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changing gas to diesel on Wood Mizer

Started by sawlogs, July 13, 2013, 10:07:58 PM

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sawlogs

Hey guys, I need a little advice. I have a 1993 woodmizer LT40HDG24.I have a kohler gas engine on it and want to replace it with a Kubota D1105E 28hp diesel that I picked up for a really good price, its mounted on a frame with radiator. my question is how hard is the change and what all is involved?, what changes will need to be made?.. I am mechanically inclined but a little over my head here!.. any help would be appreciated!.. thanks. ???

pineywoods

Sawlogs, I went through the same thoughts when the briggs on my 95 wm lt40 just wore out. Building a different motor mount would be fairly straight forward, but what will most likely nix the idea is weight. Go look at an lt40 with a diesel engine, there's lots of things different from yours. Bigger up-down motor, bigger gearbox, heavier support chains, well you get the idea. If you decide to tackle the project, here's something you might consider.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,27272.msg985800.html#msg985800

Btw, I looked at a late model super with a kubota power plant, and based on what I saw  went with a 25 hp liquid cooled kawasaki.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Great reply Pineywoods. Some of the things you said, I never even thought about.
I learned something here.  smiley_thumbsup
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

drobertson

Never ran a gas model, not much to say,  I believe lots of lumber has come from gas engines,  I like my diesel, and it works.  david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

sawlogs

pineywoods thanks for the info, but I looked at the dry weights on both engines, and the Kubota actually weighs 1 pound less than the kohler! ... kohler 94 and Kubota 93lbs..so I guess now all I need to figure out is how to mount it!

WoodenHead

I looked at that engine before and was thinking the same way as you.   ;D    However, if I'm not mistaken the engine weighed 93 kg (205lbs) dry.   ;)  For the very reasons that Pineywoods has said I gave up on the idea.  :'(

If you are looking for more power, I was unofficially told by some great guys at Woodmizer that it was possible to upgrade to a 38HP Kohler gas with little to no modification to head.  The dry weight is only 20 lbs or so heavier.  When my engine dies someday, I will likely attempt to upgrade in that direction (unless I buy another mill   ;)).

ladylake


  By time you get the starter, alternator, flywheel, radiator , anti freeze , etc it will be close to 300#. If you do a lot of sawing it might be time to trade up to a diesel.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

sawlogs

woodenhead, thanks for the correction! I still think it will work guys!...I had 3/ 60# sacks of concrete and added it to the head of the mill, with the combined weight of the concrete and the kohler I was around 280#s. the up down and lift chains worked fine! actually up even seemed faster and of course as well as down was faster! my lift chains look heaver than the others I have seen! maybe somebody already changed over to HD chains 8)?.. anyway im gonna continue to move forward and not give up for now!.. thanks guys and keep the comments coming! 8)

bandmiller2

Logs,you could look at your mill and see if theirs room for counterweight.Mayby a tube attached to the upright with a weight cable over the top on a pulley to the saw frame. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Dave Shepard

I think pineywoods made a spring counter balance system for his LT40.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

sawlogs

ok guys, just finished mounting the engine. everything seems to look like its gonna work! my up/down and forward/reverse working well. although I haven't hooked it up and started it yet, fingers crossed :-\. should get that finished today and hopefully be blowing black smoke by evening. ill keep you guys updated on the progress! thanks for all the info and keep it coming. 8) 8)

sawlogs

oh and 1 other thing im a little concerned about is trying to figure out how to mount my pulley to the flywheel, ill probley end up having a machine shop make me something! any ideas??????? ???

Dave Shepard

On my 51 CAT there is some sort of stub shaft on a flange bolted to the flywheel. If you have one of those special stepped sheaves having something made up will probably be the best way to get it mounted.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

sawlogs

Hey Dave, thanks for the input! do you have a pic you can post so I can see exactly what I need?, thanks! :P

Chuck White

These are pics I took after I completed the Pineywoods Lift assist modification to my mill.

I did this mod because I felt the little up/dn motor was working a little too hard and was going through brushes a lot faster than normal.

Pineywoods suggests putting 2 springs on, where I only have one.  I'll probably add a second spring before I start sawing next Spring!

With this mod, the up/dn seems to be a lot smoother.






 
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

sawlogs

Hey Chuck, I see how that would help! and ill most likely end up doing that to my mill. although my mill seems to handle the bigger heavier Kubota I think it will help reduce stress on my lift motor. thanks Chuck!

redprospector

Quote from: sawlogs on July 16, 2013, 11:45:12 AM
oh and 1 other thing im a little concerned about is trying to figure out how to mount my pulley to the flywheel, ill probley end up having a machine shop make me something! any ideas??????? ???

When I put the VW engine on the mill I built I had the machine shop build me a shaft.
It's basically a 1/4" plate cut and drilled to bolt to the flywheel where a clutch would attach. Mine has a 2" shaft sticking out of the center. Measure and have the shaft made the length you need, and make sure they know what it's for so they will balance it.

Andy
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

ladylake


  I'd for sure do the garage door spring right away, I have a torsion garage spring on mine with just a cable going down which can be wound up more or less, mine is more.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

pineywoods

Something else to consider. I know of 2 cases on older mills where the shaft coming out of the up/down gearbox has twisted off. Catastrophic sudden head drop. be careful. On the late model mills, that shaft is noticeably beefier..
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

sawlogs

yep, piney! don't want that to happen!,. anyway got the Kubota mounted and blowing smoke, now Im just waiting on the machine shop to get my custom pulley shaft done. this engine was fairly easy to mount once I figured out how to mount it! ha ha!!!!!!!!! a lot of things to consider besides all the ideas you guys have is, alternator, the one on the Kubota is only 40 amp so I had to figure out a way to mount my 105 amp alternator, the diesel has a return fuel line that was no big deal but just something extra to do! my drive belt is too short gonna need to figure that out as well!.............just a lot of little stuff that takes up a lot of time, hopefully it will be worth it.. thanks guys keep em commin! 8)

ladylake

 That gives you time to get that spring assist on, might check if the newer bigger gearbox will fit also.  And yes it will be more than worth it. Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

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