Hi new to the forum, retiring soon and want to get a bobcat for project I have not owned one in years. I found and old 731 that can be bought cheap as far as skid steers are concerned. If memory serves me well I thought 731's all had 2 cylinder air cooled diesel, but the 1 I found has 4 cylinder Wisconsin. Does anyone know if they built any 731's equipped this way or is this a repower during it's life. I guess the seller could be wrong about it being a 731 because of decals as I have not seen the identification plate. Thanks in advance.
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flyerdan
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If it is a 731 it was born with a Deutz, it seems unlikely that it would be repowered with something just as dated and problematic with regards to parts and price.
It could be that it is a 700 or 720, I'd suggest doing an image search on these and see if it looks closer to what you're looking at.
It could be that it is a 700 or 720, I'd suggest doing an image search on these and see if it looks closer to what you're looking at.
My first machine was a 731, it took some work to get it running right, but when it was, it was a great little machine.
It was indeed born with a 2 cylinder Deutz, rattled like crazy, but used next to no fuel.
Thanks for the info fellows, I talked with the seller and he advised that during the 20 years of ownership he did change engines because he could never get the Deutz to run right and claimed it never had any power. If I make the purchase I have a like new 3 cylinder Kubota DF972-E2 that is 32.5 horse power, I would like to put in it, but it turns 3600rpm and I wonder can the pump stand those rpm's. Any thoughts on that. Thanks
I claim no expertise, but do know how to look up engine specifications. The F2L511 that was in there originally was probably about 28hp @ 2800-3000 RPM. Your Kubota engine is rated around the same power at 2800-3000 RPM. My solution would be to run the Kubota at no more than 3000 and call it good. By the way, very nice engine, I would like to have one for my 742 (I could run it to 3600).
Thanks, Wayne440 for the input. The seller says the 731 will run fine but after a little operating the hydraulics keep working but the wheel motors get real weak and it will quit pulling, any experience with this kind of problem. I would assume it is a pressure problem to the wheel motors not both motors failing at the same time (just a guess on my part).
That issue is exactly the same as i had when i bought mine, it was a plugged suction line filter. Remove the seat and you will see a block on the hydraulic pump, it has about 5 hoses, 3 on the left, remove the middle one and it's fitting, there is a filter behind it that plugs up. Give it a real good clean with solvent and compressed air and it should run great.
Mine wouldn't turn when warm, i messed with the filter and it would scoot up hills and do donuts on the driveway. Hopefully it is the same issue.
The noise that confirms this is a squeal and the pump gets really hot and fast!
Thanks , Tazza for the info. The seller says we can run it when I get there to pick it up so I can see how it starts acting up after it is run a while. I asked the seller if he had ever cleaned the filter you spoke of, and he said he hadn't and advised that he was unaware of the filter. He has owned it for 20 years so it hasn't ever been cleaned probably. In your opinion is the 731 a good machine, and what years did they build them . Thanks
They are as old as i am, built in 78
They were one of the first hydrostatic machines Bobcat made, so they have been revised since to make access easier, but the 743 that was made for 10 years were basically the same, so it shows they got it right. The pump and motors they used are rock solid.
I'd like to put money on the filter being the drive issue it has, i feel you have a good machine in your future.
No they were not.
