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sorekiwi

A look inside a 10hp Chinese Diesel

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Zeek

Great post!  Thanks for all the pics, I love seeing the internals :tools-wrench:

 

If you have success with it and with the luck we have had with presidents since Regan, I'm thinking we may have to give a Chinese president a wing ding . . . what the heck, we've tried everything else and now we are on the verge of a another Clinton  . . .  I can't take it :eusa-doh:

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bowtiebutler956

Very informative post! I've looked at these engines on :techie-ebay: many times, and thought they looked like a good deal, but the quality control is appalling!  I suppose if you could figure out which ones were the good ones you'd be ok. There's just something about a diesel in a tractor that just seems right! :text-datsphatyo: Thanks for all the great pics, and I'm glad you got it squared away. :thumbs:

 

Matt :flags-texas:

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sorekiwi

and I'm glad you got it squared away. :thumbs:

 

Matt :flags-texas:

 

Well I hope it is squared away, time will tell if the motor lasts or not.

It was not my intention to do a "build thread" on this tractor, but I thought I'd show a few pics of what I have done in case anyone needs some ideas.

I ditched the (diesel) gas tank and went with the stock WH tank under the seat.  I used a small electric pump to feed the motor.

This allowed me to use a Cub Cadet muffler across the front of the motor.  Kept it simple, a 90 deg. bend out of the motor to the muffler.  I may do something with the tip of this muffler when I work out how bad the smoke is and where it goes.

 

IMG_4416_zps743ef153.jpg

 

I think it gives a nice clean look to the right side of the tractor:

 

IMG_4420_zps41c1c61d.jpg

 

The aircleaner didn't clear the hood on the left side, so I made a small elbow to lower it.  It works but I don't like it so this will change.  I want the same clean look on the left side so I need to work out how to tuck it back under the hood.  Even considering notching out the side of the hood to clear it in the stock location :hide: !

 

IMG_4418_zps6960ae0e.jpg

 

IMG_4419_zpsc8cf8f76.jpg

 

Still need to hook up a throttle cable.  I have been trying to buy a cable ready set up that comes on most of these motors, but it seems that none of the vendors want my business as they aren't replying to my emails.

 

Almost there.....

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AMC RULES

Wondering Kiwi, if that is that a louvered hood...   :scratchead:

any way to attach the air cleaner to the inside bottom of the hood?  

Separates from the engine when you lift the hood.    :eusa-think: 

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sorekiwi

No Craig the 516 had the plain old non-louvred hood.  Maybe I should just cut a hole and poke a big trumpet through it!!

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sorekiwi

I mowed a little with the diesel tonight.  I used the same 48" deck that I have used all summer on my 520H.

 

The diesel doesn't have the power of the (20hp) Onan, and is probably down on outright power compared to a single 16 hp Kohler as well.  But it does have torque.  When you hit a thick patch of grass the Onan would bog down a little.  The diesel slows slightly and starts to belch smoke, but does power right through.

 

I only have about 3 hours run time on the motor now, so it probably needs a bit more to break in properly.  And I think I need to play a little with the "smoke screw".  From what I have read, when these engines are set up correctly they will belch black smoke under acceleration, but shouldn't so much under heavy load.

 

Noisy SOB though.  And doesn't have that Onan growl, or play the sweet songs of a single cylinder Kohler bouncing of its governor.  Maybe it will quieten down a little as the muffler carbons up a bit.

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dclarke

Glad to see ya got it goin, Mike.  :thumbs:

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Old Ways

That engine most certainly must have been a customer returned engine, from someone who didn't fill 'er up with the dark stuff.   Mine runs perfectly, and I have not had any sign of trouble from it. 

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sorekiwi

+

aThat engine most certainly must have been a customer returned engine, from someone who didn't fill 'er up with the dark stuff. 

 

I really don't think so.  The packaging showed no sign of the box ever being opened.  And there were no signs of the engine being run with a low oil level.

 

I am reasonably sure that the bearing damage was caused by debris going through it.  I had the opportunity to look at another engine by the same manufacturer, and this engine was in fact within about 15 numbers of my serial number.  Internally this second engine was better inside than mine, but there were a couple of similarities.

 

There was a small score on the PTO side main bearing, and evidence of scoring on the (steel) closure plate on the oil pump.  This plate is cad-plated and it is my belief that the oil pump gears pick up on the cad plating and pump pieces of it through the main bearing.  On my engine I simply flipped the plate over the other way, and polished off the plating on a piece of sandpaper on a flat plate.  The second engine didn't need the plate flipping, but I polished off the plating in the same way.

 

The other thing worth noting on both engines was that the main bearing was pressed into the cover plate to sit flush against the inside face of it.  A pic:

 

IMG_4356_zpsc19a4755.jpg

 

The Yanmar manual makes specific mention that this bearing should be pressed in .040" past flush.  You can see in the pictures that there are 2 oil relief grooves in the boss that accepts the bearing to enable some oil to escape and lubricate this thrust face.  With the bearing installed flush these relief grooves are closed off.  On my engine I was replacing the bearing anyway, on the second engine I just pushed the bearing in that little bit more.

 

Another issue surfaced with the starter motor sometimes not wanting to work.  No click or anything, nothing when you hit the key.  Inspired by SOI's bravery at ripping into things I pulled the solenoid apart to reveal burnt contacts.

 

IMG_4452_zpse7855b1b.jpg

 

A polish up of all 3 pieces on the belt sander, and now it seems to work (although I have only tried it half a dozen times).

 

This thing has been a lot of work for a new engine!

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cleat

I own a Chinese tractor (Dongfeng 254) and the design is great but the assembly is questionable. Then again, the assemblers get paid next to nothing so why would they care ? Overall a great tractor though once I went through and checked everything. Starts instantly, runs great, burns little fuel, oil pressure good, oil stays clean for a long time.

 

This tractor runs a 72" snowblower, 72" mower deck, 72" box scraper, 8" wood chipper, has a 60" bucket on the front end loader that will lift over 1500 lbs, has a heated cab and with all implements cost under 20,000 new.

 

Try that with a supposedly north American make..

 

I will be looking into a Chinese engine if my onan (or the kohler in my LGT) ever gives up.

 

Cleat

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Martin

Very informative thread Mike. Surprising what lengths you had to go to in order to make this engine "reliable"....... I guess time will tell how long it lasts. I'm sure with the effort you put in, you've prevented premature end of life of the engine. To me, it sound like you've done the work that's lacking at the factory in order to keep the price down. Now that I've read this thread, if I ever bought a Chinese engine I would be sourcing a full gasket set at the same time and pulling that thing down as soon as it got home....... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited by Martin

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clemedc

I am currently in the Philippines with my wife and I have been looking at the SUPER KAMA 10hp diesel. It is very tempting to buy one to use to power a generac generator I picked up this summer because the price is at about $350.00 USD here. There is the possibility that it is a clone of a clone but the SUPER KAMA is the higher quality engine offered here. This engine would be left here in the Philippines and could possibly repower one of my Wheel Horse tractors if I decide to ship one or 2 here.

 Thanks for the post

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sorekiwi

I'm glad that some people have been interested in this thread. 

 

I think that a lot of us have been interested in these engines for a while, and the people that go ahead and do it seem to fall into two categories - no problems at all, or catastrophic failure reasonably early on.  I think if I was to do it again, I would buy an engine with the most reputable warranty I could find, and get it up and running in the tractor as quickly as possible to maximize the warranty period.

 

The engine I bought was sold without warranty, but I paid about a third of the current ebay prices as well.

 

All up, (including the engine purchase price, the straight shaft crankshaft, gaskets, the pieces I replaced, plus the exhaust pieces, electric fuel pump and consumables), I have jus under $500 in this thing.  I could have rebuilt a K341 for that and probably had a better tractor in the end.  It has been interesting though, and I have learnt a bit.  I've been an auto mechanic my whole life but have really not had too much to do with diesels.

 

The tractor performs pretty well with the swap.  It mowed well with a 48" deck.  I did discover that the Eaton 7 wasn't as strong as I had thought.  It worked fine while mowing, but when I went to drag a plug aerator around (with 200lbs of sandbags on it!), the tranny didn't really want to know.  I swapped in an Eaton 1100 that I had earmarked for my 520H, and so far the tractor has taken everything I have thrown at it.  Now the tractor has the hydraulic lift, so selling the electric lift kit may help fill in a little bit of the money pit that I have dug.

 

The punch list at this stage is reasonably small, fit a glow-plug for easier starting in the cold, and when I find an air filter that I like I will move that back under the hood (probably above the starter motor).  Suppose I need to splash some paint on the hood and seat pan as well at some stage.

 

IMG_4426_zpsc8575662.jpg

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Lars

Wow Nice and interesting reading..  And the tractor sure looks good whit that engine under the hood.. :)

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Martin

 Suppose I need to splash some paint on the hood and seat pan as well at some stage.

 

IMG_4426_zpsc8575662.jpg

 

 

alright you've got it going, now you need to get it shining.......

 

Is that Ari on the tractor Mike? if it is she's really growing up, the teenage years look like they are upon you now, have fun!!!!!!!

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sorekiwi

 

alright you've got it going, now you need to get it shining.......

 

Is that Ari on the tractor Mike? if it is she's really growing up, the teenage years look like they are upon you now, have fun!!!!!!!

 

 

Yeah, my baby girl is growing up way too fast.  She deals with the hydro tractors a lot better than the Lawn Ranger, she still gets spooked by the wheel stands!

 

I hate shiny tractors these days, every scratch in new paint bugs me.  But this one has a ton of bubbly paint, so I'm gonna have to do something.  The belt guard, footrests and dash tower have all been rattle canned as I've been working on the tractor.  She's no beauty queen, but come closing time she looks pretty damn good!

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Martin

yeah, the shiny tractor thing is hard when you find the scratches etc. the powder i use is much more robust than the rattle cans so i don't worry too much, but they still scratch when people put their fingers in your dust covered paint.......

I'm starting to like buffing the old weathered paint and just putting up with the scratches and minor defects. still looks good from a distance and nice and shiny.....

of course the paint needs to be savable in the first place. the original stuff is much easier to revive than newer rattle can. you might find it will come up better with some of that new zealand elbow grease..... :thumbs:

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sorekiwi

I'm starting to like buffing the old weathered paint and just putting up with the scratches and minor defects. still looks good from a distance and nice and shiny.....

of course the paint needs to be savable in the first place. the original stuff is much easier to revive than newer rattle can. you might find it will come up better with some of that new zealand elbow grease..... :thumbs:

 

I know what you are saying Martin.  I am a fan of original paint if its in good enough condition.  My '73 14 Auto still has really nice factory paint, and a little wax does wonders.

 

Is it powder that is on the later tractors?  Whatever it is it doesn't stick as good as whatever they used on the 70's era tractors.

 

I think this will take a little more than a quick buff up:

 

IMG_3227.jpg

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Martin

well it might take a little more than a quick job, but i think you could get that looking reasonable.......

the missing paint would still be missing, but that weathered red should come up similar to this.

 

post-4321-0-77310200-1383514536_thumb.jp

 

post-4321-0-47258900-1383514577_thumb.jp

 

hard to see from this pic but the paint was dull, took more than a hand buffing, was wearing me out big time, so i used a small da polisher drill attachment from meguairs and their compounding liquid. well worth the effort. i thing the battle scars need to stay as it gives some 'character'.......

 

post-4321-0-75387900-1383514718_thumb.jp

 

how it looks now.......

 

post-4321-0-87747500-1383515250_thumb.jp

 

the polisher didn't turn the crappy looking deck into a nice snow plow, its good but its not that good..........

 

the gt1848 is getting the same treatment, its the metallic though and isn't coming up as good as the solid red. still will make the tractor look a little fresher.....

 

oh, i forgot to mention that I'm almost positive they used powder on these later ones. thing is the powder isn't to blame for the peeling, its all in the surface prep. a lot of the stuff we do for customers that don't want to pay for surface prep will look exactly the same in 20 years or so.

enough hijacking your thread already, sorry.....

Edited by Martin
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timo4352

This has been an interesting thread,  and thank you for posting it. Now I guess the question is the long term durability of the thing, and if something does go wrong can you find parts for it?

Best of luck with your new toy. :bow-yellow:

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310-8 wheelhorse

Where did u get you engine they have disappeared from ebay

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Don1977

Where did u get you engine they have disappeared from ebay

Take a look at "A1- Biofuel". Your EPA Stopped all sales of Chinese Diesels.

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CasualObserver

Where did u get you engine they have disappeared from ebay

 

This thread is a year old..... but this is a popular seller.... http://www.carrollstream.com/Diesel_Engines_s/36.htm

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310-8 wheelhorse

Their lot more money now they were only 600 with wiring and glow plug

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sorekiwi

Had the little one doing some work today, and I had the thought to take a quick video:

th_WP_20150523_001_zpseljq7skm.mp4

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