Sprucing up the 644

[Harry]

After looking at the pics again I thought I should have taken some time to paint a few things before assembling them. If I ever run out of projects I could always throw some paint on it. lOL. Harry

[Harry]

Eugen, I cleaned the oil cooler in my parts cleaning tank. Using the brush with solvent coming out of it washed away the nasty imbedded oil and dirt. Harry

[Harry]

I worked on the hoe again yesterday and all I can say is, “the closer I look the more I see.” I pulled head on the K321 and confirmed the piston is .010 oversize. Carbon buildup was not to bad. Removed muffler and air cleaner to clean area on engine to access valve cover. When I used the 644 to clean up the snow from the blizzard after the 446 died in the middle of my driveway. The engine seemed to be really loud. Hole was found on back side of muffler, see pic. Easy enough to weld a patch on it. Then after scraping dirt and oil off of the oil return I found three gouges in the pipe. That can be repaired also. I can’t figure how they got there. I never saw them before. Probably because it was so dirty there I couldn’t see them. I wonder what I will find next! Thinking back to when I purchased this GT I had never seen one before and I should have been more diligent about looking it over. In the future I’m now better educated on what to look for. Harry

[Eugen]

The good news @Harry is that the issues you found seem easily below your skill level, you'll feel so good once the tractor is spruced up. People who can't fix anything get gray tractors from home depot and replace them after five years. At the price you got this tractor for you're coming waaaay ahead of most of us, even with the repairs that need to be done.

[JSinMO]

That is curious @Harry. What would rub those lines like that? I’m betting that has had those rub marks long before you owned the tractor. You did find some things to fix but thankfully it’s nothing major. Hopefully that’s the end of things you find! Either way you still have a great machine!

[Harry]

On the right side of the machine in the engine area the loader cylinder is the only thing there. I can’t imagine what could have made those wear marks! I can weld those up and grind them smooth. A little paint and you would never know they were there. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there are no more surprises. Harry

[Eugen]

I have one such spot on a hard line on my 644 but I am afraid to try an weld. That is the difference between having years of experience and not having. I admire your skills and experience @Harry ! Respect!

[Harry]

I’m going to MIG weld the areas. I will just strike an arc create a little puddle then stop. Doing that over and over until the area is covered. I will use a .028 wire with Argon and CO2 mixed gas. I just want to build up some weld on the tube and not burn through. It doesn’t appear that any if the areas had worn through, but one area looked like it was close. The story about this tractor is as follows. The seller told me it was his Dads GT and he passed away. When he sent to Pittsburgh Pa. to take care of his affairs he noticed the GT in a building. He trailered it to WNY and had the engine rebuilt then got it running. He was using it to dig graves at a cemetery. I actually went to the cemetery to see it before purchasing it. He said it took to long to dig a grave with the little tractor so he had purchased a large tractor, which I saw there. Since I never saw one of these tractors for sale before, I wanted it but was unsure about buying it. We dickered back and forth a bit and we came to a agreement and I came back the next day with a trailer and brought it home. The first thing I did was pull it into my shop and drained the oils and said to myself, “what the heck am I getting myself into here.” The following spring I started to use it by taking it into my back field and dug trenches with it to check it out. It really surprised me how well it dug. That’s my ramble for this morning. Harry

[Gordy]

That is curious @Harry. What would rub those lines like that? I’m betting that has had those rub marks long before you owned the tractor. You did find some things to fix but thankfully it’s nothing major. Hopefully that’s the end of things you find! Either way you still have a great machine!

With the dirt and grit most of these machines see, any thing rubbing the steel line will wear into it. I have seen rubber hydraulic lines and throttle / choke cables do this.



Gordy

[Harry]

Got 3” to 4” of snow Friday, so I had to clean out three driveways this morning. Just as I finished the caster drive chain broke. I had to put in in the shop along side of the 644 to replace the chain. I had a piece of NIB #40 chain so no problem there. I fired up the woodstove to melt the snow off the caster. While waiting for the snow to melt I welded up the hole in the 644 muffler. I took a piece of 1/8” piece of low carbon steel and formed it in the vice to match the curvature of the muffler. Held it on with a hose clamp and tack welded it on with the TIG welder. Removed the clamp and welded all four sides. Ran to TSC and picked up three master links for #40 chain. Ate lunch and went to the shop, snow all melted and installed and adjusted chain. Time for a break. The 644 can wait till tomorrow. Harry