Chinese 1.6 litre 2 cylinder 259 diesel engines

[Koogan]

Just picked up a tractor (Shenniu) with the 259T engine. I am about to replace the headgasket. I will have the head checked for planing and will lap the valves and torque in 3 stages the 10 headbolts to 95 ft lbs.
I welcome any advice. I am particularly interested in finding more about this apparantly common engine made by as many a 50 Chinese companies. Was it originally a German design as I have read or a Kubota?  If so what model so I can research that engine too? I see this engine by many names, mine is a Hubei, and that they are used in generators. Does the injection pump need oil? As for manuals, I have a few but none that cover the brakes which do not work. I see I can get parts from Ali express and I have ordered some. I plan to install a lower hose engine heater for easier starts. I will clean the injectors adjust the decompressor and valves, change all fluids and hoses, filters and check to see if the preheater is working. any other suggestions and information as to the engine particularly . Tractor is 4wd with a loader and backhoe.

[cobbadog]

Sounds an interesting project. I had a mate who bought one of these Chinesium garden tractors and he played with it, got it running an sold it on. Have heard fair comments and nothing bad about except for the made in china tag.
Ask the supplier you mentioned Ali Express for any finer details he may also be able to help. Best thing I can suggest is that when you do replace the head gasket after surfacing the head/s that you use a copper head gasket spray just as a final insurance of a good seal. I have even used it on old head gaskets with success on small petrol engines.
When you say the brakes dont work. Are they hydraulic or mechanical? Then a whole heap of questions after that reply that may guide you along the way od having brakes again. Always try to include as much detail as you can on anything you need answers to. It helps others who maybe able to help have a better idea. Pics always help a lot as well.

[Koogan]

Thank you for the advice, not familiar with the product but we have a good auto supply store here. I have found the diagram for the brakes. They are mechanical and parts are available.From my experience with my Chinese diesel generator and with discussions with clolleagues, the Chinese designs are usually good and ofter copies of proven Japanese Gernman of British products already out there. Fut the quality control, Lubricant, rubber items and bolt tension all need to be checked.

[Koogan]

I ahve found the product, made by Permatex in a spray ca. I will definately use it.

[cobbadog]

Glad you have a diagram to go by for the brakes. Most likely the cause of your brake issue is that a linkage is seized or at worse an oil leak onto the brake shoes. So start by spraying a product like WD40, Inox or even better Lanox onto all the pivot points of the linkages from the pedal back to the brakes. Give them a generous spray and get someone to operate the pedal and you watch for the movement of the linkages. To coin a phrase, "pull your finger out" of the way when testing the brakes and please ensure that the wheels are chocked so the tractor will not roll over you.
If the linkages move then its time to explore inside where the brake shoes are. Is this system a brake shoe inside a drum, if so it will be easy to fix. If oil soaked you will have 2 choices try a product similar to 'Brakleen' and spray them to release the oil from them then replace the oil seals that are leaking, again an easy and cheap job. I have never used Brakleen as I find it just as easy to buy new linings and rivet the linings onto the old shoes, maybe these are bonded and this too can be done at the brake shop. I would guess the size to be similar to a motor bike brake shoe so linings should be available if not and you can buy new shoes all the better.
If there is an oil leak as suggested replace the offending seal, but carefully inspect the surface that the seal runs on to make the seal. If there is a ridge then this surface must be repaired by one of two choices, machine it in a lathe but only take the smallest of cuts or best way is to use a product like Speedy Sleeve available through a bearing shop. These are a very thin sheet metal collar that you press over the surface that is damaged. You must accurately measure the OD of the surface to be repaired and then buy that size. Easy job to do I have done quite a few on the tractors and stationary engines I have repaired.
If you get the chance I would like to see a few pics of your project even of the brakes once you get in there.

That is the best of the copper spray gasket sealers, well done.

[Koogan]

Well thank you for that. I will get into it when I am back where the tractor is stored. My uncle who was a millwright had a solution for oily brake shoes. He would soak them in gasoline for a while then light them on fire. Claimed the oil dissolved in the gasoline and then both burned off. Uncle Roy was once a farmer. They had to find cheap ways to fix things on the farm back in the 40's and fifty's. I learned a lot from him. I appreciate the advice about the seal. I have a lot of time to do this project.

[cobbadog]

Yep Uncle Roy sounds like a real gem and he was mostly right about that process but in fact it only removed a small amount from the lining near the outter edge and oil remains deep inside and eventually works its way back to the top. If you dont require good brakes and are on flat level ground then that process will be fine. Because we load on and off the beavertail truck ramps and go on the road and tractor treks we want good as new brakes and is why I did it properly.
Look forward to more on this little tractor and some pics too if possible. Remember pics must be compressed to post on the Forum.

[Koogan]

Thank you for that. I haven't figured out how to add photos, I can compress them but posting is still a challenge. I can get new shoes for under $100.00, so the Uncle Roy method would just be temporary until the parts arrive.

[Koogan]

More on Uncle Roy. I was at his place fixing the brakes on my 1956 VW Van. He asked if I had ever greased it. I said no. There must have been 6 to 8 grease nipples in each side of the king pin/ link pin setup, and he greased them all for me and showed me how. I was just 20 then and didn't know these things. When I drove it home, It felt like I had power steering!

[mobile_bob]

my daily driver (beater) is an '83 toyo p/u diesel, and i am ashamed to admit that i haven't greased or changed the oil or any filter in over 10 years...

in my defense, it never leaves town, and rarely ever gets into 4th gear let alone 5th.

and i might put 500 miles per year, maybe

it does not have power steering, and i notice when it needs air added to the tires when it about kills me to steer the darn thing, of course it doesn't help that i have near a ton of crap in the bed under a steel work top.

i note that when i top the tires off with air to the recommended 32psi from the low 20's it feels like i have power steering too!

come to think about it, it is way past time to add some air!

if it weren't so damned hot and humid, i might even be guilted into changing the oil!


bob g

[cobbadog]

Good chances your 1983 model 'oh what a feeling' wont have any grease nipples in the front end and if it did there would be very few. Being a Ute it might have light truck tyres (LT on the tyre size adn over 4ply rating). If they are branded as LT then you cn stick 50psi in them safely and this too will be moulded into the side wall. IKf normal car tyres then max is only 36psi so that should give you an extra few months between top ups.
We had a brand new HT Holden ute bought for the clay pit I used to work at operating earth moving equipment. From day 1 the oil was drained and they filled it with diesel oil which is a detergent oil. This helps in minimising carbon build up inside the engine. For the next 10 years that I know of that was the last time the oils and filters were done and it still drove like new.

[Koogan]

I think modern oils especially the synthetics are far superior to those or old. I worry about moisture and blowby getting into the oil. I change my Duramax LBZ every year even though it gets only 6000km a year. Just seems like cheap insurance. I will change the oils and all fluids on tthe Chinese Shenniu tractor project. Maybe they are still the Chinese versions of these fluids. My diesel generator will get an oil change every 5 years as it is seldom used.

[cobbadog]

What grade oil is recommended for these engines? If it does not list a synthetic oil then do not use it as they are too light in grade. Nothing wrong at all with old Mineral SAE 30 oil if that is waht it needs. It all comes down to how often it gets changed.

[Koogan]

30 weight summer 20 winter. I will not use synthetic in this tractor.

[cobbadog]

Those numbers look right for a small diesel. At least here we done have to worry about Winter temps, it is very rare it drops to 0' or below so all our engines run SAE30 weight oils with no issues.