B6000/ZL600 Engine Rebuild - What I learned

[HealeyBN7]

I will admit to reading a great deal of the B6000 information shared on this forum and while I haven't participated in many threads, I thought I would share my learning from a recent overhaul of our B6000/ZL600 4x4.

We have had the tractor for almost 20 years. We use it for landscaping and tending to our modest parcel of space here in Southern California. Occasionally we have loaned it to friends. The last couple years it has been getting difficult to start, making it hard to use and loan. So it was time for a rebuild.

Well, we just got it up and running this weekend and it starts right away, runs smooth and no longer smokes. Yeah!

While most of my time is spent fooling around with British cars, it was enjoyable to work on what appears to be a very well designed and efficient engine.

The link below takes you to our local vintage motoring web site and that is where I documented the teardown and rebuilt. It spans just two pages and there is no need to "log in".

http://www.vintagemotoring.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2717

Enjoy. Please do let me know what I missed and thank you all for posting good information that allowed me to tackle the rebuild.

Dean

 

[ShaunBlake]

HealeyBN7, great write-up, and congratulations on a successful engine rebuild. I sincerely hope your first post isn't your last!

As I began reading your post I envisioned coachgeo or someone adding it as a "sticky" for the benefit of other B6000 owners (I've seen more than one on OTT).

Sadly, I suspect that would never happen as you did such a "shade-tree mechanic" job of it! "What?!!" you say, "I did a first-class motor rebuild!" Well, yes, but you quit before putting the finishing touches on your work... the NEW PAINT JOB!!!

Thank you for sharing! Hope you get more than the 20 years you got the first time around.

Cheers!

 

[olthumpa]

Really nice work!

 

[skeets]

OUTSTANDING!! you did a fine job,,, now since you like brit iron,,, you wouldnt happen to have an E type Jag layin around looking for a home now would you one that runs would be nice,, really cheap ,,,,

 

[Alexisferos]

Very nice job,
i know that shop in Cyprus, i have speak with them, they are realy good with quality staff.

 

[HealeyBN7]

Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement.

That's original paint! If I paint it will lose 40 years of hard earned original patina, and what will the concourse judges say? "It it only original once."

There are no good cheap E-types hanging around the barn/shop anymore. Sadly, those days are long gone. The good ones are not cheap and the cheap ones are no good.

I probably have a use for the CCW PTO that you guys haven't seen before - Wheel polishing. I'll post a few photos once I get the rig back in position. It is good for a laugh and keeps my son busy.

Dean

 

[patjsimpson]

That was a great read. I am curious if you could share what the total damage to the pocket book. Also did you mention where you got the rebuild kit from ? (company)

thx
Pat

 

[HealeyBN7]

That was a great read. I am curious if you could share what the total damage to the pocket book. Also did you mention where you got the rebuild kit from ? (company)

thx
Pat

Pat,

Unfortunately for the ZL600 no one stocks a full rebuild kit. You can find the kits for just about every other model, so you have to piece it together yourself. If you want new wet liners, you can't go to the traditional Kubota resellers as Kubota does not stock these items anymore.

I bought the bulk of the internal parts (pistons, liners, bearings) from Stavros Savva in Cyprus. ($550) The rest of the items (gaskets, seals, etc) came from Messicks. ($~200)

The only part I could not find was the front main crank bearing shell. It is a full circular light press fit into the block. It is not a split shell. Fortunately, I was slow in removing it and it was undamaged, so I left it in place.

I had the head rebuilt by a local BMW friend who wasn't afraid of making new guides (way too expensive from Kubota). We did install new valves that ran up the cost and we machined the lifters and polished the crank. ($350)

All told I probably spent a little over $1,100.

Way cheaper then anything else in the garage!

Hope that helps.

Dean

 

[Alexisferos]

ive notice that the rings are RIK its a very good oem company that for my opinion has the better aftermarket sets for Japan engines, with great prices and a lot of options available.

and for some help here its one more (e-shop) with a lot of grey market tractor parts.
eshop.trakter

 

[Changnam 59]

A quality rebuild.

But kids stuff for you given you can deal with a Lotus Europa.

Says a man who has owned five Lotus cars (one currently).

My first car after passing my driving test was an Austin Healey. It cost 190 Pounds and the insurance for an eighteen year old was about the same.

 

[Big Trees]

Nice job and thanks for posting it for the forum. I own a the same tractor, just 2wd so this may be helpful for me personally. Thanks.