[BushBoneYard]

This is looking pretty good to me......What is the top dollar you guys would pay this machine? My intentions are to use it as a true worker eventually [ie garden. snow removal etc.] Cutting is not that important. Any advice appreciated. I'm still a serious newbie with these but this one said "Hey Boneyard" for some reason.......

"1974 Case 220 garden tractor serial # 9689133 with a 10 hp Kohler gas engine that runs good with a J-40-78 mower deck, I do have the mule but not shown in the pictures. Hi/low range works good, it does have hydraulic lift for mower deck. as for tires, 2 back and 1 front are good, the other front tire has a bubble but holds air. Original glass headlights and they work. Mower does work. It needs a battery and an air filter. "

 

[mjodrey]

That does look in pretty nice condition.



Maynard :canada:

 

[InTroubleAlltheTime]

BBY That's a nice looking tractor. Appears that it received decent care. A little rust here and there. Looks like it was rewired. I am not saying this is the value, but IMO if you got if for between $300-350 I think you would make out good. Provided the motor checks out. :222: :446: Best Regards, Rich

 

[Hydriv]

I think that you would be hard pressed to find a nicer example of a 74 220. All the tin is straight, all the parts are correct, including the muffler. Everything appears to there and in good condition. Best of all, it has the optional Hy lift which you don't see all that often on the 210's.

As for valuation, I agree with Rich.

If the engine doesn't smoke badly, then it would be hard to go wrong for $300.00 to $400.00.

Now....I need to caution you that in order to put this to work in the garden effectively, you are going to need a sleeve hitch to attach a single-furrow plow, a set of discs or a cultivator. If you want to till, then you will also need a rear hydraulic PTO valve along with a tiller. However, you would need those things with most of the tractors out there. Right now, this machine is an ideal grass cutter, because that's what the original purchaser wanted it for.

If you want it for other purposes, then be prepared to spend the money to alter it for those needs.

 

[BushBoneYard]

Thanks for the input guys, just two more ?'s. I am not familiar at all with these old Kohlers, what smoke , if any, would be considered normal or not a big issue? And on the sleeve hitch, what do they roughly go for and are they hard to find? . I wish he was a little closer I would go look at it etc but he is about 4 1/2 hours away. Starting price is $300 so he seems to be inline. I'm gonna email right now and ask about any smoke issues. Thanks again for the help, I am genuinely interested in buying this tractor.

 

[Hydriv]

Smoke usually comes in three colors. White, Black and Blue.

White smoke at start-up is quite normal but it should clear up quickly as the engine reaches operating temp.

Black smoke indicates a fuel-rich mixture that is not being burnt cleanly. This is not a major concern because it should be curable with proper maintenance and diagnosis.

Blue smoke indicates burning oil and that quite often indicates a badly worn engine. It might be worn valve guides, worn or broken rings or it could be a crankcase breather issue. If you see the amount of blue smoke INCREASE as you place the engine and tractor under increasing load, then the worn engine diagnosis is likely the most correct one.

However, if you get the tractor cheap enough, then Kohlers are easy to rebuild and not costly to do so.

Used model 22 sleeve hitches appear on e-Bay all the time. Prices vary from $100.00 to $175.00 depending upon condition/appearance as well as demand on the day. You can even make your own if you have a well-equipped workshop.

 

[BushBoneYard]

Excellent, thank you for the info. I have an email in to the seller to ask about any smoke issues. Hopefully it will be good news and I'll see what happens in the coming days........

 

[Hydriv]

When looking at a used Case, you have to take several things into consideration prior to coming to conclusion as whether it's a good deal or one that you should walk away from.


You have to decide how much personal work that you must invest into this used unit to get to the point where you will be happy with it. Sloppy steering (free play in the wheel) is normally not a costly or time-consuming issue to correct. All the same, examine the quadrant gear for missing teeth or sharp teeth along with the pinion gear on the steering shaft. Quite often, both items can be found on e-bay for reasonable prices but it does take time to change them, especially the steering shaft.

A person can take super care of their tractor and it can be well-maintained and look like a jewel in all respects but.......the engine smokes like a mosquito fogger. You should not walk away from such a tractor IF.....the basic tractor (deck included) is being sold for less than $300.00.

Let's say that you tear the Kohler apart (3 hours), take it to a machine shop, buy a new piston, rod, rings and gasket set off e-Bay for $100.00 or so. The machine shop charges you another $200.00 for labor to bore the hole, do the valves, deck the block, resurface the head, polish the crank throw and profile the cam. You spend another $200.0 in misc parts to do it RIGHT.

You now have 5 hundred or so an engine which should last you twenty-years and 2 hundred and fifty in the tractor. Gee, you're down $750.00 but you now have a tractor that will outlast two of the LT's at the local big box store that cost 2 grand per copy. And the clincher is this. You can't put a sleeve hitch on one of those LT's. Therefore, you cannot use one of them to plow, disc, harrow, cultivate or rototill your garden.

If your hydraulic pump fails, it will cost you $200.00 to replace it yourself. If the hydrostatic drive fails in the big box store tractor, the cost of a new hydro will likely equal or exceed the current value of that lawn tractor once it is more than two years old. But this is understandable because it would cost five grand to replace your 220 today.

 

[BushBoneYard]

I understand where you are coming from 100% Hydriv. The cheapest machine new rated for Ground engaging is $2,600.00, which is the Husky made Craftsman. I won't even get into that, we both know what that machine is about. Long story short, last year I missed getting a 1979 Murray Garden Tractor for $125.00. I have been a "enthusiast" of 70's and 80's Murray Garden Tractors for a while, and while most guys might even get a chuckle out of that I know that it will do everything that $2,600.00 Craftsman will do and even with a couple decades under its belt will probably outlast it. So even if I were to put some cash into that tractor, buy my hitch, get my attachments and a blower I'm still hundreds under the new machine and as capable to boot.

That is what exposed me to the Case brand, because I noticed how much guys were trying to get for late model [1990's] Murray, MTD etc. Garden Tractors. I noticed the Cases, although older, were bigger badder and tougher than what I was looking at, and money wise, if the right deal came along I could set myself up for "around" the same money as the lower end brands but have twice the machine. I have no problem putting time and effort into a machine, like most of you guys I enjoy it. So the way I look at it is exactly the point you are making. Even if I pay $300 for this one or another tractor, spend $75 in gas to pick it up, spend another $200 for the hitch, a $100 for a used plow $500 for this that and the other thing to get her up to snuff, I'm still leaps and bounds above the Husky in price and quality.

 

[BushBoneYard]

I heard back from the seller. Very little smoke on start up, but didn't mention color, I'll need to ask.

 

[Hydriv]

Very little smoke on start-up is normal and a very good sign. Go buy that tractor.

 

[InTroubleAlltheTime]

Good luck BBY, hope you get it! :trink: :trink: :trink: :usa: :usa: :usa: :222: :446: Best Regards, Rich

 

[tanandorange]

Everything appears to there and in good condition. Best of all, it has the optional Hy lift which you don't see all that often on the 210's.

wonder why that is :razz: :sidelaugh: :facepalm:

PS...I know it was only a typo, but I just couldn't help myself.

 

[BushBoneYard]

Very little smoke on start-up is normal and a very good sign. Go buy that tractor.

Yes, I think I'm gonna go for it. Hopefully noone wants it more than me. Thanks everybody.

 

[Hydriv]

Everything appears to there and in good condition. Best of all, it has the optional Hy lift which you don't see all that often on the 210's.

wonder why that is :razz: :sidelaugh: :facepalm:

PS...I know it was only a typo, but I just couldn't help myself.

Yep.... ya got me, John. :sidelaugh: I meant 220, not 210. For those reading and not understanding the joke.. The 210 has no hydraulic drive. Therefore, Hy lift is not even possible on that model. :thumbsup:

 

[BushBoneYard]

the seller added the following info which has me a little confused

"Very little smoke when first start up,put the mower deck on today and it runs fine. The back tire size is 8.5-12 and the front tire is 6.5-8. This tractor is HYDROSTATIC DRIVE and transmission and rear work as should."

From what I understand, this tractor is not Hydrostatic drive, correct?. I did some research in the Technical Library and saw paperwork for a Hydrostatic for a 117 and 118 tractor and read on another Case dedicated forum that there have only been 4 Case tractors that were hydrostatic. I remembered reading a post by "castoff" about the difference between hydraulic and hydrostat over at MTF and found it here.

http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthrea ... ydrostatic

There was also some helpful posts by a dude named "caseguytoo". Is this seller wrong or am I missing something?

PS. We should invite those two guys to join up here....

 

[InTroubleAlltheTime]

the seller added the following info which has me a little confused
"Very little smoke when first start up,put the mower deck on today and it runs fine. The back tire size is 8.5-12 and the front tire is 6.5-8. This tractor is HYDROSTATIC DRIVE and transmission and rear work as should."
From what I understand, this tractor is not Hydrostatic drive, correct?. I did some research in the Technical Library and saw paperwork for a Hydrostatic for a 117 and 118 tractor and read on another Case dedicated forum that there have only been 4 Case tractors that were hydrostatic. I remembered reading a post by "castoff" about the difference between hydraulic and hydrostat over at MTF and found it here.
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthrea ... ydrostatic
There was also some helpful posts by a dude named "caseguytoo". Is this seller wrong or am I missing something?
PS. We should invite those two guys to join up here....

BBY Many people call them hydrostatic which is not correct. I can see the hydraulic return line on the 220 in pic. These tractors (I don't know about that 117, 118) are true hydraulic drive with a hydraulic pump motor that runs off the engine that is piped to a hydraulic control valve which in turn regulates flow to the hydraulic motor that is connected to the transaxle. If the Hydraulic Manuals are in Technical Library (I think they are there) take a look, they will give great info. :222: :446: Best Regards, Rich

 

[Hydriv]

Well, I'm really hurt by your comments.

Why would we need Castoff and CaseGuyToo on this forum when you've got little ole me? :sidelaugh: :sidelaugh: :sidelaugh:

I think it's best for all if we just bar those guys from joining, don't you? :thumbsup: :trink:

It is quite a common mistake for owners to refer to these tractors as "Hydro's" or "Hydrostatic drive". The fault lies mostly with Case's marketing department because early on, they put the wording 'Hydrastatic Drive" on the hood decals of these tractors for several years. In the brochures, they referred to the 117 as having "hydraulic drive" when in fact, it had a true hydrostatic drive. The Seller is mistaken. His tractor is hydraulic drive. Now... go buy it.

 

[BushBoneYard]

Thanks Rich. Yes, I was checking out the Tech Library before and got some info there, but I just wanted to make sure I was 100% clear on the drive system. I have been reading bits and pieces of the Tech Library over the past week or so and have learned a LOT from it. The one that helped a lot was the one explaining the difference between the 200 and 400 series tractors.

Thanks again. Not feeling to confident about snagging this one [the 220], lots of hits on the counter, but you never know. The more I'm researching, learning and looking, I'm growing pretty fond of the 400 series.......

 

[BushBoneYard]

Now... go buy it.

Just under 3 days to go on the auction. Tractor seems to have a lot of interest, he keeps adding to the description so he must be getting ?'s. Well over 600 views. If I miss out that's ok, unlike a month or so ago I'm in hunt mode. Noone has hit yet though. Thanks as always for the info.