For the past 8 months I've been working on getting a Kubota V2203 IDI engine ready to swap into my ****** jeep via an Overland Diesel kit. Pictures of my jeep here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...8909418&type=3

The engine came out of a 4000 hour L4300 tractor that had a cracked head. I saw the engine run at the local Kubota dealer and the customer wanted a new engine to minimize downtime so I bought it, a new head and shallow pan as well as having the injectors mildly rebuilt by Dynomite Diesel. All cleaned up and painted here:



This past weekend I started bolting the adapter plate and flywheel on and found that the starter would not fit into the plate because of the engine block casting in this picture:



I guess I should have checked earlier , but this caught me by surprise since all the pictures I saw of the V2203 never came with this casting. Only certain versions of the V2403 had this casting.

What is this casting for? Is there an oil or coolant passage there or is it just extra block stiffening?

Anyhow, I am now weighing the following options subject to further feedback:

1) R&R a spare IDI V2203 block I have. It had a cracked head too and that was supposedly the only thing wrong with it. It doesn't look like anything catastrophic happened to it: cylinders visually look great and head looked OK apart from crack. Worst case rebuild cost is >$1000 plus machining, but I've read these engines are fairly tough.
2) purchase used V2203 DI engine from EBAY or whatever.

I'm 50/50 leaning towards rebuilding the spare and swapping the top end and pan over to it from the original engine just because I like to tinker and learn, but in the back of my mind cost and available time fit in too.

I welcome your views on these options too.

 

Nice ******

That block is kinda worrisome. I have not come across this yet. My adapters would appear to clear the casting but it is good to know that these blocks are out their.

Can you check the comp on you other IDI block? You may just be able to swap the top end and call it good.

If it was me I would find a DI motor. Would make more power and get better mileage at the same time. You may be able to sell this motor and recover the cost of the DI.

I am currently also looking for a DI.
Good luck and thank you for the pictures.

Thanks
Ken
SPMachining

 

I have not had an engine with that set up, not sure why it's made like that. It looks like it could contain a counter shaft or something. The throttle lever is in a different place too.

Having done both a IDI and a DI trucks I would STRONGLY encourage you to find a DI engine!!!! My trucks are night and day, the DI will absolutely run off and leave the IDI truck. The IDI truck run great but the DI runs even better.

 

Thanks for the responses. I'm going to see if I can find a DI engine and sell this one.

 

I had noticed the throttle lever also. I went out and looked at my IDI and yours has a different shut off lever and solenoid setup that I don't recognize. I would understand a balance shaft in a genset unit but in a tractor I doubt you would find one.

I do like where your intake inlet is over my motor also

 

IDI VS DI

Direct injection diesels are as much as 15 percent more efficient than IDI diesels in terms of thermal efficiency. Power and torque output is up to 40 percent better with DI. Additionally, fuel consumption is up to 30 percent less, and that means carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon emissions are reduced by a similar amount. The transition of the burning gases from the precombustion chamber to the cylinder in IDI diesels results in significant heat losses into the cylinder head and cylinder walls, which reduces efficiency.

 

I found out my IDI V2203 is an AG model. I couldn't find any information online on the AG models so I pulled the pan yesterday and saw 2 shafts - one on each side of the block where the casting protrusions are - that appear to run off of the crank gear. Half the shaft is smooth semi circular in shape and the other half is like a paddle to sling oil. Are these block stiffeners engineered to also help lubricate the engine more?

Pictures:





Anyhow, I ordered a DI engine and found a buyer for my AG IDI engine and spare IDI block so hopefully I can return to the project soon.

 

EDIT:

Shafts are dynamic balancers.