Any practical F244 engine swaps for a Bobcat 970?

[sedgehammer]

Hoping to get any ideas on a possible engine swap for this old bird. Machine itself is in pretty good shape, but the engine leaks/uses more oil than gas...... Plus it's a gutless wonder. I know one can make almost anything work if one really wants, but not wanting the extreme, just if some of you guys have seen or done something like this. Thanks

 

[flyerdan]

Is there any compelling reason that the existing engine cannot be rebuilt? Since it's still running nothing is catastrophically broke; a freshen up with bearings, gaskets, rings/liners and valve work should sort it.
Unless you have a complete fab shop on site any kind of retrofit is difficult. Having to run parts to the machine shop every time you turn around gets old fast. And for every issue you solve, it seems to create two new issues in its place.

 

[sedgehammer]

Is there any compelling reason that the existing engine cannot be rebuilt? Since it's still running nothing is catastrophically broke; a freshen up with bearings, gaskets, rings/liners and valve work should sort it.
Unless you have a complete fab shop on site any kind of retrofit is difficult. Having to run parts to the machine shop every time you turn around gets old fast. And for every issue you solve, it seems to create two new issues in its place.

It's a dog and if going to rebuild it, they replace it with the smaller F226/227 due to the poor head design with the F244.