Farmall 230 engine question ....

Crazy Horse · Sep 23, 2022

A guy has asked me about his search for a useable cylinder head for his Farmall 230 tractor. So that would likely be the 123 cubic inch version right? What models of Farmall/IHC tractors would use the same (or useable) cylinder head as a replacement?

LMack · Sep 25, 2022

The later SC, 200, 230, 240, & one more used the same bolt, push rod, and head gasket pattern, but the machining changed for the head for each model change. Do you have the original head? If yes, you can take it to most any head shop and it can be rebuilt. I took my 200 head to a local machine shop that specialized in auto racing heads. No problem but the 200 does not do too well in the quarter mile.

Crazy Horse · Sep 26, 2022

Thanks for the info ..... I will pass that along to the fellow who is searching. Apparently his head is cracked badly and cannot be repaired. Sounds like just the most recent versions of the 123 engine would have a usable head, for example a head from a Farmall B isn't going to work right? What kinds of things are you referring to when you say that the 'machining changed'?

BarnyardEngineering · Sep 26, 2022

The later in production you get the fewer you have to choose from. IH made fewer 240's than 230's, fewer 230's than 200's and fewer 200's than Super C's (by far), etc.

If he's just looking to make the tractor run, any head off a Super C would make it run, but he probably should make sure that he has the entire valve train, pushrods, rockers, etc.. This is because I'm not sure. I don't know for a fact that everything above the head is the same and I don't have time to do the research right now.

Another potential donor is a 140. IH made them for a long time. What I can't remember is if IH relocated the water pump to the head on those and if that changes the head design... If it does than forget I said anything about the 140.

The main difference in the heads is the size of the combustion chamber. On the older heads it's much larger, with the valves recessed farther in the head. In the quest for more power they reduced the combustion chamber to where the valves are almost flush with the bottom of the head. At least they did that on the 240, but I think the 230 is the same.

Jim Becker · Sep 26, 2022

(quoted from post at 09:58:54 09/26/22)
If he's just looking to make the tractor run, any head off a Super C would make it run, but he probably should make sure that he has the entire valve train, pushrods, rockers, etc.. This is because I'm not sure. I don't know for a fact that everything above the head is the same and I don't have time to do the research right now.

Another potential donor is a 140. IH made them for a long time. What I can't remember is if IH relocated the water pump to the head on those and if that changes the head design... If it does than forget I said anything about the 140.

I think the valve stem lengths were changed to adjust for the different combustion chamber sizes and the rest of the valve train was the same. I didn't look it up either. Absent anyone verifying it, the suggestion of using the valve train from the donor engine is the safe approach.

The 140, 240 and anything newer had the relocated water pump. So those heads from the later tractors won't mix with a 230.

BarnyardEngineering · Sep 26, 2022

I can confirm the valve stem length did change with the later heads as I did a 240 head several years ago.

Don't recall the water pump being on the head. It was an early 240 as I recall.

LMack · Sep 27, 2022

It would bolt up but the B had a 113 engine.

Farmall 230 engine question ....

Crazy Horse

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LMack

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Crazy Horse

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BarnyardEngineering

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Jim Becker

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BarnyardEngineering

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LMack

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