drove the tractor and just thought it was the greatest thing and a real "STEAL". The only thing he could see wrong was it would not stay in "D" range and would pop out of reverse in all gears. (Quad range tractor) The tractor jockey who owned it told him it just needed adjusting and he would knock off $500 so my guy could just have it done locally. My guy jumped all over this "DEAL". He paid $13000 and some change for this 1979 JD 4440 with unknown hours and history. ( Real clean local few owner JD 4440s are bringing $20k-22K). He even paid the jockey $1500 to deliver it 300 miles. What a good friendly guy!!! NOT
So this jem was delivered last Thursday while my guy was at work. His wife had the truck driver park it in their machinery shed. My guy called and said he would bring it over to me Saturday morning. He called me at 11 am Sat. told me he could not get the tractor to start. Asked me to come over.
Well here is what I have found so far:
1) Reason for not starting: one battery not two. 2) Small car battery cables not even close to enough for a diesel motor. 3) Stater motor has the lead melted out of the armature and the brushes are worn clear into the holders. 4) No engine air filter in the canister. Smell of ether is strong. 5) No AC compressor or lines from the cab. They have been cut off right behind the starter. Did not even bother looking on the cab top. 6) Wood block jambed under the rock shaft to keep the three point arms up. No hydraulic pressure or flow to the rear of the tractor. Steering and brakes only. Checked pressure/flow in front of the priority valve. 900 psi and 5 gpm flow. 7) Drained the hydraulic fluid(stuff)out. Looks like used motor oil to me. It is BLACK as coal and smells like diesel fuel. No hydraulic filter or sump screen in the tractor. So what ever was in the sump is going straight to the hydraulic pump. 8) Removed the rock shaft housing so I could look down into the transmission. "D" range shift collar and gear are shot. These gears are on the pinion shaft. Reverse collar is cracked. So to fix it right you have to take the whole transmission apart. Including both final drives. 9) Almost forgot: Engine has low compression on all cylinders. Rod and main bearing all are showing copper.
The good things about this JD 4440: 1) One of the best paint jobs I have ever seen. Does not seem to be any Bondo used either. 2) Brand new cab interior and seat cushions. (does have a wooden block under the seat to hold it up. No hydraulic pressure to work the seat) 3) Good tires. They are mates and have 80% tread.
So I had my guy bring his purchase agreement over. Guess how it is worded?? States clear as a bell that the tractor is sold AS-IS with transmission/hydraulic trouble. Plus non-working AC system. I asked my guy about this. He said the seller told him that was how he had to do it because the transmission adjustment was a transmission repair issue. Was told the AC just needed topped off come spring. My guy signed it with two witnesses to that fact. I found that unusual too but seller told my guy it was how Missouri law made him do it.
I just did a rough estimate on the engine/transmission/hydraulic repairs. It could easily get to 15-20K. Even then I am not sure if everything would be right. This tractor to me should have been a parts tractor.
My guys is sick over his. His wife is furious at him and the seller. He is going to talk to a lawyer tomorrow morning. I think he is out of luck as he signed a purchase agreement that clearly states that it was sold with problems and was AS-IS. It has been a long time since I have seen a con job this bad on someone. I am mystified how a guy as smart as this could not see any of the red flags that where there to be seen???
I am afraid he is going to be out a lot of money either way. If he tries to fix all that is wrong I am not sure what it would cost. The hydraulic system could be totally shot. The AC system is just about total junk. The engine overhaul could get real bad if the cam is bad and injection system need totally rebuilt. I really don't want to tackle all of these problems this late in the winter. This could take a month of solid work to get going. Any of you guys want a Shiny JD 4440???? LOL
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