MD question from below

Anonymous-0 · Sep 20, 2014

I dont have any diesels here, and don't know much about the early diesels. Why did the MD have spark plugs? Did they start on gas, then switch to diesel?

Please educate me. You guys have taught me quite a bit over the years.

Wayne in MN · Sep 20, 2014

CenTex Farmall · Sep 20, 2014

The head has three valves. Intake and exhaust like usual and then a small valve that goes to an extra chamber where the spark plug is. When those valves are open, the compression ratio drops making gasoline operation possible. Those valves are controlled by the lever on the side and either stay open or closed. The intake also has a butterfly valve that closes off the main intake when on gas. It forces air to go through a different circuit that includes the carb. There's no throttle control on gas, it runs a steady fast idle.

willie in mn · Sep 21, 2014

That's about it, start on gas, then switch over to diesel when warmed up.
Can't say if this is gospel truth or legend, but I read it in one of my library books. Back when IHC was experimentating with diesels, the only way to start was with a pony motor. Engineers wanted an easier way, also the HNIC* wanted farmers to be able to hand crank start them.
Willie

* Head Numbskull in Charge

Harry Klever · Sep 21, 2014

Well the head numbskull in charge, in my opinion made one heck of a good engine.I know a lot of the MD @ Super MD's ran ran for 30-35 yrs with out ever putting a wrench to them. You have to remember the the diesel models had a 5 main bearing crankshaft, where the m gas had 3 mains. With the engine oil, the shops,and maintenance the farmers give their tractors now, who know's how long they would run! My dad had a M gas and a MD, no comparison to what did the most on a gallon of fuel.It didn't win the fuel fuel economy record in the Nebraska test, Like the 720JD did,but then u didn't have a hand clutch either!

36F30 · Sep 21, 2014

(quoted from post at 00:29:47 09/21/14) That's about it, start on gas, then switch over to diesel when warmed up.
Can't say if this is gospel truth or legend, but I read it in one of my library books. Back when IHC was experimentating with diesels, the only way to start was with a pony motor. Engineers wanted an easier way, also the HNIC* wanted farmers to be able to hand crank start them.
Willie

* Head Numbskull in Charge

IH's first production diesel engines were in 1935 on the WD40. They were built to be hand crank started on gas, no pony motors and then they automatically switched themselves to diesel. The entire MD engine is based on the WD40 engine, they did not however include the automatic changeover to diesel feature.

MD question from below

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Wayne in MN

Well-known Member

CenTex Farmall

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willie in mn

Well-known Member

Harry Klever

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36F30

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