PICS! Econo Car conversion to Kubota Diesel. 1997 Geo Metro, Kubota D1005 3 cylinder

[planejob]

Originally Posted by ME_Andy

Or you could grind down the bolt heads on the existing bolts. That wold be the ghetto approach (and my preferred one)

I'm not above that...

[iveyjh]

[QUOTE=planejob;500642]Well, it's been a long time with no update! Work has been busy. I'm home ill from the turkey day festivities so I thought I'd bring you all up to speed.

The Flywheel:
The generator flywheel that came with the engine will not work. It weighs 35 pounds, has too large of a diameter to fit inside the transmission case, is too thick to allow the transmission to mate to the adapter, and has no surface that a friction plate could push against - it's machined for a bolt on hub.
So I got to thinking, ordered a new flywheel for a D905, one that's fitted to a tractor. The diameter is perfect, the depth can be dealt with... but the friction face is HUGE, and oriented differently than expected in relation to the edge.
The touch decision was made to use the 3cyl flywheel from Suzuki and bore out the mounting counter bore to fit the Kubota. The Geo/suzuki crankshaft end measure 68.00mm on my broken gas engine. the crankshaft end of the Kubota measures a tight 72mm. I found a machine shop that would take my job and not laugh. I pick the part up Monday!

I think it would be better to go with the stronger and lighter geo metro 1.3 flywheel and heavy duty clutch but I see you are already getting the machine shop work done. Never mind.

[100MPGUS]

Originally Posted by planejob

I'm not above that...

I guess your are not interested in keeping the flywheel attached to the engine? The flywheel is not countersunk at all? What clutch is made for that flywheel, maybe that one would work for this situation?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by ME_Andy

Or you could grind down the bolt heads on the existing bolts. That wold be the ghetto approach (and my preferred one)

It doesn't seem so safe...

[planejob]

[QUOTE=iveyjh;500661]

Originally Posted by planejob

I think it would be better to go with the stronger and lighter geo metro 1.3 flywheel and heavy duty clutch but I see you are already getting the machine shop work done. Never mind.

It's the weight I was looking for. I went with the 1.0 flywheel because it's heavier.

[planejob]

Originally Posted by 100MPGUS

I guess your are not interested in keeping the flywheel attached to the engine?

Good guess, you caught me. I was going to put them in there for show...

Originally Posted by 100MPGUS

The flywheel is not countersunk at all? What clutch is made for that flywheel, maybe that one would work for this situation?

It's a 1.0 Geo /Suzuki flywheel with a matching clutch and pressure plate. Nothing exotic. The interference does not involve the clutch - the interference exists between the-bolt-heads-that-hold-the plate-to-the-engine-block and the non-friction side of the flywheel.

[planejob]

Progress Report:

Well, it's been busy. I looked back at the start of this thread and I see that I was hoping to complete this project by the end of the year. Well, that doesn't look promising for completing on time, but it still looks promising!

The Geo/Suzuki engine has a 68mm crankshaft end, the Kubota has a 72mm crank so I had to get a few millimeters lathed out at the local machine shop.
The Geo bolt holes line up close, but not quite. I had to elongate each of the holes minutely; hopefully 19hp won't tear it.

As it sits right now, I've got the adapter plate mated to the Kubota, the flywheel on the Kubota, and the transmission ready to begin the mating ritual...

[100MPGUS]

Originally Posted by planejob

The Geo/Suzuki engine has a 68mm crankshaft end, the Kubota has a 72mm crank so I had to get a few millimeters lathed out at the local machine shop.
The Geo bolt holes line up close, but not quite. I had to elongate each of the holes minutely; hopefully 19hp won't tear it.

I think it will work with no problems.

[planejob]

well folks, take note: The flexplate bolts on a Geo and the Flywheel bolts on a Geo are different. The diameters are the same but the head height is about 50% less on the flywheel bolts. If one were to, like I did, install the flexplate bolts (they fit) into the flywheel it causes the clutch damping springs on the stock clutch plate to interfere with the bolt heads. Luckily, I found the original flywheel bolts in the bottom of the bucket, literally. I take a bucket to the Pick-n-pull with me...

I also pressure washed 2 inches of grease and gunk off of the manual transmission. It was fun to see it change from a really large, smooth, blob into an aluminum cased gear box.

The jig for holding the engine vertical during "the mating ritual" has been sketched out and consists of a few jack stands and some 2x4s arranged in a new and unique manner.

It's getting close... but with the holidays everything will totally stall again. I've got a few more evenings in the garage before the new year.

I hope you are all having a Joyous Winter Solstice Celebratory Period!

[kimer6]

Let the fun begin! If the adapter plate is .500'' thick the throwout bearing and the clutch disk will sit in the same place as the stock setup. However....the hole in the Kubota crankshaft end is not deep enough. The pilot bearing sits in the flywheel but when the trans is bolted up, there will be interference between the tip of the pilot on the trans and the bottom of the hole in the Kubota crank. Its about 1/16'' to possibly 1/8'' interference.

Instead of cutting the tip off the trans shaft I ground clearance in the Kubota crank end with an air tool. My idea was to modify the engine so that ANY Geo 5 speed would fit. Mine has a Swift flywheel and clutch setup.

Yes, the flywheel holes had to be egged out but mine stayed put even when I accidentally stalled the engine quite violently several times..