VTPSD
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2013
- Messages
- 86
- Location
- Starksboro VT
- Tractor
- ford 420 industrial with custom turbo setup, diesel converted wheel horse
I bought this tractor a few weeks ago. Posted on here trying to figure out what model it is. Thanks to some knowledgable people on here i think it is a 1975 420. I have been sorting out all of its issues, and now that I got it working well and not leaking much of anything anymore I decided to add a turbocharger (mostly for fun).
The charger is from a saab turbo car. The compressor map looked about right for this engine, and i calculated it would make about 5 psi of boost at 2000 rpm. Which is exactly what it does. I just finished it up this morning and drove it 12 miles to a friends house and ran it on the harley rake all day long and then drove home. A good trial run for sure. It actually gets down the road better now, its very hilly around here and it will pull hills in 8th that it would not before. It also makes it just work a bit better in general. I am very pleased with it. It comes out of a lug much easier now where it would bog before, it spools up and pulls. Not dramatic, but noticeable. Fun weekend project and it makes all the right sounds now.
here are some pictures of the process from yesterday and today
all the parts to make the swap happen
ready for surgery
the space i have to work with
harvesting the flange
cleaned up
turbo adapter
test mount
timing cover with oil drain added
drain installed
i broke a fitting for the oil feed so i couldnt run it the way i wanted. Had to make do this straight fitting work, dont love how the line is routed, will redo later.
not loving this, have to re-order new hose ends.
cutting the stock opening bigger
fitting stack
and done, doesnt look half bad, actually.
the only issue i had all day was it got a bit hot and spit out a small amount of coolant after climbing the mountain all the way home. it is about a 2000 foot elevation climb so it works HARD to get back up home. It did this last time i had it on the road too. Just barley boils a bit, i throttled her down and get home and it wasnt really hot anymore. Im sure the turbo doenst help this, but it was doing it before as well. Coolant does appear to flow, but it is pretty brown and old looking. Might be time to have the radiator cleaned and change the thermostat. It did run all day long and didnt get hot, which was nice.
short clip of the sound, i think it sounds nice
The charger is from a saab turbo car. The compressor map looked about right for this engine, and i calculated it would make about 5 psi of boost at 2000 rpm. Which is exactly what it does. I just finished it up this morning and drove it 12 miles to a friends house and ran it on the harley rake all day long and then drove home. A good trial run for sure. It actually gets down the road better now, its very hilly around here and it will pull hills in 8th that it would not before. It also makes it just work a bit better in general. I am very pleased with it. It comes out of a lug much easier now where it would bog before, it spools up and pulls. Not dramatic, but noticeable. Fun weekend project and it makes all the right sounds now.
here are some pictures of the process from yesterday and today
all the parts to make the swap happen
ready for surgery
the space i have to work with
harvesting the flange
cleaned up
turbo adapter
test mount
timing cover with oil drain added
drain installed
i broke a fitting for the oil feed so i couldnt run it the way i wanted. Had to make do this straight fitting work, dont love how the line is routed, will redo later.
not loving this, have to re-order new hose ends.
cutting the stock opening bigger
fitting stack
and done, doesnt look half bad, actually.
the only issue i had all day was it got a bit hot and spit out a small amount of coolant after climbing the mountain all the way home. it is about a 2000 foot elevation climb so it works HARD to get back up home. It did this last time i had it on the road too. Just barley boils a bit, i throttled her down and get home and it wasnt really hot anymore. Im sure the turbo doenst help this, but it was doing it before as well. Coolant does appear to flow, but it is pretty brown and old looking. Might be time to have the radiator cleaned and change the thermostat. It did run all day long and didnt get hot, which was nice.
short clip of the sound, i think it sounds nice
