Gas to diesel repower?

[mmartone]

I know this has been discussed a few times and recommended against... I feel like im pretty skilled and have more than a few tools, mig, tig and stick, fabrication skills. What are the differences in the whole head assembly? I have an old lt40 with a single chain lift and know it would have to go to double. I have searched the internet for some good pics of the engine and mounting and come up with little to nothing. The reason for this is I got a 4 cyl 35 kubota from a friend with 1500 hrs on it, engine, rad, fan, muffler etc, ready to use somewhere. Thank you..

[homesteader1972]

I will be watching how this goes for you, as I would like to re-power mine one day as well, and add a debarker too. Mine has the double chain already, but the upper mount does not nearly as strong as the newer ones. I am not sure about the gearbox either, if it might fail with a lot more weight. Of course a more powerful up/down motor, but thats likely the easy part. How much more weight are you talking? I have thought about going with a 35 or 40 hp gas, and it would only add a little weight but the debarker more.  If you do it, post lots of pics for the rest of us. What year is yours?

[Kbeitz]

Just a stupid idea...
Mount the engine off the mill and have it drive a hydraulic pump with
a hose track to the carriage pushing a hydraulic motor to drive the saw wheels.
Thinking outside of the box again...

[pineywoods]

MM, I been there and elected to stay with the 25 hp kawasaki.. Search "faster up for older woodmizers" That thread shows adding a garage door spring to take some of the load off the head support. There has been an upgrade. Now uses 4 springs and a pulley. Your current gearbox, motor, sprockets and chains just ain't heavy enough. I replace the original up/down motor with a starter motor off a 10 hp lawn mower engine. It's almost too fast now..
Friend just up the road has a super with that kubota engine. Good motor but heavy..Only problem he has had, the DanG alternator bracket keeps breaking. I'm building him one out of 3/8 thick plate..

[Solomon]

Very interesting, thanks for starting this thread, I have no input but I will be following the posts comming in on this thread.  Keep us posted on your expierences?    :P :P🤔👁👀👂

[mmartone]

I have not done a compression test on my kawi but it has an issue, might be carb related, but more power is better right!! I have seen that spring mod and was thinking of a pulley at the top of the main tubes with x# of lead going up and down inside the tube?  I'm a little leary of that spring.  The Diesel is a Kubota V1505, 35.1hp@3000 and has a dry weight of 242 lbs, thats not including the radiator, coolant, oil or air filter assembly. The Kawi weights 102lbs.  What does a Lombardi or "cat" diesel weigh? I have thought about the hydraulic motor, anybody done one yet? So anybody know the difference of add some pics to their response in regards to the diesel saw head assembly being so much more stout than an old gas model?

[Kbeitz]

Would not have to be a spring.
A counter weight on a cable would work.

[pineywoods]

counter weights work just fine, actually better than springs because the added lift is constant at all heights. There's an lt40 right down the road from that went from gas to electric, bunches heavier. He has a pulley on top of each tube with a cable and 200 pounds of lead going up and down inside each tube. Woodmizer will sell you the bigger up/down motor and proper bracket to mount it. I put a starter motor off a 12 hp lawnmower motor on mine. Fit perfectly and works fine, almost too fast...

[mmartone]

Would one of you guys please, please, please take some pics of their diesel saw head from a few different angles for me?

[homesteader1972]

Would one of you guys please, please, please take some pics of their diesel saw head from a few different angles for me?

Maybe someone will oblige you and post some. Surely you would need to upgrade the up/down motor and chains. How would one find the specs on the gearbox, it might already be strong enough. I wonder if where the engine mounts and pivots would handle the extra 150-200 lbs. I hope someones chimes in with some pics, I'd like to see you successfully do this.

[mmartone]

Got some really great pics from one of our members via text messaging yesterday.  I have to look at them better on the computer and make some management decisions. I have a few small diesels in the shop probably around 20hp and a fair bit lighter but would rather go with the bigger one. The member that sent me the pics has a 41hp kubota 1505 same model as I have with a turbo so I know it can be done.