Max Tool ? Duromax diesel engine- are they legit?

[nekshot]

Never heard of these fellas(my fault for my limited perimeter) and this small diesel engine. We have a older John Deere 400 that thru a rod a couple years ago and I want to repower it so we can use it. Original engine is a Onan 2 cyl gas guzzler. I can use new gas engine by Honda, B&S or similiar and spend over 2 thousand dollars. I would prefer a diesel and these engines are 3600 rpm so it should work with this Duromax and a little creativity of which I am known for.
I simply would like to know if MaxTool is for real?

[nekshot]

I goofed! This a gas engine so it is of no value to me.

[shaune509]

Northern tool list some small diesel motors, but they are not cheap.
Shaune509

[skeettx]

http://www.repowerspecialists.com/johndeere400.php?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs9HZ4Nza2AIV2rj ACh0EQw9OEAAYAiAAEgIWEfD_BwE

[6bg6ga]

The info I dug up states the 400 had a KQ532 Kohler engine in it. The 420 and 430 had the Onan BG48 in them. There was a 3 cylinder diesel engine available in one of them.

Check the Wheel Horse forum. There are a bunch of bright guys there that can steer you in the right direction.

[barkerwc4362]

The John Deere 420 had an Onan gas, while the 430 had a Yanmar 23 horse, 3-cylinder diesel. To fit the Yanmar in the 430 John Deere had to extend the frame. The Yanmar 3-cylinder diesels are very dependable and rugged. I have the 430s smaller brother, a 332. The 332 is a 318 sized large Garden tractor modified for a 16 horse 3-cylinder diesel. I have a rear 2000-rpm pto and limited cat-1 3 point on mine. It is my go to tractor for tilling and planting in the "families" 1/3 acre garden. I have all the "toys" for it. You can find used Yanmar 3-cylinder diesels for sale on the internet. You want a 23-25 horse diesel. You will have to make provisions for a radiator and fan if you go that way.

Bill

[shdwlkr]

since we are talking about what john deere calls lawn tractors, can one of the yanmar diesels from say a 430 fit into a 425 which is a gas engine model

[nekshot]

Seems to me I heard of that being done. The 400 series were somewhat cramped as the local dealer said "they are the square ones" and that is almost so. They lengthened the frame on the next series so you have more room than mine. The reason I hang unto the 400 is the pwr steering and individual rear brakes plus the hydralics features but maybe its time to upgrade.

[Moleman-]

We have a X720 that is now 5-6 years old that replaced a 30 year old IHC 682 that was on its 2nd rebuilt kt17. The x720 (which is now a x730) has a 27hp Kawasaki fuel injected water cooled engine and works better than any other lawn/garden tractor we've had to date. JD changed the model numbers a few years back as they sold a bucket kit for them and were told that all x700 series listed that the bucket would fit would have to be sold with ROPS. So they added 10 to each model number and bingo they're no longer producing the same tractor.....or at least that's the explanation I got at the deer dealer. Next door neighbor finally got tired of working on his IHC 682 this year when the hydro needed another rebuild. Ended up with a x734 4x4 version that's even nicer than ours. Wife likes to mow but hates diesel, so no diesel for us.
The good thing about the Older JD 300+400 and the IHC 600+700 is how simple they are compared to the full electronics that are on the new ones. If you really want a diesel, find one and make it fit. Hooking up a different engine is much easier since they're shaft drive.

As a side note, take your engine down and see what parts need replaced. I'd bet you could find the parts you need on ebay or the internet and just rebuild that engine. Napa can bore the cylinders out if you don't want to and they make oversized pistons for most of those engines. When I rebuilt the KT17 in our IHC682 I used some used ebay parts and new parts from online. About two years later it died while mowing and I found out that the crankcase breaker hose had broken and the engine had sucked in enough dirt (we have dirty sand really) to kill the engine. Took it apart and cleaned everything and it ran but had lost some compression. So I found a non running KT19 (same engine with a magneto instead of points) and rebuilt it, run tested it and sat it on a shelf for when the sand engine died. Never did. New owners are still using it although they say it's loosing power and haven't put the kt19 in yet.

[LaPoint]

Shdwlkr, JD made a 445 which is the diesel version of your lawn tractor. I believe it is a 3 cylinder Yanmar.

[rockrat]

LaPoint, I believe it was the 455 that was the diesel. I have a 445 and its gas (fuel injected).