JD 4240

I am thinking of venturing into cattle farming as my side job/hobby farm. My granddad recently sold his 4 post canopy 4230, good tractor for most part, except was very hard starting. I am thinking of looking for a 4240 with a sound guard cab for haying. What improvements were made with the 40 series over the 30 series don't think I could go newer than the 40 series, will run out of budget.

Can't tell you all the improvements but there were several, especially over the older 30 series. Saw one in good shape here sell or around 16-17K. Anywhere from 10-20K I would think.

I don't remember everything, but the rear end gearz were a lot better in the 4440's over the 4430's and the 466 engines in The "Iron Horse" 40 series engines were generally better than the 404's in the 30 series.

The 40s are one of the best tractors Deere ever made, I rarely have one in the shop.They are my favorite

From all the reading I've done online, It was recommended that some of the 4230 series be overhauled with new pistons to increase compression. Is the compression better on the 40 series vs the 30 series in general? I know that is a vague and broad question, just hoping they start a little easier!

Somebody else a week or two ago was talking about 4230 and being lousy starters . Father had a 4239 for several years and we found and corrected the starting problem. After doing something that nobody else here in this site has been able to accomplish in 15+ years . Trouble shooting while the engine is cranking to find the voltage applied to the starter. We found rotten cables and a lousy ground connection on the right side of the block. New cables and connecting the ground/negative return on a starter mounting bolt made it into a different tractor. Of course as with any direct injection diesel without a manifold heater it's normal to require use of the block heater however many folk do not understand that. A $15 destroker for the front pump is an all time value for improvement for the investment .

We bought a 4230 with engine problems and overhauled it using a Reliance high compression kit and it starts as good or better than anything else here on the farm. A 4240 uses a 466 engine and the 4230 uses a 404. The 40 series are considered some of the best tractors Deere ever built. I have never heard of anyone who did not like their 4240 or 4440. Tom

A 4240 is a great machine and majority of people seem to like the quad range the best. Find the one in the best condition that has been well maintained even if it means paying a little more from someone you know. A 30-40 year old tractor that hasn't been maintained isn't worth the headache. It takes a lot to bring one back if you do the work yourself much less if you pay John Deere. Just my 2 cents.

On a side note your getting in the cow operation at a good time. A lot got in when they were high and now sitting on a loss they can't gain back for many years with a $2500 dollar heifer.

Good Luck!

They call it Dynamic Testing B&D and I learned it in school years back, use it regularly today.....otherwise its like diagnosing a hydraulic issue with the engine off. (We are not ALL idiots out here)
Back to the topic: 4240 is a great tractor and probably worth the extra $ over a 4230. That being said if you come across a 4230 with the newer piston/ring arrangement (ie if it has been rebuilt it likely has this) it is a consideration

Green magazine did a nice feature on the 4240 a few months ago. I'd suggest you contact them for a back issue. I own both a 4230 an 4240... the 4240 is substantially
heavier all the way around. The 466 is thirstier, but it will do more work, too.

As for the 4230 starting issue, that was a chronic issue with those as they left the factory. We purchased ours from a dealer with a lot of integrity in 1989. He would
not sell it to us until he replaced the head gasket... at that point there was a thinner one available from Deere to correct the starting issue. He had done that to
every 4230 he sold. As they have been overhauled over the years, the piston designs in rebuild kits have changed enough to create better starting.

(quoted from post at 10:29:52 10/27/16) Green magazine did a nice feature on the 4240 a few months ago. I'd suggest you contact them for a back issue. I own both a 4230 an 4240... the 4240 is substantially
heavier all the way around. The 466 is thirstier, but it will do more work, too.

As for the 4230 starting issue, that was a chronic issue with those as they left the factory. We purchased ours from a dealer with a lot of integrity in 1989. He would
not sell it to us until he replaced the head gasket... at that point there was a thinner one available from Deere to correct the starting issue. He had done that to
every 4230 he sold. As they have been overhauled over the years, the piston designs in rebuild kits have changed enough to create better starting.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that, I just ordered that issue to read on.

$230 above serial #34,665 will have all the improvements in them...4430's above #60,637 have the improvements.

For what you are looking to use the tractor for, and if you found a really good 4230, I would not rule that model out either. Like others have commented, the starting issues seem to have been resolved with piston design in the overhaul kits and probably some differences in the head gaskets available. We had a 4630 bought used in 1988. I don't remember how well or how poor it started when it came on the farm. A few years after it was purchased, there was a poor operator in the cab who did not pay close attention to the gauges in the instrument panel. It overheated some and took out a head gasket. When the head was removed, they found one oddball piston. It was suspect the prior owner probably had dropped a valve. For whatever reason, it was decided to do an in-frame overhaul. Some years later, we had another head gasket failure and it was decided to replace all the valves in the head, and the head was planed. This resulted in a reduction of 1 gallon per hour in fuel consumption and improved starting. That tractor was the best starting JD diesel on the farm at that time. We now have a 4230 which had an engine overhaul, the head planed, and the valves replaced. It starts about as good as that 4630 did. With all our JD diesels, you know within 2 seconds of cranking on the engine if that tractor is going to start or not. If there is any question whatsoever about starting on a cool/cold morning, we just plug the block heaters in. Faster warm up is really nice on a cold morning and having heat in the cab rather quickly!

(quoted from post at 09:35:32 10/27/16) A 4240 is a great machine and majority of people seem to like the quad range the best. Find the one in the best condition that has been well maintained even if it means paying a little more from someone you know. A 30-40 year old tractor that hasn't been maintained isn't worth the headache. It takes a lot to bring one back if you do the work yourself much less if you pay John Deere. Just my 2 cents.

On a side note your getting in the cow operation at a good time. A lot got in when they were high and now sitting on a loss they can't gain back for many years with a $2500 dollar heifer.

Good Luck!

Click to expand...

Thanks for that. Another reason I wasn't so sad to see the 4230 go was my granddad wasn't the best on maintenance. I am OCD when it comes to maintenance. I'm an engineer in manufacturing and see the outcome of neglect of maintenance on a much faster scale then most. Some machines are running 24/5 or more.

My granddad still has a small heard of cattle. I might try and get some calves off of him or maybe buy out some of his operation. He is a half owner with his brother.

Here has only been one reply back regarding starter voltage and the person still did not understand and measured the voltage at rest.
We have all seen the long list of parts that have been replaced and yet the problem still exists. There is a well entrenched culture that would rather take wild guesses and swap parts instead of trouble shooting and diagnosis .

(quoted from post at 12:01:05 10/27/16)
Here has only been one reply back regarding starter voltage and the person still did not understand and measured the voltage at rest.
We have all seen the long list of parts that have been replaced and yet the problem still exists. There is a well entrenched culture that would rather take wild guesses and swap parts instead of trouble shooting and diagnosis .

Click to expand...

Wrong post replied too?? :?:

Early 4430s had the light rear end, but mine had 11,007 hrs on when I sold it. First engine, PS, rear end. But yeah, 40 series was much improved.