D-17 Purchase

I m planning to buy a D17 and would prefer a diesel vs a gas for the power and additional longevity of a diesel. I've located 2 diesels, neither owner knows the actual hours on their tractor. one has had some engine work done. New head gasket, head was milled when gasket was replaced, new injector pump, injectors set, a new radiator 2 /3 years ago, starter rebuild. The other owner indicates his tractor has only had a new injector pump and injectors, no other engine work mentioned. I have no personal experience with the Allis diesel engines other than I know of a D19 diesel that is still running on original engine with only routine maintenance . My question is when these diesels reach the point of requiring replacement of injector pump, injectors &/or head gasket replacement are they nearing the point where more serious engine work up to & including redoing upper & lower engine is needed?

Read this if you want to learn about 262 diesel repair.

https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/looking-for-d19-diesel-engine-parts_topic204858.html

The 262 diesel in D17 tractors has a reputation for being problematic. They are smooth running and have snappy power when all things are in order, but they are plagued with some very common issues. Cylinder sleeves have a very narrow top flange that seats in the block deck counterbore, and they erode over time and use, which results in sunken sleeves. This causes head gaskets to fail, and requires expensive machine work to repair correctly. Cylinder heads are very prone to cracking as well. A good cylinder head is extremely hard to find, as MOST parts for these engines are scarce - either new or used. Most of them are difficult to start when cold, and typically require starting fluid to light off unless it’s very warm outside. Just a few things to be wary of as a buyer. If you enjoy a good project, you will probably be faced with it sooner or later. A gas D17 will actually have more horsepower and start, run and last more reliably than the diesel. That said, there are those of us who own the diesels on this forum, so plenty of info is available. Just be aware of what you are looking at going into the deal.