3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. September 30, 2016 08:25AM
I inherited a (1968?) JD 3020 gasser. It is in great shape and was always stored inside. I have worked on it for hours and hours. Dealer too lol. Can't get it to run decent. I have decided to look into converting it to a diesel. I'm a diesel mechanic by trade so I should be able to handle it fine. I'm not familiar with these at all. Did the diesel run the same block as the gasser? If so, I'm assuming different head? I'm hoping it would be a possibility to install the diesel necessary parts to change to diesel. If not, where can a guy find a diesel engine for it. Needing a rebuild is not a problem. What other engines can be installed in this? I'm new to this forum and upon looking around it appears it is a pretty cool place. Thumbs Up
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. September 30, 2016 11:08AM
A complete 3020 diesel engine will bolt in. Have to change throttle linkage, air intake from air cleaner, add a fuel return line to the tank and get a 12 volt diesel starter. These are the major items I can think of.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. September 30, 2016 02:31PM
I do not recommend trying to convert the gas engine to diesel, Deere did not use the same block, they had 3 mains instead of 5 with a different bore/stroke combo.

You would need a Diesel engine of course, the 270 is getting harder to find and I'm not the biggest fan of them. In addition to what was mentioned you will also need a diesel flywheel, possibly a diesel air clearer, they are larger on the early tractors.

I put a 239 in one, it is not the type of conversion you just throw together, takes a little thinking and a bunch of work.
Link to 3020 239 swap
Other replies to 3020 239 swap
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. September 30, 2016 03:55PM
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chadk66
I inherited a (1968?) JD 3020 gasser. It is in great shape and was always stored inside. I have worked on it for hours and hours. Dealer too lol. Can't get it to run decent. I have decided to look into converting it to a diesel. I'm a diesel mechanic by trade so I should be able to handle it fine. I'm not familiar with these at all. Did the diesel run the same block as the gasser? If so, I'm assuming different head? I'm hoping it would be a possibility to install the diesel necessary parts to change to diesel. If not, where can a guy find a diesel engine for it. Needing a rebuild is not a problem. What other engines can be installed in this? I'm new to this forum and upon looking around it appears it is a pretty cool place. Thumbs Up

They ran fine when new. It will again. There's no such excuse that, no one can get it to run decent. It's either a valve, ignition, or fuel issue, none of which are difficult to fix. If it turns out to be the carb,which is very likely, I'd send it to a pro and have it redone. That's more than likely what's wrong. Letting it set with old gas probably has the air and fuel passageways crudded all up. Once you get the carb redone, don't leave it set with today's gas in it or the carb will be junk.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 01, 2016 12:12AM
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Don't do it
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chadk66
I inherited a (1968?) JD 3020 gasser. It is in great shape and was always stored inside. I have worked on it for hours and hours. Dealer too lol. Can't get it to run decent. I have decided to look into converting it to a diesel. I'm a diesel mechanic by trade so I should be able to handle it fine. I'm not familiar with these at all. Did the diesel run the same block as the gasser? If so, I'm assuming different head? I'm hoping it would be a possibility to install the diesel necessary parts to change to diesel. If not, where can a guy find a diesel engine for it. Needing a rebuild is not a problem. What other engines can be installed in this? I'm new to this forum and upon looking around it appears it is a pretty cool place. Thumbs Up

They ran fine when new. It will again. There's no such excuse that, no one can get it to run decent. It's either a valve, ignition, or fuel issue, none of which are difficult to fix. If it turns out to be the carb,which is very likely, I'd send it to a pro and have it redone. That's more than likely what's wrong. Letting it set with old gas probably has the air and fuel passageways crudded all up. Once you get the carb redone, don't leave it set with today's gas in it or the carb will be junk.
I agree. I replaced the carb with what is supposedly a rebuilt one. I have no way of knowing for sure if it is. I changed everything out on the ignition side. Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc. Fuel tank was drained, cleaned and petcock replaced. Fuel pump works great. I don't know what the compression should be but I had 90-95 in all cylinders. That seems about right for engines of that vintage. When my step dad had it, it ran great up until the last couple years. Every time he used it she ran worse and worse. I would love to keep it 100% original as it is in magnificent shape. I think it has 1800 hours. His dad bought it new. I think this winter I will pull it into the shop and tear it down in-frame and see if I can find anything. '

When I did have it running it backfired a lot. Which leads me to believe there was either a timing issue, fuel issue or as you mentioned a bad valve. And adjusting the carburator did nothing in regards to changing how it ran. It was acting like it was running extremely rich. Who would be a reputable shop to send the carb to?
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 01, 2016 02:18AM
Denny's Carb Shop. Google it, they have a website.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. September 30, 2016 11:24PM
Get ya a 3.9 or 4.5 liter engine and put in it...you will enjoy that engine much more than an old 3020 diesel engine....besides that the 3.9 and 4.5 engines are much more plentiful than the old 3020 diesel engines are
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 01, 2016 12:14AM
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JD4440
Get ya a 3.9 or 4.5 liter engine and put in it...you will enjoy that engine much more than an old 3020 diesel engine....besides that the 3.9 and 4.5 engines are much more plentiful than the old 3020 diesel engines are
yea I've talked to two salvage yards and both said the original diesel is extremely rare to find.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 02, 2016 06:03AM
I will buy the carb if you want to sell it, mines cracked, 715 554 7785 thanks
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 01, 2016 03:26AM
I'm not a Deere guy, but if those compression numbers are accurate, the are 50 pounds or more low. I'd expect that tractor to have 150 to 170 psi cranking compression. You need all four spark plugs removed, throttle wide open and a battery charger on the battery to get a real good honest reading. 90 to 95 psi is very low in my books.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 01, 2016 03:48AM
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tune-up
I'm not a Deere guy, but if those compression numbers are accurate, the are 50 pounds or more low. I'd expect that tractor to have 150 to 170 psi cranking compression. You need all four spark plugs removed, throttle wide open and a battery charger on the battery to get a real good honest reading. 90 to 95 psi is very low in my books.
if that's the case then there in-lies the problem.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 03, 2016 02:34PM
you won't have any compression if you remove the spark plugs
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 04, 2016 08:05AM
To run a good compression test you remove all spark plugs and install a compression tester in place of one plug one cylinder at a time.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 01, 2016 03:52AM
may consider converting it to electronic ignition. Get rid of the points and condenser. This will resolve any worn out distributor issues. Sloppy rotors in the distributor make it impossible to set the points. I have done this a few times and been happy with the results............. Those carbs are pretty simple. Rebuild it and have the sloppy throttle shaft repaired. Should fix your problem and run like a swiss watch when you are done.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 03, 2016 03:51PM
We have a repair shop and growing with two of them there is a couple of thing that need to be done. send me a private message.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 04, 2016 04:32AM
Can't get a PM to you. You aren't showing up in the list to send.
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 04, 2016 07:58AM
There is a motor out of a 3130 which I think was a 329 ran good may be available if you want to do a switch
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Re: 3020 Gas to Diesel Conv. October 04, 2016 05:34AM
use his email michelsrepair@hotmail.com
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