The Satoh S650G Project

Today is a bit of a time-hop post where we are going to visit the love hate relationship that I had with the Satoh S650G. This tractor was a project from the start and I knew that.  In the process of buying this tractor I made a great friend.  I came across this tractor while looking for a truck bed and tailgate. I stopped in at Dixfield Salvage and Met Cliff the owner and unfortunately did not find a bed, what I did find was was the Satoh sitting in front of the garage.  Cliff had just taken it in on trade and didn't know much about it.  I asked Cliff if I could go home get some gas and a battery to test it, and Cliff said no but we can go out back and get some and try it out.  We did get it to run but it was leaking anti-freeze into the oil.  I bought the tractor anyway and hauled it home.

It was a nice looking tractor when I bought it but needed work.  The biggest thing that it needed was a head gasket.  The engine in the Satoh is a Mazda with an aluminum head.  Not only was the head gasket bad but the head was also warped.  I got the whole tractor torn apart and covered in drop cloths while I flew to Florida to drive Allyssia home.  On the way home we stopped at the only place on the East coast that sells parts for the Satoh.  It was a small shop in Roanoke Virginia that specialized in the Satoh brand of tractors.  They got me all the gaskets and parts I needed and they also were so kind as to give me a complete service manual. 

Here I have it partially torn down.after that I pulled the head and and when to have it Planed.  In the manual they claim that you can plane off seven to ten thousands of an inch off the head.  When I had it planed we had to remove over thirty thousands of an inch to make it almost level. 

I was able to flush the radiator and change the thermostat as well as rebuild the water pump.  After replacing the head gasket and reinstalling the manifolds I went to work installing the new carb. kit.  I had some problems with the Carb. when rebuilding it but with multiple calls to the parts dealer in Roanoke I got it back together and onto the tractor. 

This was my first time starting it.  It took quite a bit of time to get the distributor timed right so it wouldn't backfire.  I also had to repair the fender and the hood. 

This video was almost two days later as I had to go through the Carb. again and replace the coil and points.  While I was working on it I was also able to change the fluids in the rear end and transmission.  I used it a bit to bush hog a bit and even hauled a few logs out of the woods with it.

I really liked the tractor but it needed a few other small things.  I sold and delivered it to a guy in Wilton who as far as I know is still using it today.  This tractor was also the project that pushed me towards working on larger engines and bigger tractors than just lawn mowers.