2-wheel tiller advice (europe)

Helllo Permies!

I am in the process of purchasing a 2nd-hand 2-wheel tiller and I am seeking advice.

Where I live (mediterranean island with mostly idiot-but-cunning inhabitants, trying to avoid them by moving up in the mountains) 2nd-hand tillers are quire rare and expensive. I found one in some old man's garage. He has not used it. It's been there for 10 years (he says). The brand name is "S.E.P." and I guess it has a Yanmar engine since it says Yanmar at front. I also guess it is 6HP diesel (it says "6d" at front).

The owner bought it brand new and never used it.

I tried to pull the string-starter (manual rotary string etc.) and it seems to be stuck. It does not move at all. I have not started one of these machines before so I don't know if there is a break somewhere which stops the string of the starter to be pulled. Or if the engine is stuck? Cylinders rusty etc?

If you have any advise on the specific brand or in general about whether such equipment is worth to be salvaged and indeed if the prospects look good.

Many thanks,

b.

Welcome to Permies!

Unfortunately, I do not have much experience with engines, so I would not know what to be looking for. There are some really handy people around, and they might be able to give some guidance.

Without any idea of your needs and purposes my own idea would be to just forget the goofy thing and do my gardening without it. Even if they work you still have to maintain them, haul fuel, listen to the roar, and breath the exhaust. Working in the garden is much nicer just listening to the birds. I realize if you are wanting to raise a big garden to sell at market or something you might need machines but just for a single family I don't they are necessary at all and actually in the long run are counterproductive.

Yanmar diesels are great water-cooled engines and I suspect the 6 hp air-cooled unit have the same reputation.  I would confirm for certain by any means necessary that it is diesel or some other fuel type, just so that you know what you might be getting in fuel costs and availability.  I'm a bit out of my element on gettign the engine unstuck, but most recommendations for internal combustion engines are to get some engine oil into the cylinder and let it sit for a fair amount of time to allow for the oil to penetrate around the piston.  [NOTE!  Our older Yanmar tractor has a 'decompression knob' for reducing cylinder compression temporarily...used for cold starts and odd engine shut-downs.  If your engine has this, it may allow for easier pulling of the cord once the oil has had time to lube the cylinder.] For a gasoline engine, this is as simple as removing the spark plug and adding some oil.  For a diesel, which does not have spark plugs, I'm not sure how to get oil into the combustion chamber without removing the fuel injector, but I suspect someone here or in your area could help with that.  If the unit really is new and unused, it may be a gem due to the quality and durability of Yanmar components.  If you can get it running, it sounds like a great find!

PS:   There is a "Support" tab in the following link which may offer some insights or assistance for you in your decision:  https://www.yanmar.com/global/about/technology/technical_review/2016/0427_2.html

For John Weiland:

NOTE!  Our older Yanmar tractor has a 'decompression knob' for reducing cylinder compression temporarily.

Spot on! Indeed, I learned that pulling the string without the decompression knob down/pushed/activated meets with a lot of resistance which I wrongly interpreted as "rusty piston" (I am not an engine expert, just a friend warned me about something like this happening occassionally). With the knob pushed (and clutch and safety pushbar both pressed) the engine started quite easily (I can't believe it's been sitting for 10 years, but it looks "scratch-less"). For anyone in the same situation: 1) pull the rope until it meets resistance from engine. Release. 2) push decompression knob down BUT don't hold it down (in my case it has a spring and moves slowly back to decactivated state once you pull the rope). 3) pull the rope. 4) Repeat from (2). Thank you.


For Mark Reed I hear you brother! I did this last year. Just a plow-fork which you push with foot. I did 10m x 10 rows. Unfortunately this year, after last year's manure it's a jungle down there. Still I think that carrying (actually letting it kind of slow-tilling, no wheels just tills) a 100kg machine down the slope-y narrow paths will prove a much bigger challenge. But I live in a place where cheap machinery (of good quality) is rare, so I feel I need to grab this opportunity.

For Matt McSpadden So true!, I am happy I joined.

bliko blako wrote:.......(I can't believe it's been sitting for 10 years, but it looks "scratch-less").

Yeah, our Yannie tractor is just a champ in the same way.....can sit for months or a long year of storage and then fire right up when needed.  Sounds like you may have a winner there, bliko.  Side note as well if it's diesel--even if diesel prices are on the rise, most small equipment goes a loooooong way on a liter of fuel.   Even with the somewhat high price of diesel in the US, I find that I seldom need to refill the tank since each liter seems to go much farther than the gasoline in my other power instruments.  Good luck!

John,

Sounds like you may have a winner there

yes. My only worry is that it is cumbersome to transport to the field. I have a pickup track which can fit it in but the plot is like 75m from the road along tiny inclined mountain paths. Sure I can narrow the width of the tiller by removing outermost knifes and can I add rubber tires (at a cost).

I am mentioning these because I saw 2 brand new tillers (or are they cultivators?) from STIHL and Husqvarna. They look more manuverable but I do not know their worth (for about 600m2=6000ft2 of not-too-hard soil, 3,4 times a year). They look like boutique tillers (to me) but some promo videos show them to work fine. E.g. STIHL MH700 and Husqvarna TF338. They are more-or-less the same price plus they have rubber wheels. They are less powerful (at 3.8kW and 5.2kW) and work with petrol.

Videos showcasing the modern tillers (Youtube warning):
STIHL MH600, $650, 4.4kW
STIHL MH700, $900, 5.2kW
Husqvarna TF230, $600,4.5HP
Husqvarna TF338, $900, 4.5HP

p.s. I think I can buy the Yanmar for about $750 (plus manual labour to owner's farm for a day).

If anyone has any experience with these 2 "modern" tillers, please share.

thanks