Will it Start? Abandoned tractor was under flood waters

In this episode we attempt to start up the Zetor 5911 tractor after it was submerged in floodwaters. I bought this machine for scrap price, taking a gamble on the possibility of it going. If it didn’t I could use parts off it including great tyres. We drain the engine oil out and change it, rebuild the starter motor and attempt to free up the rusted diesel injection pump. Come along with us as we attempt to run and drive it! #mechanical #oldtruck #tractor #diesel #willitstart #dieselengine #farmtractractors #zetor #australia #sydney #rust #abandoned #restoration #willitrun

[@BillyLizza-ob5kn]

Steve's place down Under Hope you Can get That tractor up And running Keep Up the good work Billy Lizza Uniontown pa USA

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi Billy yes she is up and running mate indeed. Thanks as always

[@nickhill3362]

Great buy that one Steve 👍

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Yes and no mate😅. It’s not bad I guess. Would do the job still. I more wanted to save it from scrap and boost the collection, but for $500, how could I say no!

[@RODALCO2007]

Amazing that the starter still worked with all the wet gunk inside. Good work fixing the fuel pump and a nice running engine at the end.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Yes it surprised me it worked the first time. After cleaning it up it worked great. Now a working machine due to more work to it off camera

[@MartsGarage]

Hi Steve. I'm enjoying trawling through the back catalogue. I laughed when you said it should go 30 metres and made it .3 of a meter. I'm a points and condenser type of guy and normally mess with old flathead Fords. Take care and I'll find another gem to watch. Cheers!

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Thanks for going back through them Mart. I like it all mate but yes I have a soft spot for the flatheads

[@stefanandersson5604]

Hurrey you get her started! Great job. 😁👍

[@stevesplacedownunder]

It was certainly a task mate

[@NenadTrajkovic]

Zetor❤ Just the other day I overtook an old Zetor 50 tractor converted into a loader and it reminded me of my childhood when they were everywhere

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi mate that’s great, it won’t let you down. They are brilliant tractors, and to have good memories with them is a great bonus. Thanks for watching

[@timokaywright7625]

Really enjoyed this episode Steve. It had everything, scenery, ups and downs and laughs. Keep up the great work! Do what you love, cheers 🍺

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi Tim, it did have it all mate. I’m glad you liked it. A bloke said before that he won’t watch anymore if I curse like I do, but it’s how it is when you work on this stuff and I’m not changing. It’s not all the time. Thanks mate

[@JonHullock]

She'll be a good old work horse once the tank is cleaned out Steve.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi Jon yes mate it now is. We since did a lot more work to it off camera and is a reliable working machine now

[@ArjunYadav-pl7ec]

😢

[@AZVIDS]

From USA, really enjoy your videos and sense of humor👍

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi mate fantastic. It’s comments like these that make me want to do it for people like you that are appreciative. Thanks again and plenty more to come

[@cobbleup]

Great job!! You never cease to amaze us getting old iron back in service when most would just scrap it out. Like you, I get great pleasure getting old machines back in service….anyone can borrow a box of cash and buy new but not having payments has served me very well over the last 55 years of operating the old stuff.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Thank you mate I love doing it. I like the challenge and I think if they came this far in life they deserve to be running at least and looked after. You don’t need a flash machine. For what I give for this one and since done to it, on and off camera it would be a reliable usable machine again for a small farm. I haven’t spent anymore than $100 on a few filters so $600 in it all up and works great

[@cobbleup]

@@stevesplacedownunder That’s the way to do it 👍👍👍😎

[@LordGrievous1970]

1:03:23 'Can't have this on the big jobs... ah, f**ken thing.. '. Lol, Love it!!! Nice one, Steve!

[@stevesplacedownunder]

😅😅 thank you mate

[@zonie1953]

Great video mate !The old Zetor is not dead yet ! 🌵

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Thanks Scott. She’s got plenty of life in it yet mate

[@w.rustylane5650]

Really beautiful sunrise there in Sydney. I used to rebuild starters for a living for over 10 years. That starter kinda reminds me of the Ford starters I used to rebuild. There's a trick to pulling brush springs up. You make a hook out of a wire coat hanger and have it doubled where you make the bend. Pull up on the spring with the tool, use a pair of needle nose pliers and grab the brush and out she comes. The brush hook kinda looks like a "T" that goes between your fingers with the hook on the end of the "T". You insert the brushes after putting it all back together using left hand to pull up spring and right hand to use needle nose pliers to insert brushes. When you have 400 brushes to insert rebuilding 100 starters a day you learn all the tricks. Quota per day was 100 starters. My boss designed a long line of angle iron which I welded and made all the little carts out of angle iron and bearings from alternators. Welded the shafts with the bearings at the ends for wheels to ride in the angle iron. Each flat held 3 starters on a board insert with noses pointed down. I made the trays for the starter line also. Worked pretty well. The idea was at first have stations along the line like a workers line in a car factory each station putting on a part, but it didn't work too well. Had to change procedures. Cheers from eastern Tennessee

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi mate thanks for reaching out. Your comment made for an interesting read. There’s always a way to make something easier or quicker. I certainly haven’t done near as many as you have. I just tackle what comes along. I mostly seem to get around it. Thanks for watching from over there in Tennessee. Brilliant stuff

[@rumbathakare3268]

7

[@pete-mate3524]

Woo Hoo!!! She's alive!! Awesome video as you meticulously go through each obstacle one by one!! Love watching this sort of stuff, and the cherry on top is the successful outcome!! Well done!! 🙂

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi Pete yes she’s alive. What a handful it was. It was left far to long with the water in it. Especially the injection pump. I’ve since done a lot more off camera with it including flushing the fuel tank and draining all the compartments and cleaning screens and filters. He must of only drained the engine sump. But she was definitely worth the $500 mate

[@oldrichhalada2745]

Good old Zetor from czechoslovakia :)

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Indeed it is!

[@speedbirdconcordeBOAB]

‘I’ve got to hold the stubby, the steering wheel and the gimbal’. Listed in order of importance I see? 😂 A great video again Steve. Your property looks amazing, especially with that sunrise. 👍🏻

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Mate it’s how we do it😅😂. It is a great place. Sometimes I can’t believe I live here. Thanks for the nice comment

[@JohnRoss7]

Czech machine..woooow.. ZETOR... ❤

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Certainly is mate

[@avit24]

Quite a rare one it has a bonnet stay! Nice machine!

[@stevesplacedownunder]

😅😅 thank you mate

[@geraldingram9351]

Awesome effort on the Zetor Steve,must of been wet for a long time, top effort. Gerald. Feilding.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi Gerald yes it was. The last one was 12-18 months ago and he only drained the sump and the cylinders. If he had of been able to get it to run it would of made the injection pump easier to get working. The transmission was never drained so it was in there until I drained it 2 weeks ago. Thanks as always mate

[@Jackos_place]

Suprising how well old shit holds up, we had a big flood come through home in 2018, mf50h backhoe, mf2640, mf178 and a couple of little kubotas all went under, backhoe was so deep you were up to your chest standing on the roof. New oil and fuel throughout and got them running again...then had the usual stuck clutches and buggered throwout bearings....cheers!

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi mate. Yes it sure is. It’s hard to flush them all out properly though. The oil has the milky colour through it for a while but the get going again. The transmission has a noise in it now, like rust on a bearing. It was left to long before draining I’d say. Soon as I got it I dropped it all. Thanks for watching mate

[@Jackos_place]

Yeah they get noisy, I've got a cranvel crane based on a chamberlain 6g industrial that's had a wet box and its horrendous, doesn't matter much it only drives around the shed in 1st cog anyway but it's shitful to change between first and reverse

[@japdog9]

you got some nice old vehicles mate , just found you . hope you got a spare beer , lol , i will be down there later😀 i will bring my Ebay pressure washer and wet down the Zetor .

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi Paul, thank you mate. Hopefully your enjoying it. There’s always a beer available here if you want one. Thanks for watching

[@Rigga-pw7nm]

Hey Steve I would love to see that Chamberlain going .I remember as a kid my father worked for the council and they had two 9g Chamberlain tractors to pull the rollers and I would sometimes go for a joy ride with them they could do about 40 miles an hour pulling ten tonnes of roller superb tractor in its day cheers tony

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi Tony, it is going now mate with a video to follow soon. They are great tractors indeed. Were a lot around years ago I believe. My family used to run them also, I still have one in fact. It’s basically a 9G but reversed with the big wheels at the front. It’s a forklift and loader. I’m sure they are great memories for you mate

[@Richie-Rich]

"Just enough away from the spanners you bastard" drops that filter come ere ya fuckin thing. Hey its all the joys of owning tractors cars trucks anything with an internal combustion engine!! Its fun and highly frustrating! Richard Perth western Australia.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Gday Richard thanks for watching mate. A bloke sent me a comment before complaining I curse too much, but it’s how it is as you say. It just happens

[@LordGrievous1970]

46:26 Don't like swearing?? Heavens to Betsy! Well, golly gee!! You son of a biscuit! What mechanic doesn't swear at least once every hour! 🤣🤣🤣

[@stevesplacedownunder]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jeffdayman8183]

She's barkin pretty good now Steve! Nice job. Water sure doesn't do starters any good, does it? Surprising they can often be brought back after drying them out ,clearing the rust, and freeing the brushes, like you did. Amazing the clutch wasn't rusted up solid. Went like a champ until the water and oatmeal in the fuel hit er again. A good cleanout of that tank should do the trick. Sounds like a strong engine. Liked the video. Cheers!

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi mate. No water doesn’t agree with the starter at all, especially being left as long as it was. You can usually get them up and going again though. It was very surprising the clutch wasn’t stuck, they are usually first to go being clean bare steel but it works great. We’ve since cleaned the tank as best as we could off camera and done a few other bits and pieces to it. Thanks as always mate

[@oldamericaniron5767]

I you look up the meaning of persistent it says Steve Dunbar. Good job👍

[@stevesplacedownunder]

I had to keep going with it or it’s completely useless. I don’t like them beating me mate😅😅😅. She’s a running driving usable machine now. .

[@johnklemets1809]

hi Steve what a good steel mate for $500 the tyres alone be worth moor than that and they all look not that old she must have been in deep water two get in the starter motor but you made it come alive mate thanks for another great video Steve goodnight from down here

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi John, the tyres are what made my mind up to take it, the backs are good and the steers are brand new almost. It was right under the water mate from what I believe. It is alive indeed and done a bit more off camera with it since so it’s only improved. Take care mate

[@jimrio3628]

Steve, Jim from Connecticut. Glad The 5911 is running. It must take a great amount of patience to get some of these things to go. At 68 I have less patience than 30 years ago. Weren't you worried about water in the cylinders? Love to see your neighbors Oliver you plan to purchase. Always great to watch your projects. Jim BTW was that your dad in this 5911 video.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi Jim. I usually would be but he had the injectors out I believe and blew the water from the cylinders, but couldn’t get it to go. I don’t know that I have big patience but I don’t like things like this beating me, and if it’s not going it’s completely useless. I like to be able to drive most of my stuff under its own power, with the exception of a few down the back paddock. I can’t wait to get the Oliver Jim, I’m just putting a few dollars aside a week to get it. The bloke said he’s in no hurry and it’s not going anywhere else. Yes that was my dad helping me there for a bit mate. He’s always around here. Him and my mother built a house on my place

[@petewood2350]

Button on side of injector pump, push it in for cold start.

[@alpharaptor7510]

I never been a big fan of winter. I can’t wait for the blazing hot summer though 😂.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

I’d rather summer too mate, but we need to make the most of it. I do love those crisp clear mornings though

[@alpharaptor7510]

@@stevesplacedownunder yeah I know a lot of people who likes those mornings to. But on those mornings I can’t be really bothered to get out of bed 😓

[@mikewinkelman7015]

It's about beer time

[@stevesplacedownunder]

It sure Is Mike

[@R.Sole88109]

Never ceases to amaze what a machine can come back from with some hard work, snacks and swearing💪🏻🍻 If the sissies don't like swearing, they've probably never worked on old junk long or hard enough😂 4 tractors in a weekend was a fucking good innings mate👍🏻 Plenty of content for us legends to enjoy and the cunts to whinge about🤣

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Fantastic mate yes it was a lot in it to get it to go, was a bit off camera and edited out aswell. We also edited a bit of the swearing out but leave a bit in because that’s who I am, and the fucks roll out of my mouth when I’m working on one, or cranky with it. Glad your enjoying it legend. Always a pleasure to have you watch. 4 tractors was shit hot mate. Just wonderful

[@paulthompson3877]

Steve , you do a much better job than the yanks at will it start videos mate , good onya .

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Gday Paul thank you mate I’m glad you like it.

[@rahayuayu7096]

😢❤Made i Indonesia Dhe bhest

[@TheMagicalwill]

stick some atf in the fuel it helps clean and lube the old fuel system

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Thank you mate. Yes I do this too the ones I use

[@martinworrall5888]

Aren’t the rear tires on the wrong way round Steve?

[@tommccully1991]

What do you Consider Cold? I was from Canada & I've 60 Below Zero

[@olnamgrunt9857]

Hello, Steve just want to say hi ,G'day mate.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Gday mate, your always welcome to say hello. Hope you are well

[@neilmcintosh1200]

Nothing like repeated petty stoppages for trying the patience.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi mate yes that’s right. I wasn’t videoing any more of it😂

[@Zealdave2223]

Love the vid's Really looking forward to watching the Acco story. How's it coming? 😉

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Well mate I did that a while ago but haven’t yet released it. It was a spot on accurate episode but just my knowledge on them. I still have it somewhere. See how we go with it

[@Zealdave2223]

@@stevesplacedownunder It was a truck that I had a affection for. When I started driving the company I drove for had one, that had just retied. They were so rear I never got to drive one, I did drive model style either side with affection, but there was something about their look. I always wanted to hot rod one, I'm probably too old now, with many other project ahead of it. I still crave info on them to satisfy that rear itch.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

See what we can do mate. I understand where you’re coming from.

[@martinworrall5888]

Sorry Steve they are on right way round 🫢

[@stevesplacedownunder]

They are for pulling mate yes. They fit them the other way for rolling

[@macks2023]

A bit of work and it's a working machine but I'm honestly surprised that the first thing you would have done is change the oil in it. With the amount of water throughout the entire machine, there's bound to have been enough water inside the engine that just turning it over would cause it to hydra lock!

[@stevesplacedownunder]

The engine was drained straight after the water went down, injectors taken out and atf/oil in the cylinders and spun over. No water left in engine. This is something I would of done off the owner, a mate of mine , hadn’t done. The starter was loaded with corrosion, that’s the reason it wouldn’t wind over. Is now a working machine due to more wore done off camera. Thanks for watching

[@pm270100]

when it goes it sounds good bit more work she be good

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi Bill. We’ve since done a lot more to it off camera so it’s certainly improved. Changed all the oils and fitted an exhaust system, cleaned the tank. Going alright now mate

[@raysymonds7147]

Do none of these tractors have glow plugs ?

[@stevesplacedownunder]

These ones don’t no

[@stevenzeinert5664]

👍👍👍👌🇦🇺😎

[@stevesplacedownunder]

😄😄😄😄🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@jimspurck8659]

Cyl are full of water take injectors out and roll engine ove and put some pb blaster in the clys and roll 🥐 t over

[@stevesplacedownunder]

That was already done by previous owners. Starter was full of water and corroded

[@francisbarbeau1862]

Just a suggestion, be mindful of your sound! If we can't hear you, we have no idea what you are up to! Seems to me that it maybe a little hydro locked!

[@stevesplacedownunder]

It’s not hydro locked, the cylinders were blown out before I got it. The starter was certainly corroded to where it had nothing. Injection pump was all rusted tight. Had a lot of issues this one. Was left far too long with water in it

[@graemekemp1462]

At that price it's asteal

[@stevesplacedownunder]

And it all works good too mate

[@user-bv6ik2nn7c]

Sidhu moose wala 5911

[@ianoriordan7551]

Junkyard

[@stevesplacedownunder]

“Wanker”

[@alanlanghorn9528]

Similar starter to Ferguson 35 tractors .

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi mate yes that’s right. It’s exactly the same starter on the chamberlain I got

[@cobbleup]

Hey Steve, I truly understand the frustration but if you could edit out the “F” bombs my nephews would be allowed to learn from your very good videos. You have great information for the young ones to learn. Their mom is pretty touchy about that sort of stuff. Thanks for at least considering.👍😎

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi mate yes I understand. I just get excited sometimes and hard not to, I can’t help it. I will try. It’s good they watch it

[@cobbleup]

@@stevesplacedownunder good man 👍👍👍

[@cantwellron11]

Pulled side off pump of D series Ford in dust and allsorts crap got I'm going machanic say shouldn't have gone but drove I'm home gotta have a go Aye

[@stevesplacedownunder]

You have to do what you need to do Ron. I’m sure you had a good go mate, you got her home. Brilliant stuff Ron

[@cobbleup]

At the end you mention trading commentary for music….I’d much rather hear your commentary.👍😎

[@stevesplacedownunder]

Hi mate thank you. It’s just good to have a bit on in the background but I appreciate it thank you

[@user-fl5ot2iv6j]

I’d have a cold sandwich in me hand by now and left it there

[@stevesplacedownunder]

I had plenty while working on it but I wasn’t letting it beat me mate

[@idanny-xz6bf]

Going to stop watching if you keep cursing on camera may be kids watching.

[@stevesplacedownunder]

That’s fine. I did click not for kids so not breaking any rules. It’s who I am and a lot of people like it. It’s not all the time so suit yourself

[@chloplubelski]