PT-184 engine swap

[maddmatt16052]

I am in the process of changing my engine on my PT-184. It originally had a 18hp briggs opposed cylinder engine and I'm upgrading to a brand new 23hp briggs V-twin. I would of liked to of stayed with an oppossed cylinder engine (direct bolt up) but they do not make them anymore, so I had to go with the V-twin and do a little re-enginering on things because of the size differance of the two engines. My Father bought this tractor new in 1995 (i think). I bought it off him in 2002 when he got his PT-422. It has been a great tractor, I never had any problems untill the engine went. With the price of new tractors and the attachments (bucket, mower, snowblade) and the lack of my bank account, I decided to get a new engine.


My power-trac is an older model with the pins for the atachments, not the quick disconect plate. Has any one installed one of the plates on an older power-trac? I was thinking of doing this to mine once I'm done with the engine swap.

Thanks for looking,
Matt

 

[KentT]

I think you're going to like that new Vanguard V-twin... much smoother engine, and should be quieter, if you can rig a good muffler setup.

 

[maddmatt16052]

Good to hear about the smoothness.
:thumbsup:
I have a new muffler system that I bought for the V-twin engine, I'll get a pic of it as soon as I can get back at it.

 

[cqaigy2]

I don't see why you couldn't swap to a quick disconnect plate or put 3pt connections on a quick disconnect plate.

Nice project!

 

[BobRip]

I don't see why you couldn't swap to a quick disconnect plate or put 3pt connections on a quick disconnect plate.

Nice project!

I would definitely go with the quick attach system. I don't think it would be that difficult. The quick attach tractor end plate is a three point like system. Dimensions are different of course.

 

[Marks481]

Call PT and talk to Terry. Maybe they will sell you the PT-180 quick attach plate as a spare part. Your family is obviously a good PT customer. Dropping the hint that you are part of a multi-generational PT family couldn't hurt.

The PT-180 quick attach plate would be the easiest to retrofit to your model, since it doesn't use hydraulics to attach/detach.

It is nice to see one of the earlier models still going strong.

 

[Clumber]

It could get expensive, depending on the number of attachments you have to modify. However you will love the new system.

 

[maddmatt16052]

Thanks for the advice, I will have to look into the plate from PT a little harder once i'm done with the current engine project. I just figured that one of you guys have already done the plate or something similiar already.

 

[MossRoad]

Looking at the whole pin setup on the older units, it might be easier to just replace the entire FEL arm assembly with a newer arm assembly with the QA already installed from the factory. Then you would need a female QA plate for each attachment at well.

Also, do the older units have the aux PTO knee lever?

 

[Clumber]

Looking at the whole pin setup on the older units, it might be easier to just replace the entire FEL arm assembly with a newer arm assembly with the QA already installed from the factory. Then you would need a female QA plate for each attachment at well.

Also, do the older units have the aux PTO knee lever?

I don't see any Aux hydraulic connectors in the photos. Probably no Aux control lever either. It would be a major mod to go with hydraulically controlled QA plates. Probably better to go with PT 180 QA plates that do not use hydraulics.

 

[J_J]

I am not so sure the arms are that much different. I think they just 3pt the QA plate onto the lift arms.

All my stuff is 3pt hookup. It would cost to much to convert everything.

I also have the aux hyd.

 

[maddmatt16052]

Yes , your probally right about the cost of converting all my attachments over. Anyways, I think I would rather spend my money on making a grapple like yours. Looks really nice!

 

[maddmatt16052]

Been over ten years and still going strong

 

[maddmatt16052]

 

[MossRoad]

Wow! Nice to hear an update.

 

[ponytug]

Great to hear. Many congratulations on the conversion and its longevity!

All the best, Peter

 

[ernemats]

Why is there a glove on top of the battery? Nice job on the conversion.

 

[MossRoad]

Because it's handy!

 

[cqaigy2]

Still an impressive conversion. Glad to see it's still going strong.

Suspiciously clean looking in the engine compartment though.

 

[maddmatt16052]

Lol, the leather glove is the insulator for the positive battery post. I have a bigger Battery with more cranking amps wedged in there. I use this tractor for plowing in the winter and keep it in an non heated garage. As you guys probably know, these tractors are hard to start when it is bitter cold!