Diesel conversion on BCS 735

[sundogfarmer]

I've got a BCS 735 with the Acme engine that I want to convert to diesel. Has anyone out there done this or a similar project?

Mostly I need to know what to look for in an engine. One fellow I talked to said engine swaps are a piece of cake on these machines but I want to be sure I get a compatible engine. Someone on the other side of town is selling a Lombardini 6LD435, but it's far enough that I haven't gone to see it yet.

From a little bit of reading it sounds like the BCS accepts a 1" keyed shaft. I don't know much about this sort of thing, but can that be changed easily if I buy one that doesn't have that shaft? My skills amount to being able to turn a wrench or socket but I can't do machining or such.

 

[farmersmall]

The diesel conversion would be a great way to make the 735 do more work with less fuel. The lombardini diesels come with many different output shafts for the many kinds of work they are asked to do. A 1" shaft of the right length allows you to buy the conversion kit from Earthtools and mount the motor to the 735. If the lombardini has the same stubby tapered shaft that the ACME engine has then you could reuse the clutch and mount it directly to the 735. It probably doesn't unless it came off of an italian two wheel tractor. You won't really know what the lombardini engine is like unless you look at it in person I would say. The engine is heavier than the ACME and so you will want an extension between your pto tools (rototiller etc.) and the tractor. Some tools like added weights on the attachment to counter balance the engine. Two wheel tractors are like teeter totters (hope that translates) both ends are best when in balance.

 

[ironwood]

I have a 6HP Lombardini and a 6 HP Duetz and would like to put either one on a BCS...looking for a donor BCS now.

 

[Kiwibru]

The 1985-86 model of the BCS 735 used the Lombardini 6LD-360 diesel engine. It does have a tapered shaft and uses a cone clutch. I had to replace my clutch some years ago so I know for sure this is the situation. The 6LD-360 is a 7hp engine but uses a rope start which requires you wrap the rope around the provided rope location on the outside of the cooling port on the engine. They are a bugger to start. I am actually looking now for a replacement engine and as Kohler bought out Lombardini some years back the challenge is finding the correct Kohler diesel engine to swap. The newer engines have compression release and other modern diesel improvements making them much nicer.