350 Straight Engine Swap to 3-179

[Horn]

1968 350 Straight engine swap ? I have purchased 3-179 that I would like to put into the 350 I have. Does anybody know the correct water pump and cover for this engine swap in the 350 straight? Thanks!

[LeonardL]

The water pump should be a AR65262. What cover are you referring to? Better yet... What did your 3179 come out of?

[Horn]

The motor was manufactured in 1995. It was a new surplus motor shipped loose from the factory with an SAE #4 bell housing. The cover is for the back of the water pump and also holds the radiator bracket that I need. Thanks.

[CatD8RII]

The part number that Leonard listed is for the complete water pump, and should include the back cover that you need.

[Horn]

Thanks, I will order it!

[LeonardL]

Just curious what engine you have in your 350? Gas or diesel?

[Horn]

Gas 3-152 .

[Horn]

Gas 3-152 .

[JWB Contracting]

I would be fairly careful in operating the crawler after installing this engine. These engines have alot more torque than the original engine, we have twisted off the reverser / tranny drive couple plus took the bearings out of the crown and pinion.

Our engine came to us out of a compressor. It runs great and will start up to about minus 5 to minus 10 degress celcius without any either. This machine is a wide pad loader with a 9550 hoe so I would say we are using the machine to the extreme. We are now very carefuly in running the machine in 3rd gear... It is not very often that we even need to run the machine at more than an idle when clearing right of ways and doing pipeline clean up.

The factory engines barely have enough power to run a wide pad hoe unit when the tracks get full of mud and with this upgraded engine it works very well. We don't let the hired hand run it either.

[LeonardL]

If it hasn't been said yet on this forum then it needs to be said... A 350s working gears are 1st and 2nd. Like it or not they are slow. If you do use 3rd it should only be for finish work or back dragging. One of our older, true operators called back dragging "Pussying" He always said, "The front of the blade is for working. The back of the blade was to hold your cutting edge on".

With that said I agree that when changing this older 350 to this higher torque engine will mean more strain on the drive line. We also had issues with bearings and couplers being torn out. Some of this was caused from the added strain to older style bearings. However most this was caused when our "Operators" were using 3rd and sometimes even 4th gear as a working gear. Uh! Yeah!!
I use the word "Operators" loosely! These guys were anything but operators!
I do think you can do this and be much happier with your machine. Although I have a certain fondness for the old gasers. Good luck!

[digitup2]

I agree with Leonard on the back dragging.One of my operators who is the most experienced of the lot will not back blade his 550J dozer is like new on the back of the blade all his blade is paint to the cutting edge And the rest of the 550Js have no paint on the bottom third of the blade back They have ball and socket problems but not his .and don't ask him to back blade either he will tell you No don't do that !!It is just the difference in the operator even I use the back blade for the fine stuff.We found that the 350s and early 450s up to the 450C used a heavier block than some of Deere's replacement blocks so you have to watch what you purchase as some of the compressor and combine blocks were built too light for dozer service.Lots of power but just too light to hang off the front of a dozer that is banging and hammering around I think you will find that Mother Deere built blocks with different thicknesses of castings and different alloys for different machines and applications .Just my opinion though.Digitup.

[Tigerhaze]

I think you will find that Mother Deere built blocks with different thicknesses of castings and different alloys for different machines and applications .Just my opinion though.Digitup.

Great insight- this may help explain why the casting numbers for the engine blocks on the 2010 wheel tractors differ than those for the 2010 crawlers.