4bt engine swap crawler

[Ryden]

I want to get into antique tractors and I really like crawlers but a lot of the engines seem to need a lot of TLC has anyone every swapped a 4bt to an old crawler? Any suggestions or input would be great.

 

[tractorsam]

I dont have any direct info for you but from a wheel tractor
standpoint the consensus usually seems to be that by the
time youre done doing a conversion or repower one it is
usually financially and time wise more expensive than fixing
what was supposed to be there. Also, it seems that with old
crawlers the undercarriage often costs as much as the other
issues combined (that is if the parts can be found). Probably
the cheapest option is to buy a good unit.

 

[jm.]

Just find you a td8G Dresser and it will have the 4bt in it ready to go and great little dozers

 

[Ryden]

(quoted from post at 16:42:13 04/15/22) Just find you a td8G Dresser and it will have the 4bt in it ready to go and great little dozers

Thanks for the information Im still shopping around

 

[rmg]

Yes, I have. But not a 4bt, put a 6bt in a komatsu D53 dozer over 10 years ago because could not find another engine block. You just have to be persistent and keep at it. You will have to make some of your own parts and change radiator hoses, air cleaners and so on. If you have enough mechanical ability, you can do it. I used a truck engine and people will tell you it won't work but I have been very pleased with mine. I am in the process of putting a 4bt in a 490D Deere excavator because block is bad and I cannot find one. The 4bt will give me more power and be just as good (or better) and cheaper than the Deere.

 

[Ryden]

(quoted from post at 19:11:59 04/15/22) Yes, I have. But not a 4bt, put a 6bt in a komatsu D53 dozer over 10 years ago because could not find another engine block. You just have to be persistent and keep at it. You will have to make some of your own parts and change radiator hoses, air cleaners and so on. If you have enough mechanical ability, you can do it. I used a truck engine and people will tell you it won't work but I have been very pleased with mine. I am in the process of putting a 4bt in a 490D Deere excavator because block is bad and I cannot find one. The 4bt will give me more power and be just as good (or better) and cheaper than the Deere.

That sounds cool I would did you use advance adapters to mate the engine to the trans or use the trans that came with the 6bt?

 

[rmg]

Trans in komatsu is power shift. Had a little short driveshaft from original komatsu motor to trans. Use an sae #2 bellhousing and cummins flywheel, had a machinist make an adapter to bolt to flywheel and attach driveshaft to, then a matter of lining everything up. I live about 150 miles north of Houston in east Texas. My machinist used to work for NASA years ago so he is pretty good at figuring out things. Everything he has done for me so far has worked very well.

 

[Ryden]

(quoted from post at 16:20:12 04/16/22) Trans in komatsu is power shift. Had a little short driveshaft from original komatsu motor to trans. Use an sae #2 bellhousing and cummins flywheel, had a machinist make an adapter to bolt to flywheel and attach driveshaft to, then a matter of lining everything up. I live about 150 miles north of Houston in east Texas. My machinist used to work for NASA years ago so he is pretty good at figuring out things. Everything he has done for me so far has worked very well.

Do you have any pictures of the swap?

 

[AJ.]

No big deal fitting a Cummins to a Komatsu when you consider that Cummins engines were fitted to Komatsu as standard equipment going back to the sixties, any engine can be fitted to anything time and money been the main factor, I can tell you after a lifetime in the repair business that even an engine from the dealer to replace the old unit something would be different and have to be changed, it keeps things simpler if the machine is kept as it was designed esp when looking for parts and the like, no matter what engine is used they all ware out regardless of the brand, why do you want to buy a crawler and change the engine, buy a crawler with a good running engine and look after it.
AJ

 

[Ryden]

(quoted from post at 15:31:46 04/19/22) No big deal fitting a Cummins to a Komatsu when you consider that Cummins engines were fitted to Komatsu as standard equipment going back to the sixties, any engine can be fitted to anything time and money been the main factor, I can tell you after a lifetime in the repair business that even an engine from the dealer to replace the old unit something would be different and have to be changed, it keeps things simpler if the machine is kept as it was designed esp when looking for parts and the like, no matter what engine is used they all ware out regardless of the brand, why do you want to buy a crawler and change the engine, buy a crawler with a good running engine and look after it.
AJ

Its more of a hobby tractor then anything else thanks for the input

 

[fastfarmall]

There is a guy on you tube, that put a 4bt in a M Farmall and a diff person put a 6bt in a 706,both on you tube,it's not for the faint of heart,theres a lot time changing and figuring things out,but both interesting!But with the m/4bt, it's to short, there's a gap between engine and radiator,looks silly!

 

[Ryden]

(quoted from post at 02:00:49 05/01/22) There is a guy on you tube, that put a 4bt in a M Farmall and a diff person put a 6bt in a 706,both on you tube,it's not for the faint of heart,theres a lot time changing and figuring things out,but both interesting!But with the m/4bt, it's to short, there's a gap between engine and radiator,looks silly!

Do you happen to know the title of the YouTube video?