[cobra2411]

Well it didn't take long after getting the 318 that I drug home another green tractor... Seems to be my style - you need at least 2 of each right??

It has a K341 with a two-piece connecting rod and free floating piston. Not really a good design for performance... Side panels are there, just not on it at the moment. It is missing the grill though.

It's rough around the edges but seems like it has good bones. Seller said he just tuned it up, put new spindle bearings and belts on then mowed 3 times before it died.

I'm assuming the 341 will need machine work for both the crank and bore along with probably a 10/10 rebuild set. I want to say that's like $5-700, maybe more. Everything is more these days...

A HotRod 459cc 16hp Predator is on sale for $440... Will need a BFH mod on the one side panel. I'm reasonable sure it will anyway...

Then there's the Predator 670 22hp V-Twin for $949.

Not sure exactly what I'm going to do, but I'm kind of thinking aux hydraulics, FEL and Backhoe. 22hp would be nice but the 16hp 459 is looking budget friendly and likely enough.

Question for those that know these better than I do, could I add aux hydraulics and use the factory valves? The block or re-route the lines from the hydro? I think it would be neat for the FEL. Yeah, I could use the front ports but the speed would be slow.

 

[PA318Guy]

All kinds of mods you can do to them. I've seen backhoes on JD 400 but not on a 317 but I'm sure it's probably been done. You might have to get some custom lines but you could T the lines to add ports and maybe use some electric activated solenoids to switch between lines or use a manual valve. JD did this to give rear outlets for a 3 pt. hitch.

 

[PA318Guy]

Here you go for a little inspiration...just had to see if I could find one!

John Deere 317 with Brantly Manufacturing Implements - YouTube

 

[cobra2411]

Oh, I'm going to build a loader and backhoe, don't need any motivation there, just need to decide on what...

Plans for a loader, backhoe and pin-on loader from PF Engineering...

I was going to wait till I got the engine out to test the hydro then I remembered the con rod was shot and there's no compression... So I hooked up a jump box and abused the starter some...

Hydro works fine...

 

[cobra2411]

Decided to do an EV conversion...

 

[PA318Guy]

Decided to do an EV conversion...

Obviously, an eternal optimist, nice conversion!

 

[javjacob]

I would rebuild the K341

 

[cobra2411]

I'm not scraping the 341 but if it needs bored and the crank turned, plus typical parts it's probably 2x the cost of the HF 459 engine. Plus I bought this with the intent of repowering it.

Maybe I'll use the 341 in something else, maybe I'll sell it, maybe it'll sit in my garage forever... But it's not going back into the 300.

Now the Onan in my 318? Good chance I'd rebuild that unless it was a catastrophic failure.

 

[Father Deerest]

What are you going to use for a PTO/driveline hub? There is a website for HF670 but nothing for single cylinder 300 series that I've been able to find. If you have steel turning machines we would like to see the How To, DYI. I could watch a lathe or mill turning down metal for hours, I find it very relaxing.

 

[cobra2411]

Going to make my own. I wish I had a CNC or even a mill but a lathe will have to do...

 

[cobra2411]

Just picked up a foot of 3" dia aluminum round bar... I love my local Amish supplier... $33. Online I see $70-80 + Shipping.

Also found some 3/4 DOM .120 wall for making bushings. PF Engineering has a writeup on using some 1" .120 wall with a .760 ID, some .750OD x .510ID DOM and a half inch pin for a .010" clearance. The idea is the .750x.510 piece is replaceable. I usually go to Joseph Fazio Inc in Glassborough NJ and get as much as I can from the bargain section but they only had 3/4 .095 wall DOM so I would have about a 0.060 clearance. Not horrible but not great. Once again I searched online but the price was astronomical then there was shipping. One place I found that was somewhat reasonable required an 17' length minimum with only 1 cut. $55 which was a good price, but $433 shipping... That works out to almost $30 per foot... I got 6' for $23 plus a $2 cut fee.

I get shipping costs but some suppliers' prices are astronomical then they add shipping on top. The local place has a limited supply, mainly because they make farm equipment and if it's not something they use they might not have it. Fazio's has just about everything and is only 1-1/2 away. The worst part about them now is since the coof they're closed on Saturday so I have to take off to go there. By the time I shop and sight see (They're on 23 acres with LOTS of cool and weird stuff) it's 5-6 hours. But pricing is reasonable at both and kind of what I just the pricing of other places. Even when there was a metal supermarket nearby their prices where inline more or less.

In other news, I found out why they release wouldn't work. The jam nut for the knob was down at the base of the screw, locking it in place. So you couldn't thread it in to press on the release valves. Works now.

I'll get some pictures soon. I want to get some measurements and such before I pull the engine out, so not much has happened so far. Once I know some dimensions I'm going to make the adapter for the driveshaft and likely I'm not going to use the JD adapter piece. I want to add a v-belt pulley or two in there if I can fit it, so if I make the adapter come all the way out I can machine the pulley as part of the assembly. Ultimately I want to build a FEL and will run an aux pump so I can drive it from the driveshaft adapter. Also, the "Charge" coil in the engine only puts out 1A so I'm going to most likely run an external alternator, again, driven off that pulley. I'd like to run two belts but I can figure out how to run 1 belt.

 

[Father Deerest]

Here is a few sites I've found, you maybe already have them but for the sake of others watching your post.
This one for hubs, adaptors, pulleys, and ideas:

Drive Hubs and Adapters

www.performance670.com

This one for a clutch mounting plate:

Clutch-Plate-H

Item SpecificationsShipping Rate Weight: 3Product Condition: New

www.smallenginewarehouse.com

For front wheel 4 bolt conversions:

Go Kart Wheel Hubs | Racing Kart Hubs | BMI Karts and Parts

www.bmikarts.com

I have a ton of websites I use for ideas and products not relating to tractors but still work or be made to work.

 

[cobra2411]

The first two I was familiar with, the last one I wasn't. Good stuff as I plan on converting the front to bolt on wheels.

So far, taking some quick measurements the front PTO pulley will sit 3/4" forward because of the step on the crank. The bolt pattern seems correct but spacers are needed.


So for those following at home the problems so far are:

the 459 has a 1amp charge coil. Even if you add a second one you're unlikely to get more than 2-3amps at WOT which isn't enough to handle the PTO. Existing 420 flywheels don't fit so not sure if there's an aftermarket solution other than an external alternator.

The PTO will move approximately 3/4" forward so the engine has to move 3/4 back. That may or may not be a problem but I do want to machine a V-Belt pulley into the driveshaft adapter and at some point I'll run out of room.

For the drive side, there's no available pin drive adapter to mount to the driveshaft. You will have to make something or cobble. They do have stuff at Performance 670 to put the 420 into a Cub, so maybe you could start there or maybe since they do have something for the 670 they could make one.

None of this bothers me so far. Bolt on is boring and while I can appreciate keeping it stock or getting a donor 316 or something for the Onan I want to put something different together with this.

My desire is to keep the driveshaft intact but if I can't get everything to fit where I want it to I can shorten it pretty easy.

Reminds me of an old meme...

When you have a hammer everything is a nail. When you have a welder everything is whatever you want it to be...

 

[Father Deerest]

Yup the reason I put up the Performance 670 was to show you they have the V pulley and a hub already made, they fit as one piece at 1:50. Here is an old video showing it being done. He also shows supercharging and a variety of other fun ideas to add to a tractor.

 

[mopar65pa]

The K engines are one of the most reliable long lasting engines ever built.

 

[cobra2411]

I won't argue that. I just want to do something different.

 

[cobra2411]

A little teaser...

Starting to bore the hole

Using the indexer to mark three equal spaced holes for the drive pins. Sixty holes, so make a mark, skip 20, make a mark, skip 20 make a mark...

Lathe is a 1947 Atlas 10A. Works well enough for what I need it for. Yeah, DRO and quick change toolposts would be nice, as would a stiffer frame but for what little I do it's more than enough.

Here's the bored part. The drill walked on this side so I used the other side for the pins. I used a centering bit first. Also, the marks that are visible are because my friend didn't believe me when I said you can't mill in a drill press...

The part is intentionally long at this point and will get cut down and made two pieces with the pulley being part of the second piece. Or maybe even 3 pieces with the adapter to the JD driveshaft being the third.