520H to 512H project

[nyquil junkie 328]

Ive been torturing myself not to chop up this fairly good 312h..

 

 

The other day I picked up this 520 roller I used to own, got traded and they blew the engine so whats left is mine again (with the plow).

 

 

The 312s Kohler M12S engine  runs really nice... easy start, quiet, no smoke, smooth at all rpms. I was debating on selling the whole tractor and buying a new 420 Harbor fright engine, I have good luck with those. But, this whole tractor cost me about $75. It has good tires, no rot on them. The right side axle has a weep. Its got rust and dents. the hydro lever is in a bad place for me, i personally don't like it there. If I use what I need to make a good solid tractor, I figure I can sell or salvage whats left and maybe be slightly ahead of the curve. 

 

Because I cant buy that engine and the tires for 75 bucks anywhere... So here we go.

 

Along this slow train wreck I'm gonna need some input so I don't do anything stupid...as I often tend to do. 

 

The 520H has the hydro drive levers on the steering column.  The rear ag tires are almost new, those are going on the 520 loader. Everything is relatively tight, I serviced that trans when I had it before, it worked great. My brother who I traded it to didn't run it very long before he did... something to the big Onan engine and it got parked. So its a good solid roller. The entire wiring system has been stripped out of it. 

 

And I can add another plow attachment to my growing forest of the things, I need to list em all for $50 each and make room. I'll keep one for the newly minted 512H.

 

So, for Step 1 >>>engine removal and transplant.  All I need is the key to start/stop it and for it to charge the battery. My options in my head are 1) build a new wire harness or 2) carefully remove the whole wire harness from the 312, and stuff it in the 520.  What I do not know is, what will this engine function normally with and without, as it pertains to the electrical system. 

 

Unless someone has a better idea...

 

So whats the group opinion for step 1?   

Edited yesterday at 03:09 PM by nyquil junkie

[nyquil junkie 328]

The engine is on the 520 frame..that was less painful than I thought.  I put in a new tank valve and some other fiddlybits that needed replaced. Once I decide whats going on I'll do the electrical. Theres a lot more going on in that 312 harness than I figured. 

[davem1111 2,284]

Unless you're going to bother with some level of restoration (repainting, replacing headlights/taillights) and/or care about safety switches (disclaimer: of course, you *should* care about those!  Most of mine don't work but that's beside the point...), I would just wire up the bare minimum. You don't even need the charging system working for short runs, if you don't mind putting a charger on the battery every time. 

 

I have a 520-H frame that I dropped a Kohler K-17 engine on, that I start by hot-wiring the wire from the solenoid to the battery. It's still a "project" tractor though, and eventually I'd like all the electrical stuff to work, but it's usable in the meantime.

[Bill D 2,996]

I would've just put the swept forward front axle and gear reduction steering in the 312H.  Pretty much the same tractor otherwise. 

[953 nut 67,465]

10 hours ago, nyquil junkie said:

carefully remove the whole wire harness from the 312, and stuff it in the 520.  What I do not know is, what will this engine function normally with and without, as it pertains to the electrical system. 

This should be the easiest and most fool proof way to wire it up, keep all of the switches etc. connected and just mount them on the  "512_H"

[sqrlgtr 3,296]

13 hours ago, Bill D said:

I would've just put the swept forward front axle and gear reduction steering in the 312H.  Pretty much the same tractor otherwise. 

Bill me thinks he's trying to go with the hydro and lift controls on the steering column of the 520H (I like um to), reason for the swap over.

 

 

 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by sqrlgtr

[nyquil junkie 328]

After I got the harness out it didnt seem too bad... I taped up the safeties and made it all more compact, wired it in and stuffed it all beside the battery.  After 30 min of "why doesnt it work" I found the old crusty pto safety needed cleaned and re taped. But then it worked fine, charges like it should, key on off. Works great. I put the plow back on, dug up a set of tire chains... looks like it'll be a good worker. There are a few more bits, like the hydro fan and a new belt that need put on but those are all on the 312.

 

The steering column controls make life a lot better. Much smoother than the awkward 312 setup.  Probably should give it a lube job... who knows when the last time those zerks saw a grease gun.