Converting to diesel

[peter lena 8,623]

@JoeM  fellow C-85  owner , bought mine new in 82 , like your swap over , went 12 hp mag , a few years back , still my favorite horse. lots of experiments to eliminate nagging problems , very solid and reliable . mechanical function detailing , and electrical , upgrade , makes it run without effort . pete 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

1 hour ago, JoeM said:

Two on one machine maybe? Custom one to run the trans the other for the deck etc.?

 

Twin engine black hood.....now I'm a think n!

Lol, that could work, sound like a beehive if you didn't get revs the same!

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

Will get one fired up, see what I can do with them.

 

That's my budget blown until I get them away again 🙄

[JoeM 7,873]

Dan, I can see it now. lengthen the frame and hood a foot and have one bad ass looking machine. 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

41 minutes ago, JoeM said:

Dan, I can see it now. lengthen the frame and hood a foot and have one bad ass looking machine. 

They are quite short, might get them both in as it is, do away with battery box...

[JoeM 7,873]

2 minutes ago, Dan.gerous said:

might get them both in as it is, do away with battery box...

got ya thinking huh! 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

31 minutes ago, JoeM said:

got ya thinking huh! 

I did sail on a ship that had two inline 6 cylinder engines that sat side by side and shared a single output shaft. It was technically one engine, and wasn't a huge success!

 

You could have both engines running the pto, but getting the revs correct would be a nightmare. Or maybe with the auto box and a separate pump on other engine for FEL.....

 

No!!!!! I should get sensible and work out how to get the 10hp by swapping these or something.

 

Have found a couple of cement mixers with broken engines, could refurbish and sell. All a lot of extra effort though.

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

Some pics.

 

Found an id number as well.

 

Lovely night so painting sheds with bbq in background - this place will be immaculate by the time we leave. I hope new tenants look after the place.

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

Ha, would you believe they are Robin engines!

 

4.8hp - baby brothers of the ones wheelhorse used on the diesels. 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

I wonder if 4 8hp would be too gutless, half tempted to just install one.

 

Selling this stuff is a nightmare with scammers and people that get in contact then disappear.

 

I guess it would be about the same as a 7/8hp petrol with the torque available.

[JoeM 7,873]

I like the idea. 

Just looking could connect a 90 on to the exhaust to turn it.

If I was a bit closer I would take one if you threw in a beer or two!

[ebinmaine 67,467]

I'm not very familiar with diesel engines in particular for garden tractor usage. 

I can say that 8 horse is more than enough for a manual transmission Horse as long as you don't intend to use it for ground engagement mechanisms or thick heavy mowing. 

It would certainly be capable of moving the machine and a fair load be pulled. 

 

[Rob J. 1,941]

Thought about doing an Lombardini swap. The one I found is rated at 11hp I believe. I’d have to do some serious fab work to fit it though. Not sure I’m the guy but sure would love to see it in a Horse though.

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

8 hours ago, JoeM said:

I like the idea. 

Just looking could connect a 90 on to the exhaust to turn it.

If I was a bit closer I would take one if you threw in a beer or two!

Your too late, just sold one to a guy in the Orkney Islands

 

Can still do the beer though.

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

19 hours ago, Rob J. said:

Thought about doing an Lombardini swap. The one I found is rated at 11hp I believe. I’d have to do some serious fab work to fit it though. Not sure I’m the guy but sure would love to see it in a Horse though.

IMG_5832.MOV

I guess it depends on the height as to how much fabrication is needed.

 

Just looking at a deutz F1L 210d, it has a really nice cooling system and lots of spinning bits on the outside - but it's 10cm higher than the Yanmar. Would need a scoop or something on the hood to make it look right.

Edited May 30, 2022 by Dan.gerous

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

8 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

I'm not very familiar with diesel engines in particular for garden tractor usage. 

I can say that 8 horse is more than enough for a manual transmission Horse as long as you don't intend to use it for ground engagement mechanisms or thick heavy mowing. 

It would certainly be capable of moving the machine and a fair load be pulled. 

 

The 8hp equivalent would be mostly fine for tinkering about, but with luck I can shift the Robins for a small profit and work my way up to something bigger....

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

Here is the Deutz F1L 210 D - it's 13hp.

 

The cooling fan is belt driven rather than off the crank. I think it also has a half speed pto for hydraulics. Tapered shaft and unknown service history, but I might just take the gamble - will study the manual in the morning and decide then.

 

Dimensions are a bit big, but I think he has included the generator frame it sits on. Have found an online manual for correct dimensions, but it won't open on phone.

 

This is also in Orkney, so could drop one engine off and pick another one up when the ship gets in on Thursday night.

Edited May 30, 2022 by Dan.gerous

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

Was dropping a hire trailer off yesterday in town, around the back of the hire place the yard is full of every machine known to man. Anyway, realised I hadn't swept out the trailer so went for a wander to find the guys that do the maintenance. One guy was pressure washing a digger and he kindly pointed out a broom nearby, so I walked over to get it. The broom was leaning on the wall near his pressure washer, which was a diesel Yanmar L100. Oh my god what a sexy machine! it was rumbling away at half throttle and sounded fantastic. Not as noisy as I thought it would be, but it is a huge unit - makes the Robins look like toys. In that moment I decided that's what we are getting, it is just such a quality little unit and worth holding out for.

 

So trailer got swept out (I hate returning things dirty - also greased everything for them) and I got a close up look at one of Yanmars beasts in action - a successful outing in my book!

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

One of the little Robin engines on its way to a new owner in Orkney.

 

Best way to stop it moving about was by using a seat belt

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

2 hours ago, Dan.gerous said:

One of the little Robin engines on its way to a new owner in Orkney.

 

Best way to stop it moving about was by using a seat belt

 

That wasn't a option when I picked up my lombardini, that thing was nice and greasy, weighing around 180lbs. That would have left a nice mark on those leather seats haha.

 

I have a 14hp, the engine is tall, I need a 4" hood lift to have enough room for the diesel monster

 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

2 hours ago, Maxwell-8 said:

That wasn't a option when I picked up my lombardini, that thing was nice and greasy, weighing around 180lbs. That would have left a nice mark on those leather seats haha.

 

I have a 14hp, the engine is tall, I need a 4" hood lift to have enough room for the diesel monster

 

That is a beast!

 

I notice most of the diesels are tall engines compared to the petrol counterparts - just to make a suitable candidate harder to find!

 

Using the height modification to add a winch is a great idea.

 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

Luckily this engine is brand new, doesnt even have oil in it other than the residue from whatever tests the factory do.

 

I have a guy who is going to fabricate a 1" keyway adapter to my other one, just in case I decide to use it.

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

9 hours ago, Maxwell-8 said:

That wasn't a option when I picked up my lombardini, that thing was nice and greasy, weighing around 180lbs. That would have left a nice mark on those leather seats haha.

 

I have a 14hp, the engine is tall, I need a 4" hood lift to have enough room for the diesel monster

 

Does taking the tank off help? I notice most of the conversions seem to use the engines tank rather than the Wheelhorses original one under the seat (for those that have it).

 

That Duetz I have been umming and ahhing over has the same problem, its just so tall.

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

9 hours ago, Dan.gerous said:

 

That is a beast!

 

I notice most of the diesels are tall engines compared to the petrol counterparts - just to make a suitable candidate harder to find!

 

Using the height modification to add a winch is a great idea.

 

thanks, Diesel have beefier parts, often longer compression strokes add the OHV design that is strait up, not at an angle like honda and predator engines. and the decomp, injector, etc

Just to give you an idea, here is how my engine is build:

 

2 hours ago, Dan.gerous said:

Does taking the tank off help? I notice most of the conversions seem to use the engines tank rather than the Wheelhorses original one under the seat (for those that have it).

 

That Duetz I have been umming and ahhing over has the same problem, its just so tall.

Taking off the tank doesn't really help, although I will have to relocate mine to the outside of the hood.

 

Using the original tank is much easier, gravity fed. Don't know how they will behave when they have to get the diesel from that far, or what a extra diesel pump will do. I guess we just play on safe.

1 gallon of diesel will bring you a lot of run time.

Edited June 2, 2022 by Maxwell-8

[ebinmaine 67,467]

Do these little diesels need to keep a constant prime like our big trucks do?

Or can they just pull up the fuel through a formerly empty line like a gas engine?