IH to Mahindra engine swap?

Has anyone ever swapped a newer Mahindra engine to an older IH tractor?

I'm thinking this would be a pretty cool project. An example would be removing a C-153 from an IH 444 and replacing it with an MDI 3000B. Would it actually bolt up and work on the tractor?

It would be pretty neat to have a newer direct inject diesel on an old tractor like that.

I doubt the rear plate on the mahindra engine would bolt to the bellhousing on the 444, so you would have to make an adapter plate to get the engine to bolt to the tractor. The next hurdle would be the flywheel, you would need to either make a custom one that would accept the clutch disk, pressure plate and pilot bearing from the IH 444 and bolt to the crank on the mahindra engine, while also coming out in the proper location front to back for the starter, and throwout bearing to work or you could trying modifying the flywheel from one or the other to work, but that could be tricky.

It could be done, but it would take a considerable amount of work and unless you have access to the machines to make the items I mentioned above it could get expensive quick.

The above items would just be to get the engine to mate to the rear, next would be getting the front end reattached to the tractor, and because the 444 doesn't have frame rails, you'd have to attach the front end to the engine block, wich would probably be as much work if not more than getting the engine to attach to the rearend.
The final part would be getting all the sheet metal back in place and making it look correct, which would probably be the least amount of work, but still a challenge for some people.

I've done these type of swaps before and unless you just like working and figuring things out for the novelty of it, they usually just lower the value of an item. Although, they can be a great conversation piece, and if it's something you want to work with, can be made very useable on a farm.

Yeah, I would not want to do it if it was that much design work, which I could do, I am 3D CAD capable etc. However I also know how much it costs to get parts machined.

The reason I brought up the specific example, is because on this forum and others, I have heard people discussing how Mahindra made, or still makes an engine that uses the same casting as the IH BD154's. I was wondering how true that is. Supposedly same engine just with a different head that has direct injection and a bit longer stroke. If it's the same casting I assume this makes things like connecting to the trans and front axle less of a big deal.

It's possible that it could have the same casting as an older international engine, I've not heard that. The problem is, even if it is the same as an IH casting does not meant that the engine will bolt into any IH tractor.
I put an IH 358 engine into an IH 560 and still had to make an adapter plate and custom flywheel. There were different bellhousing designs and different flywheel setups. The advantage I had on the 560 was that it had frame rails, although I did end up building a custom bolster to mount the front axle to, so I could keep the tractor the same length, allowing the factory sheet metal to bold back on. There were alos lots of small things I had to change to make everything work, but you just have to deal with those on a case by case basis and design around them.
I have access to CAD too and my own CNC machines, plus I can get access to more if I really need them, but it's still not cheap to make a swap like this happen unless you just have access to free engines, materials and time.

Yeah, I guess I'm thinking of a specific case where you find a Mahinrda engine that is the "same", and you bolt it up to an application that makes sense.

Must be nice to have CNC machines at your disposal. I'm a mechanical design engineer, can do all the CAD work, but have no way to machine stuff except pay someone else to do it $$$$.

(quoted from post at 11:04:32 05/17/19)
Yeah, I guess I'm thinking of a specific case where you find a Mahinrda engine that is the "same", and you bolt it up to an application that makes sense.

Must be nice to have CNC machines at your disposal. I'm a mechanical design engineer, can do all the CAD work, but have no way to machine stuff except pay someone else to do it $$$$.

Click to expand...

I bought the machines with the idea that it would save me money, plus I like being able to make my own items. The problem is tooling is so expensive for a lot of jobs and it's something you might just use once or twice. I find myself making lots of replacement items for the tractors I buy/restore, not because it's always cheaper, but because I enjoy making them and making them better than a lot of aftermarket parts out there. I really should take on some side work to actually get the machines to pay for their selves, but its mostly just a hobby. I work with CNC machines all day at work as well. It's crazy how high materials can be as well when you are only buying small quantities.

I have a bunch of older equipment that are just toys for my own personal use https://imgur.com/xmLkO66

I like to design repair parts and attachments for them in CAD and then build them. Mostly it's just fabrication work. Sometimes I do sneak into work and use the occasional lathe/mill to make some very simple machined parts/modifications. But with the way companies are getting about safety these days, it's no longer possible to do those kinds of things. Hope I can have my own shop with someday filled with craigslist machining equipment...

I'm not sure I would ever buy a brand new tractor these days. I think I will stick with buying older equipment and fixing/restoring etc.

You've got some nice toys too. For what this new equipment costs you'd have to be making pretty good money off of it to even break even. I prefer to buy tractors in "less than perfect" condition. I like taking something that needs work and turning it into something that functions better than new. There are many times that I could have bought a tractor already finished by someone else for cheaper than what have in one by the time I'm finished, but half he fun is knowing that I went through every part of that piece of equipment and made it my own.

I am always on craigslist looking for another tractor or piece of machine shop equipement to grab and recondition. I'm sort of addicted to tools.

You and I are very much alike. I suspect a lot of others on these forums are as well.

I'm getting old enough now where I am grumpy about new equipment, not being made like it used to...

I agree and I think I may have a problem. I am going to look at and buy another tractor in about an hour. I'm concerned because I am not sure where I am going to put it, but I am sure I will find room.

(quoted from post at 04:45:21 05/17/19) Has anyone ever swapped a newer Mahindra engine to an older IH tractor?

I'm thinking this would be a pretty cool project. An example would be removing a C-153 from an IH 444 and replacing it with an MDI 3000B. Would it actually bolt up and work on the tractor?

It would be pretty neat to have a newer direct inject diesel on an old tractor like that.

Click to expand...

If you have an IH that could have the IH BD-154 as option I am not sure why the Mahindra version of that same BD-154 (with direct injection) engine would not bolt up.

Mahindra built IH tractors for years in India from IH tooling. I've heard of people using Mahindra parts on their IHs so it's not a far fetched idea.

(quoted from post at 13:56:05 05/18/19)

(quoted from post at 04:45:21 05/17/19) Has anyone ever swapped a newer Mahindra engine to an older IH tractor?

I'm thinking this would be a pretty cool project. An example would be removing a C-153 from an IH 444 and replacing it with an MDI 3000B. Would it actually bolt up and work on the tractor?

It would be pretty neat to have a newer direct inject diesel on an old tractor like that.

Click to expand...

If you have an IH that could have the IH BD-154 as option I am not sure why the Mahindra version of that same BD-154 (with direct injection) engine would not bolt up.

Mahindra built IH tractors for years in India from IH tooling. I've heard of people using Mahindra parts on their IHs so it's not a far fetched idea.

Click to expand...

I think this is the tractor/engine I'd be on the lookout for: http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/002/6/0/2608-mahindra-5005-engine.html Last built in 2002.

Looking on external_link.com and not seeing any. I've been reading a lot about BD-154's and they all seem to be cracked when guys go to rebuild them. I wonder if the Mahindra engines have the same flaw, being virtually the same or exactly the same casting...