gas engine with a diesel cam

fsr · Jul 14, 2016

i have a ford 861 tractor. i am rebuilding the 172 cu gas engine which ran fine but the head had a water leak (badly cracked head) i tore down the block to re-sleeve it and put a new kit in it. when i pulled the cam shaft to inspect it i discovered casting numbers 310377 and the word diesel on the shaft. does anyone have an explanation as to this cam working in this gas engine???
all the timing marks were right on!!! thanks fsr

john in la · Jul 14, 2016

The cam for the gas 172 and the diesel 172 is the same part.

ss55 · Jul 14, 2016

Casting numbers are just that - the part number for the un-machined casting. It is not uncommon to use a common casting to make a number of different machined parts. It is possible that casting could be ground with a gas cam profile to make one cam with a finished part number or it could be ground with a diesel cam profile to make a different cam with a different finished part number.

Bob · Jul 14, 2016

"that casting could be ground with a gas cam profile to make one cam with a finished part number or it could be ground with a diesel cam profile"

The other reply is correct, according to the CNH parts lookup site... the part # IS the same for either the gas or diesel cam.

WHY are you thinking they would have to have different "grinds"?

Sometimes the SIMPLEST explanation is the correct one!

Greg K · Jul 14, 2016

There was a diesel head made that would fit
a gas block. Probably the 172 that was
referred to by John in LA. Dad had a 1974
dodge pickup that had the motor go bad so a
neighbor had the diesel head and they put
the Ford straight 6 into it with a manual 5
speed transmission and a manual 3 speed
behind that. The three speed was just a
high/low trans. Topped out at about 65 mph.

IanC · Jul 14, 2016

In this case you may be correct, but I spent 10 years as the parts manager for a Ford / New Holland AG dealer and S55 is correct in what he says. There are MANY parts that have the same CASTING number but different part numbers. Cylinder heads especially.

Bob · Jul 14, 2016

Yes,I absolutely agree with you as to casting numbers vs. part numbers, in general.

But as to the specific question at hand, it is easy to use the FIAT on-line parts lookup to verify that the gas and diesel cams for this application are, indeed, the same part number.

buickanddeere · Jul 14, 2016

(quoted from post at 10:41:24 07/14/16) i have a ford 861 tractor. i am rebuilding the 172 cu gas engine which ran fine but the head had a water leak (badly cracked head) i tore down the block to re-sleeve it and put a new kit in it. when i pulled the cam shaft to inspect it i discovered casting numbers 310377 and the word diesel on the shaft. does anyone have an explanation as to this cam working in this gas engine???
all the timing marks were right on!!! thanks fsr

An industrial or farm gasser is a low rpm high torque engine with short cam timing and overlap.
A diesel is also a low rpm high torque engine with short cam timing and overlap.
Why not use the same cam ?

RBoots · Jul 14, 2016

Like the Oliver Waukesha diesel/gas engines,
pretty much all the same parts except for
head and a few others

gas engine with a diesel cam

fsr

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