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International D-6 / Farmall M

B

Bryce Frazier

Well-known Member
What is the possibility of swapping the Diesel engine out of an International HD-6 Crawler into a Farmall M wheel tractor? I am looking at possibly buying the cat cheap, real cheap. It has a nice straight blade on the front of it, and from the pictures, looks like it isn't in that bad of shape, but it is a known fact that SOMETHING broke, and they quit using it, no option to fix it. Engine still turns over, so, I am wondering if it is something not engine related?

Either way, I would love to have the cat around here for using, but I really wouldn't use it enough. So that got me to thinking, I have an M with a bad engine in it, stuck, cracked, etc. but overall a pretty straight tractor. How hard would it be to swap that diesel engine into the M, and make myself an MD? And also would it be worth it?
 
The engine would bolt into the frame alright.But then you would need all the other parts.Throttle and change over levers/linkages,starting tank;rear steering support.....Fuel tank and hood as they are different than a gas M. But you could possibly get by with the gastank and hood with some 'mods'.I have all the parts you need for the conversion.You can have if you come get them.
 
I thought it would be a TD since if I remember right the HD was made by A/C and it would not come close to fitting.

I would bet the TD-6 engine will bolt up but you have to have all the controls since the TD-6 was a gas over diesel engine that starts on gas then once warmed up good you switch it to diesel and then when you go to shut it down you switched them back to gas then shut them off or they could be a bear to restart.

I had a TD-6 years ago and they could be a pain some things and are known for cracked heads
 
I'm wondering if perhaps that is why they quit using the thing.... I am going to do a very good check of fluids, etc, but, it is still kind a of a gamble.
 
A running M is only about a thousand dollar tractor nowadays so have to buy that crawler real cheap, and better make sure it runs well or you will spend what your M is worth on injection pump rebuild. All that being said it sure would be a cool conversion
 
Back in the day the diesel engines when cold where a real pain to start up and that was just one of a few ways some companies worked around the problem and being a gas over diesel set up they would start when cold and then once warmed up run on diesel but yes not the best design out there
 
Bryce, Go for it if even close on the money. The experience you will get is priceless for a guy your age. Good Luck.
 
I do remember reading about cold starting issues, etc. I would probably use it as a summer only tractor, when it would be easier to warm up, and have more time to cool down. I'll keep the Super M for ever, just think it would be neat to have a diesel. Could potentially be cheaper to feed as well!
 
Would be a good project on one condition, actually hearing the diesel run FIRST in the dozer. If it has any unknown issues that diesel model gets expensive FAST..
 
you never switch those diesels back to gas. let it cool on diesel then shut down as any regular diesel. it has absolutly nothing to do with restarting.
and that design worked very good for a diesel starting system. once warmed on gas they switched over very smoothly. been around these engines most of my life and they are a tough old engine that were dependable in tractors, crawlers or generators. and those engines in the 6 series were very fuel efficient. could almost forget when u filled up with diesel when doing chores. the 9 series had more of a head problem because the rad was not tall enough. ihc was ahead of john deere by about 15 years in the diesels. this was a better design than that pup engine john deere had. once that pup engine got worn out they would hardly even crank over the diesel engine and it had to run at such a high rpm to turn it over. just that technology has to take over, and they switched to glow plugs. but for the time period that ihc system worked very good.
 
I'm with rustred on this one and the gas start IH engines were easy starters in cold weather if tuned and adjusted properly.
Don't think your conversion would be economical though.
As DeltaRed pointed out, you'll need several items beside the engine and possibly a radiator too.
Sounds like a good challenge for you Bryce.
Get er running first.
Dennis
 
yes that was before ihc got stuff figured out. but it dont apply now. when engine is hot it cools better and faster on diesel, as diesel runs way cooler than gas when idling. it is also hard on the little starting valves to run back on gas. and sometimes forget to switch back to diesel once stopped. then the little valves will warp. it does nothing to run them on gas after, i have even heard people say to clean the spark plugs. the diesel compression never reaches the spark plugs.if you dont believe that then remove a spark plug while it running, there should be no compression leakage if the little valves are holding. that gas is for starting only, after that its a diesel engine, so just idle and shut down as with any diesel.
 
Here is a scan of shut down if it works. Basically cool on gas, run carb dry and change back to diesel at shut down so the starting valves are on their seat to cool.


41471.jpg
[/img]
 
Well when I got tha tTD-6 I knew nothing about it other then what it was. The first time I started it I had to read the manual to be able to do so and the manual said to switch back to gas when shutting it off or it could be harder to start. So since the manual said to do it and how to set every time I did just as the Manual said to do it and still would today because I believe the manual over what people say on the internet and the manual was the IH owners manual that came with the machine
 
that shut down makes no sense at all even though they printed it in the manual. lots of steps to go through for no reason that does make sense. use the kiss system... "keep it simple stupid". what happens when u used up the last of your gas to get it started and your in the field with no gas around??? but what they are saying is b. s. also , because you cant cool that engine down in 30 sec.or what ever time it takes to burn up that little carb full of gas. you need it running at least 10 minutes. i dont think those engineers have a clue. and gas will make it run hotter. but... what ever blows there dress up. cant believe every thing u read though.
 
well i been looking for the reason they shut them down on gas. nobody has given me a good reason yet. many times engineers will print stuff and they have never even seen the practical end of things. they go by theoretical stuff. i have seen this many times on the drilling rigs. a young engineer comes in, never set foot on a rig and is giving orders on how to do stuff. he is taking his info right out of the book and it dont apply or work in the situation. so till someone gives me a good make sense reason to shut down on gas... its shut her down on diesel. that page in that manual is not even good in the restroom.
 
rustred,

I agree with you to the letter! Dad had a WD-9 and I had many hours of driving it. We never switched it back to gas for shutting it off and had no problems. They were a solid, powerful and dependable tractor for their time.
 
Hey Delta, I am actually looking for throttle and switch over linkage for an MD I am restoring. The last person who had it took them all off before they sold it to me :( Where are you located at? Thanks!
 
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