Theorectical question

KLS

Member
My dad has a 3 cylinder 4000 diesel that barely gets used. It is coming up on needing a rebuild as it starts hard and is almost hooked on ether ( I don't like the stuff either, lets not go there). If I'm not mistaken it could be converted over to a gas with a head change and by replacing the pump with gas ignition parts correct? The most important duty it has is plowing snow and hauling firewood. We are in north east Wisconsin so it gets cold in the winter and being a gas would be helpful when it's 15 below and the driveway has to get cleared. Is there anything I am missing?
 
Needs to be a later 201D. Then you can swap parts from a late 201 gasser including the Pistons and maybe pushrods. Both engines will need to have press in frost plugs. . God Bless you. That's a swap I'd never do if the parts were free, N O S and piled up on my shop floor. Battery tray will need modification and you will need a gas ring gear, relay and starter.

Best day of my 4000 gasser' life was the day I fired up its 1983 201D transplant.
 

You'd be better off finding a complete gas engine, running or needing rebuild than converting the diesel over to gas.
I converted my gas engine to diesel many years ago but I had a blown up diesel to get all the parts from.
You'll need a gas head, gas pistons, gas timing cover for the fuel pump, gas fuel pump eccentric, intake, carb, governor, linkage, dist drive and dist.
Gas tractors also have a forward mounted battery to allow room for the air breather pipes to get to the carb, you can do some creative piping to keep the diesel air cleaner in order to prevent changing the left hood paned to install the gas air filter that also requires a different support bracket that holds up the fuel tank shroud.

Gas engines start better in cold weather but I'd consider rebuilding it and installing a block or inline water heater.
 
Thanks for the info, I figured it wouldn't be completely straight forward but didn't know there were so many differences. Just to through a monkey wrench in the works would a 256 gas from a 5000 fit in a 4000 from the same series? I know the hood would need to be changed out, but would the engine bolt to the 4000 front casting?
 
I know this does not answer your question, but we have a 5000 diesel with a circulating block heater, we live in Saskatchewan Canada and it gets a bit colder out here. The tractor has never failed to start in any kind of weather. It needs to be plugged in 1 to 3 hrs max. In my opinion stick with the diesel,the 4000 diesel is a very nice tractor.
 

256 will bolt up and work, in later years Ford installed the 256 in a 4630 chassis and called it the 5030, 4630 was the last upgraded model of the 3 cyl 4000.
 
Like others said, best off with a complete gas engine, if you're going to change it over. But rather than change it to a gasser, you might be just as far ahead to trade complete tractors. You'd certainly be time ahead.
I have a 5000 gas project tractor that I hope will be done soon. N/w WI. Email is open if you're interested.
 
In addition to the hood, the longer engine from the 5000 would require a longer track rod for the steering linkage, and if it's got the earlier power steering with the external cylinder it would take a custom mounting bracket for the front of the cylinder rod as well.
 
I would have to think that rebuilding the existing motor and setting it up with a block heater, even a radiator hose coolant heater, and or thermostart, which was an option, you would be further ahead of any conversion you have considered. I've ran several diesel 3 cylinder ford tractors in cold winter temperatures, they just need a little assistance to start and run. Our 3600 will fire up easily with a radiator hose coolant heater, after an hour or 2 of being plugged in. They do need decent compression and the fuel system maintained. Properly used ether is fine, but I do hate that stuff just the same given the nature of it and if pressed to have to use it, which is rare, I do so very sparingly as the motor is turning or has been turned over before to get some oil circulated. Just a small whiff at the intake is all that is needed. If that cannot be done, finding a way to get the intake air warmed or the motor warmed is a lot safer as often times people will douse the intake at the filter element.
 

A good aftermarket gear reduction starter to spin the engine faster also helps.

110947943167
 
just my opinion, but the 3 cyl ford diesel may be one of the best made and the 3 cyl gas may be the worst !
 
I would rebuild the diesel and put in a block or tank heater 10 times over over going to a gas engine.

Paul
 
How do you know it's coming up for an overhaul? Have you done a compression check? Do you know if the valves are worn? What kind of condition is your battery? Is it at least a 27 or 31 size and has been 200 amp load tested for 11V at the terminals with that current load? Is your starter a 5" dia with good brushes, not a 4" used in gassers? What is the condition of your battery to starter wires? Are they at least size 0 preferably 00 with freshly crimped terminals, Have you cleaned the connections at the battery, solenoid, and don't forget the bolt that grounds the - to the engine bell housing. Is the starter to bell housing interface , clean and rust free, bolts holding the starter in clean threads , clean housing threads and torqued properly, starter brushes new? What oil are you running?

When I bought my '65 Ford 3000 the salesman had to use ether, in Texas, in April to start it. I was so thrilled to get a 3000D for $3500 with an 8 speed that I just lost my mind. After I went through what I listed above (except compression test, didn't have a tester} I realized that I had low compression and an overhaul was due. Yes it was but I had a reason......the PO had run the tractor without the intake manifold hose connected for who knows how long and melted the pistons and rings.

HTH,
Mark
 
I've converted a gas engine to diesel and also converted a gas tractor to diesel. Neither were difficult though I did have parts tractors so I could do it properly. In addition to the items mentioned that are needed to convert a diesel tractor to gas you would need to install what I call the firewall tin that the gas air cleaner bolts to. The hardest part was changing what I call the bridge in the nose of the tractor and welding in the brackets that carry the diesel air cleaner, though that was not at all hard to do. Converting to gas would be easier than the other way around. I have posted about this before. See photos.
But this has been discussed here before too and I think if a guy used a gas intake manifold, blocked off the water inlets, cut off the part that the carb bolts to and welded a short turn elbow there he could likely reuse tha gas air cleaner and tubes and the gas battery tray.
I can't for the life of me understand why folks dislike these gassers so much. Yes they are a pia to put points in but electronic ignition solves that problem and yes, you do have to clean all 4 fuel filters- every 20 years. And yes, the Holley carbs suck. But a new Zenith solves that. And yes, they use more fuel. That's the bad about them and enough to make some people despise them I suppose. The good about a gasser is that they start in winter more easily and a big part of it, at least for me is they are much quieter and they don't stink so darned bad. The fuel stinks and the exhaust is especially pernicious. Start a diesel in the shed or get some fuel on your clothes/shoes and you'll smell it all day. Not so with a gasser. The gassers aren't prone to cavitation problems like the diesels are and they don't wet stack/slobber all over everything if you're not running the snot out of it and just putzing around with it. I think both types have their advantages and disadvantages and neither of them are so much more capable or reliable as to make one golden and the other to be despised.
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(quoted from post at 05:03:15 08/22/16)
I can't for the life of me understand why folks dislike these gassers so much. Yes they are a pia to put points in but electronic ignition solves that problem and yes, you do have to clean all 4 fuel filters- every 20 years. And yes, the Holley carbs suck. But a new Zenith solves that. And yes, they use more fuel. That's the bad about them and enough to make some people despise them I suppose. The good about a gasser is that they start in winter more easily and a big part of it, at least for me is they are much quieter and they don't stink so darned bad. ]

Another late post:

Thanks Ultradog.

Love the thousands. 3cyl gas bottom end is strong. Heads easy to pull and cheap to rebuild. "in a pinch" you can use almost anything for ignition or fuel parts. File the points. Wiggle the distributor 'till it fires, never adjust the valves, fix the gov. with WD-40. ....
Rebuild Holley. That's fun. Fix the accell pump issue or a get spendy Zen.

Grain farmers stopped using gas tractors 'cause they run big machines all day. Refueling costs more than the fuel.
Little guys like me are influenced by their opinions -- so we eschew gas tractors.

Don't tell anyone or they will get expensive again. :D
 

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