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Difference between pony and electric start diesel

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Terry

12-11-2002 12:07:29




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I would like to know how each starts the engines. I would like to get a 2-cyl diesel some day. Thanks




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John T

12-11-2002 12:45:08




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 Re: Difference between pony and electric start diesel in reply to Terry, 12-11-2002 12:07:29  
Terry, Ive owned each kind, and believe me, the electric starts are much simpler to operate BUT if she gets real real cold, the pony motor (if she will start and run okay) will get her started where the electric start wont. The pony motors are a high RPM V4 gas engine which you engage and crank over the diesel till she starts, and the advantage is you dont run the batteries down and the exhaust of the pony circulates through the diesels manifiold and helps warm her up to start. Problems are the maintenance and very high expense of overhauling the pony motors, because most all them are worn out. If youre new to the hobby and inexperienced and dont have to be startign it at extreme cold temperatures with no heat or heat devices to keep her warm, I would go with an electric start diesel. If so, 4 good super heavy duty batteries and excellent cables and connections and grounds is a must. Good Luck. Ol John T Nordhoff

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G-MAN

12-11-2002 12:35:44




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 Re: Difference between pony and electric start diesel in reply to Terry, 12-11-2002 12:07:29  
Electric starting systems use batteries and a cranking motor, just like today's tractors, except they were generally 24-volt cranking systems to get enough oomph to crank the big engine. Pony start tractors use an opposed two-cylinder cranking engine ("R"s) or a V-4 cranking engine (the rest of the two-cylinder diesels) to crank the diesel engine for starting. The pony engine itself was electrically started. Both styles use a compression release to allow the big engine to "motor" before compression and fuel are applied to start it. Pony start tractors have the added benefit of the pony engine creating heat in the cooling system and intake of the big engine for easier starting in cold temps. The pony engine could also be used to crank the big engine pretty much indefinitely, or at least until it ran out of gas, if it was exceptionally cold out. Caterpillar used pony engines before Deere, and at that time, they were the only reliable way to start large-displacement diesels. Pony start tractors are generally more expensive to restore, as pony engine parts can be expensive. The cranking engines were usually abused by cranking the big engine before they were fully warmed up and so forth. There are outfits making kits to convert pony-start tractors to electric start for that reason. Hope this gives you some good background on the two types of systems.

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Terry

12-11-2002 15:16:18




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 Re: Re: Difference between pony and electric start diesel in reply to G-MAN, 12-11-2002 12:35:44  
They don't have glow plugs on the electric start or do they. I have a 51 B all fuel. I'm just interested in a diesel. How much are the electris start conversions?



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G-MAN

12-11-2002 16:04:17




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 Re: Re: Re: Difference between pony and electric start diesel in reply to Terry, 12-11-2002 15:16:18  
No, John Deere two-cylinder diesels are not equipped with glow plugs - they are direct injection. I believe the electric start conversions I've seen have been in the $700 range, although I could be wrong on that. I guess I never paid that close of attention, as I don't own a two-cylinder pony-start diesel, and I wouldn't consider changing it over if I did. Electric start tractors are probably handier tractors to own for general use, but there's something about a cranking engine screaming away motoring the diesel that just gets me - be it on a Deere or Caterpillar. I guess one way to look at it is that the more guys convert tractors to electric, the harder it will be to find good original pony start tractors. Guys complain that the ponies are a pain to maintain and start back up every time you start them, but I think they forget that the Deere two-cylinder diesels were built as the big field tractors of their day, and were meant to run all day long in tillage-type applications, not be constantly started and shut off like chore tractors. Maybe we're just getting too lazy in this day and age. People just want to turn the key and go.

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BJ

12-11-2002 16:42:52




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Difference between pony and electric start diesel in reply to G-MAN, 12-11-2002 16:04:17  
Kinda have to agree with you G-Man my 830 has a pony and I like it also I try to keep everything up to snuff and very rarely have I ever had to crank the pony more than 5 seconds for it to start hot or cold



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