Buda Diesels & Cummins Engine

[John Schwiebert]

Does anybody know why some of the cralwers were made with both Hercules & Buda Diesel engines? Were some of them made at the same time period? Why were FD crawlers during the war made with a Cummins. Was Hercules unable to supply engines as in the case of the AG crawler?

[Blake Malkamaki]

I never knew they used Cummins engines - have you seen them? What is your source of that?

I know they used Buda diesels for awhile in certain models. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was a weight consideration - this is just a guess. I know they used Budas in the ED and Hercules DOOC's in the AD at the same time. Why is this?

My grandfather did not really like the Buda diesels - he said they were not very good engines.

Is the Buda engine the engine that the Allis-Chalmers diesels were based on? I mean the later tractors with their own engine - not the Detroits. I know A-C owned Buda.

I'll try to think of who to ask about John's question.

Blake;)

[Blake Malkamaki]

I found this on a list:

Tractor model FDLC 1941-Up starting with serial number 1HA000 and Up used Cummins Diesel engine model HBISD.

I don't know anything more about this. It could have been a wartime decision to use Cummins. I know Studebaker made some of the JXC engines for the B's.

Investigation continues....

[Doug]

Cletrac AD's and BD's were made with both Buda and Hercules diesels. The ED had a Buda, but I don't know if an E ever had a Hercules. The Buda engine versions were called AD-2 and BD-2. I never heard of an FD with a Cummins, unless someone converted one. I have two of the AD-2's both apart, and with major problems. One of them, My Dad owned abot 25 years afo, at that time it was a fine running machine, but the guy he sold it to worked on the engine, and screwed it up. We got it back a few years ago, in pieces.

[Bob]

The early ED2s had a 196 Buda and the little later ones had a 212 cubic inch engine. The ED 42 and I think another of the narrower widths had the Herc. As far as the reason I don't know why they used both, must have had supply issues. The BD2s were really rare I think about 6 were made. The Hercules has alot more power because its a 226 cubic inch. I personally think the Herc is a better engine too.

The FDLC had the supercharged Cummins, which was a factory thing. According to my price list the Cummins was an option. They made an FD, FDL and FDLC. The FDL was the logger special and the FDLC was a logger special with the Cummins. Jease if they woulda kept the Cummins they would have really had something. I'll bet it started alot better, had better power, and lasted better. I guess those "iron lung" Cummins were a really good engine.

The "S" o BGS was after the war Hercules had a pile of engines for Studebaker (JXC). They didn't need them after the war, so they made a deal with Cletrac to use them in their crawlers. Those engines were made for running higher rpms and had a couple extra bosses cast in them for generators aircompressors ect, but were eccentially the same engine.

I'd like to have an FDLC. It would be a sweet tractor.

[james]

I have a friend with a BG that someone put a 6 cyl turbo charged iveco engine. It has some sort of adaptor plate  , but it looks very well done. It has WAY to much hp for the tractor and the tractor doesnt have enough traction to tame it down some. It has a hiel blade on it and with that iveco engine it will push a blade full of dirt at idle. Myself Im a cat man and a bit of a purist.. if it didnt come with it.. it doesnt belong there. But this isnt so bad I guess. To bad a 4bt cummins wouldnt fit into my oc46 otherwise it would have one .