Fordson dexta engine conversion?

[Vulgunx]

Has anyone tried it what would be a nice engine to fit/not a lot of work to get it fitted

[Bensdexta]

Why would you want to mess with Dexta's wonderful 3 cylinder? One of the things that makes it such a great little tractor, in fact so good it caused MF to replace the 23c engine in the MF35 with the very similar 3cyl Perkins.

I have seen a Dexta fitted with the 3cyl perkins, an easy conversion I believe. Not much point in installing a hugely more powerful engine, as the back end won't take it. Of course you could also convert it to petrol...

[super6954]

Hi
don't worry about the power hurting the back end you'd probably be surprised what that tractor would take in short bursts there have been a few different motors added over the years, seem to remember about guys putting an older 6 D fordson and other perkins engines in.
Why not go 3 cyl turbo. would make it a pocket rocket. Had a MF 135 in college turboed it would spin the tires, from standing start if the yard was wet .
I seem to remember guys saying that the bonnets a pig to extend if going more cylinders. It is tapered so you can't cut and weld 2 bonnets easily like with the major conversion .
I guess the other thing is that you need front axle mountings on the oil pan, or would have to fabricate supports from the back forward to carry the axle .
Try searching youtube and see whats on there for ideas, I think there is a p6 perkins Dexta on there in the back of my memory when searching for something else
Regards Robert

[scoobyjim]

Ive done a thames trader 6 cylinder conversion running about 96hp. Old engine was uneconomical ro repair so fitted that.

Makes awell balanced ttactor with low centre of gravity and a huge power to weight ratio.

It is correct about the bonnets. They are tapered ro you need to male a new one from scratch.

[DEXTA MAN]

I was thinking of putting a bigger engine In a dexta one day.
The engines id think would work would be a small 4 cylinder turbo perkins like fitted to jcb robots which would be a bit longer than original engine but will push out about double the HP or a small v6 which in theory should be same length as the original 3 cylinder engine so no lengthing required (bonnet and axle stays). About the sump problem you could make side rails like on major to connect the front axle to the backplate also the front of the engine could be bolted to the side rails to help hold it (twisting) or you could fabricate a new heavy duty steel sump and make it so the axle carrier bolts straight on.