LX665 RePower with Isuzu Thermoking Diesel writeup

Hi everyone, since the N844t engines cost as much as gold I figured I find a different fix. This is going in a 1995 LX665. Pictures are at the link below, if there is interest in the adapter plates I will make a site with pictures and instructions. For now I have the adapter plate made for the isuzu flywheel to mate to the original lx665 flex-plate. Next few days will be working a on the bell housing pump mount plate. The isuzu engines cost much less and there are thousands of them available and a full rebuild kit is under $600 and the engine is heavier and stronger. It is a bit of a tight fit but clears all the important components. I will post more pictures as I move along, you can send me emails at newhollandfix (at) inbox.com ------------- copy link for pictures--------http://postimg.org/gallery/7sumimq4/--------------------

The thermoking engine is just a Yanmar(I forget the model number). Its the same engine that was put in the JD5575. The JD5575 is a NH LX665 with a Yanmar instead of the Shibaura. There can be a few problems with a refer engine. You may have trouble with the governor, but you will also need to change the oil pan. The refer engines use a huge oilpan, and you need a smaller one. The engine mounts used to be available from JD, but have been discontinued. The biggest expense on the conversion is the bellhousing and flywheel. They are expensive new, and hard to find used. If you come up with a bellhousing and flywheel at a reasonable cost, that will be valuable.

mfyock said:

The thermoking engine is just a Yanmar(I forget the model number). Its the same engine that was put in the JD5575. The JD5575 is a NH LX665 with a Yanmar instead of the Shibaura. There can be a few problems with a refer engine. You may have trouble with the governor, but you will also need to change the oil pan. The refer engines use a huge oilpan, and you need a smaller one. The engine mounts used to be available from JD, but have been discontinued. The biggest expense on the conversion is the bellhousing and flywheel. They are expensive new, and hard to find used. If you come up with a bellhousing and flywheel at a reasonable cost, that will be valuable.

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Brilliant job, thanks for the pictures.

Tazza said:

Brilliant job, thanks for the pictures.

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Finished the machine work on the original pump mounting plate from the lx665 to fit the isuzu bell housing. The smaller rectangle plate is used to center the pump plate to the bell housing. Everything fits nice and true. Next is to see how the engine with pumps fits in the tractor. Pics in the link ---------------http://postimg.org/gallery/2ed56uex0/----------------

NewHollandFix said:

Finished the machine work on the original pump mounting plate from the lx665 to fit the isuzu bell housing. The smaller rectangle plate is used to center the pump plate to the bell housing. Everything fits nice and true. Next is to see how the engine with pumps fits in the tractor. Pics in the link ---------------http://postimg.org/gallery/2ed56uex0/----------------

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Here is a picture of the engine with the pumps mounted. -----------http://postimg.org/image/4u1rxpj07/-----

NewHollandFix said:

Here is a picture of the engine with the pumps mounted. -----------http://postimg.org/image/4u1rxpj07/-----

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Looking good. Where there's a will there's a way. Keep us posted.

NewHollandFix said:

Here is a picture of the engine with the pumps mounted. -----------http://postimg.org/image/4u1rxpj07/-----

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New Holland fix; I have a 1998 lx665 turbo that may or may not need to be repowered and you have the best option that I have seen to date. However...... after viewing the pictures of the machine work the only part of the machine work that I'm sure I can do is the picture of the mess on the floor. With that being said I would be very interested in getting any instructions that I could provide to a "machinist" to make the adapters that I need. Is that something that can happen and if so what would the cost be$!?

stumpgrinder said:

New Holland fix; I have a 1998 lx665 turbo that may or may not need to be repowered and you have the best option that I have seen to date. However...... after viewing the pictures of the machine work the only part of the machine work that I'm sure I can do is the picture of the mess on the floor. With that being said I would be very interested in getting any instructions that I could provide to a "machinist" to make the adapters that I need. Is that something that can happen and if so what would the cost be$!?

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frogfarmer and/or new holland fix: the n844t is rated at 52 horse. What Isuzu Thermoking engine is there that has that same HP? I imagine all the thermo king engines are direct injected. It looks like the Isuzu 2.2 se is only 34 hp.(d201). I really appreciate the information that you experienced mechanics put on here. I believe that i will be able to save some money by shopping carefully and following your advice.

stumpgrinder said:

frogfarmer and/or new holland fix: the n844t is rated at 52 horse. What Isuzu Thermoking engine is there that has that same HP? I imagine all the thermo king engines are direct injected. It looks like the Isuzu 2.2 se is only 34 hp.(d201). I really appreciate the information that you experienced mechanics put on here. I believe that i will be able to save some money by shopping carefully and following your advice.

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I am not familiar with what engines ThermoKing has used but Isuzu makes several in the 50hp range. The 665 machines do well in the 40-50hp range. I have a couple of these machines and a dead one that could use and engine but to be honest I haven't found a viable cost effective replacement for the N844t. To this point I just rebuild/repair what is needed.

frogfarmer said:

I am not familiar with what engines ThermoKing has used but Isuzu makes several in the 50hp range. The 665 machines do well in the 40-50hp range. I have a couple of these machines and a dead one that could use and engine but to be honest I haven't found a viable cost effective replacement for the N844t. To this point I just rebuild/repair what is needed.

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I have come to the same conclusion. Rebuilding often is less work, and about the same cost as a repower. We did a repower by putting a Yanmar into a 665. Basically making a JD 6675. Bought a cheap engine for $1200, but till you switched oilpans, found the correct flywheel,bell, and engine mounts we had somewhere around $2k in parts plus lots of time. For 2k I could have bought a used crank and block to rebuild a shibaura.

mfyock said:

I have come to the same conclusion. Rebuilding often is less work, and about the same cost as a repower. We did a repower by putting a Yanmar into a 665. Basically making a JD 6675. Bought a cheap engine for $1200, but till you switched oilpans, found the correct flywheel,bell, and engine mounts we had somewhere around $2k in parts plus lots of time. For 2k I could have bought a used crank and block to rebuild a shibaura.

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Did some work on the skid steer and found that the ihi turbo is seized up. Can't spin the intake impellar so it is obviously the turbo that is causing the power loss and smoking. Can't do much until I get the machine to my garage. I'm looking forward to working on it. Who does a good job on rebuilding the ihi turbo. I can get rebuild kit for less than 100.00 dollars or for about 350.00 dollars I can send it out for rebuild. How hard are they to go through? Seems like a small turbo to command that kind of money. Thanks for any responses.

stumpgrinder said:

Did some work on the skid steer and found that the ihi turbo is seized up. Can't spin the intake impellar so it is obviously the turbo that is causing the power loss and smoking. Can't do much until I get the machine to my garage. I'm looking forward to working on it. Who does a good job on rebuilding the ihi turbo. I can get rebuild kit for less than 100.00 dollars or for about 350.00 dollars I can send it out for rebuild. How hard are they to go through? Seems like a small turbo to command that kind of money. Thanks for any responses.

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There is not much in a turbo, two bearings few seals and a shaft. Just mark the orientation of the intake impeller to the exhaust for balance. The intake impeller nut might be left hand thread.

NewHollandFix said:

There is not much in a turbo, two bearings few seals and a shaft. Just mark the orientation of the intake impeller to the exhaust for balance. The intake impeller nut might be left hand thread.

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The isuzu engines are rated at 34HP at 2,200 rpm at 3,000 hour service intervals. My plat is to run it a bit faster ~2,700 rpm if more power is needed, that will be close to 40 hp.

stumpgrinder said:

Did some work on the skid steer and found that the ihi turbo is seized up. Can't spin the intake impellar so it is obviously the turbo that is causing the power loss and smoking. Can't do much until I get the machine to my garage. I'm looking forward to working on it. Who does a good job on rebuilding the ihi turbo. I can get rebuild kit for less than 100.00 dollars or for about 350.00 dollars I can send it out for rebuild. How hard are they to go through? Seems like a small turbo to command that kind of money. Thanks for any responses.

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If it were mine I would tear it down and see what actually seized. If it appears to be repairable I would give it a try. Now here is my experience. I have been through turbos before and my success rate is just over 50% for reliable service. They are a very complicated although simple device that require tolerances that I can only try to meet. Good luck what ever you decide.

frogfarmer said:

If it were mine I would tear it down and see what actually seized. If it appears to be repairable I would give it a try. Now here is my experience. I have been through turbos before and my success rate is just over 50% for reliable service. They are a very complicated although simple device that require tolerances that I can only try to meet. Good luck what ever you decide.

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Here are pictures of the engine in the machine. Fit is not to tight and clears two important areas, one is the skid plate taper on the back on the machine and the hydraulic oil tank. There is plenty of room for a good size fuel tank the original one will not fit. Might have to use a electric cooling fan for the radiator, not sure yet. http://postimg.org/gallery/bcb0l74g/

NewHollandFix said:

Here are pictures of the engine in the machine. Fit is not to tight and clears two important areas, one is the skid plate taper on the back on the machine and the hydraulic oil tank. There is plenty of room for a good size fuel tank the original one will not fit. Might have to use a electric cooling fan for the radiator, not sure yet. http://postimg.org/gallery/bcb0l74g/

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Progress is looking good. I can see I need to pull the cage and arms on the next one I refurb. Cant wait to see it up and running.