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  1. #16
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    Sep 2010
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    Lebrina
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    First up, what make and capacity of forklift are you playing with? Many petrol forks had a diesel version offered.
    If you are talking about a workshop making adaptor plates and similar then that will rack up dollars really quickly. Probably more than the old fork is worth.
    Secondly, you sound like you may be on a farm or similar. You are therefore a PCBU under the Workplace Health and Safety Act, so you really need to ensure that your forklift is compliant and up to date. Many old forklifts are no longer up to spec and you may find that the old girl needs the bullet anyway. A reasonable second hand diesel fork that is compliant could be your best bet.
    It is not as simple as dropping in the first diesel engine you find that fits.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Emerald Central Qld
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    349

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    This machine is used daily in a business , the only problem is that it has a Mitsubishi 4 cyl petrol engine .
    It is ownwed by a business , mused for loading and unloading pallets of stock, and as you seem to be conversant in compliance issues , please give me a list of compliance requirements and i will let you know if it is .

    Any adaptor plates required will be made in my own workshop to the required standards .

    Swapping engines is straight forward if the correct one is located .
    I am over the maintenance issues with petrol and its flammabilty compared to diesel.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,105

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    Toyota 2L (2.4) 3L (2.8L) or 5L (3.0L) might be worth looking into for a basic diesel engine with no electronics.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Lebrina
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike4 View Post
    This machine is used daily in a business , the only problem is that it has a Mitsubishi 4 cyl petrol engine .
    It is ownwed by a business , mused for loading and unloading pallets of stock, and as you seem to be conversant in compliance issues , please give me a list of compliance requirements and i will let you know if it is .

    Any adaptor plates required will be made in my own workshop to the required standards .

    Swapping engines is straight forward if the correct one is located .
    I am over the maintenance issues with petrol and its flammabilty compared to diesel.
    You've answered half your question by stating that it has a Mitsubishi engine, natural candidates for swaps would be sourced from a Mitsubishi Triton or perhaps even a Canter. Just beware though that all these motors will be automotive rather than industrial spec engines and will be designed to make power above the rev range expected in a forklift which is usually 2500RPM max. A wrecked diesel fork may be another candidate as may be a skid steer loader.
    While I am aware that compliance issues around forklifts have become more complicated, I am not the right person to advise you on this. Workcover in your state or a reputable forklift dealership would be your best sources for reliable information.
    I get that you are frustrated with the current machine, but there are probably more small forks like yours running petrol engines than diesel and I can't say I've heard a flurry of complaints from anyone. A good mechanic who actually fixes things can work wonders.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    35
    Posts
    1,522

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    Our Toyota 3t fork has a factory lpg corona engine and it's got an hour meter that broke a decade ago showing 37000 hours I think it's had two oil changes and a battery since. Its just completely indestructible but is indoors always.

    I would think you could also look at the 4cyl Mitsubishi in L400 vans.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Emerald Central Qld
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    349

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    I am not fitting a V12 , just a little 4 cylinder diesel which is about 50 kg heavier than the current painful piece of scrap metal, that does not affect its capacity .
    I have rebuilt the carburetor several times , replace plugs at six month intervals , currently removing the radiator which was "fixed" by a so called specialist, its still leaking .

    second water pump in 12 months as the replacements now have steel impellers which only need a slight mark to not pump correctly and hot engine ensues, I have located a pump with a cast iron impeller which will be tig brazed , machined to spec and then fitted.

    The two petrol engined machines are nothing but time wasting money pits , the diesels are money makers compared in service requirements , oil changes at set intervals with , filters.

    Timing and valve checks every 12 months occasionally bearings in idlers etc or an alternator, mostly small normal wear items .
    Michael

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Emerald Central Qld
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    349

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    Mitsubishi is the problem , parts are almost nonexistant . I have a Toyota petrol which is sitting next to the scrap bin, it was purchased to get a head for a ute which overheated.
    I do not want to put another petrol engine in a machine as I do not have the time to waste .I dont like the lpg machines either as there are flammability issues with the smallest leak , as are petrol engines .
    Diesel is more suited to outdoor areas .

    Michael

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

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    Mike, a car diesel engine won't have a governor in the injector pump and will make lifting some things a bit dicey at times.
    shed

  9. #24
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    Sep 2010
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    Lebrina
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    Quote Originally Posted by shedhappens View Post
    Mike, a car diesel engine won't have a governor in the injector pump and will make lifting some things a bit dicey at times.
    shed
    Exactly, that's what I posted earlier.
    This job is not as simple as finding any old four banger that will fit and dropping it in. It certainly can be done and I did post some viable donor options that would have an industrial spec engine.
    Mike, if you don't have time to waste, then buying a second hand diesel fork will be your best option unless you can find a drop in engine from a Mitsubishi diesel fork.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Emerald Central Qld
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    Governor is a piece of cake if an industrial diesel is fitted thats why I am looking to get a Kubota from an excavator or like.
    .
    There is nothing to changing the engine to a more reliable and safer fueled engine, why do i have to fit a like for like as it never leaves the yard, and if it did it would be on a tilt tray to a jobsite and the same for the return trip. everything works as required for the WHS/OHS fanatics.

    Its just the unreliable petrol engine that is the problem.
    Also at this time of year i cannot get even the basic repair kits as everyone is closed until a fortnight's time.

    The machine has to be up and at it 08-30 am tomorrow.
    Michael

    Michael

  11. #26
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    Jul 2016
    Location
    Melbourne
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    35
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    I have to give my sympathies there is literally no more dreadful feeling than having to rely on a dodgy forklift, you want them to be ready to work 100% of the time.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
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    My fork has a 186 holden engine with no governor, the lack of a governor makes it harder to do acurate alignments of heavy things. If you are just loading pellets on and off trucks it works fine and a car diesel engine should also work fine. If your current engine has a belt driven gov you could likely fit that to the diesel engine if you thought it was needed.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Emerald Central Qld
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    349

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    Thanks for your reply , some sanity at last.
    I am not "playing " as someone said earlier , petrol engines in this application are something I am not tolerating , firstly diesel is quite a lot less flammable , easier to maintain.

    I have a gear driven governor off a welder motor which was scrapped if I need to have one .

    I cannot see why the major concerns seem to be with rating and safety , getting the machine running on all four cylinders reliably is the first step them the rest will follow , if something is not reliable why bother with compliance ?

    This fix is a long term work , it may take 12 months to locate a suitable diesel , NO mitsubishi .

    I have better things to do than fix things that should be reliablein the first instance.

    I have looked at new machines and because of the amount of plastic used they are not an option they would only last six months before requiring major work..

    I require a machine that can sit in 40 degree temperatures day to day , only parked under cover at night no need for some of the no practical nice bits.

    Michael.

  14. #29
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    Sep 2011
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    Emerald Central Qld
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    I forgot to mention its running , unloaded two pallets , but can only work for 10-20 minutes as the radiator is leaving a trail , last time it goes to an "expert"

    It looks like maintenance of critcal equipment cant be farmed out , as a lot of people dont care if something works , "its not new,only patch it up and trade " is what I have heard from a few who thought they were getting a quick dollar.

    Michael

  15. #30
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    Sep 2010
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    Lebrina
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    Mike4, you approached this forum for advice, however when posts didn't support your position 100%, you got the dirties up. You got some pretty sound advice from multiple posts.
    The reason like for like was suggested is because it leads to a bolt in conversion, rather than requiring extensive work.
    Obviously you are such an expert that you didn't really need the forum in the first place.

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