1980 Ford 5600 tractor is in trouble

[Abe1980]

My BIL got this old 1980 Ford 5600 tractor with a 233ci diesel that's seen better days, yeah, the clock's pushing 12,000 hours!

It's got a good bit of blowby, but doesn't seem to be chugging much oil, if any.

The problem is, it's a pain to start and feels like it's lost its power.

I couldn't just sit and watch, I tried to help and look and around for a short block for the 233, but they're scarce as hen's teeth. However, 256ci short blocks are all over the place.

Here's the big question: Will that 256 bolt right up to where the 233 was, front and back?

Or should he just bite the bullet and do a full rebuild on the 233?

 

[MadameOpera]

The 256ci might bolt up, but you're diving into uncharted waters here cos the 233 and 256 might share some similarities, but I wouldn't trust it to be a perfect fit without some mods, IMO you're probably better off rebuilding the 233 if you want it to last, unless you want to roll the dice with the 256 and risk a whole lot of headache, rebuild the 233 and save yourself the trouble

 

[Ho Hey]

My BIL got this old 1980 Ford 5600 tractor with a 233ci diesel that's seen better days, yeah, the clock's pushing 12,000 hours!

It's got a good bit of blowby, but doesn't seem to be chugging much oil, if any.

The problem is, it's a pain to start and feels like it's lost its power.

I couldn't just sit and watch, I tried to help and look and around for a short block for the 233, but they're scarce as hen's teeth. However, 256ci short blocks are all over the place.

Here's the big question: Will that 256 bolt right up to where the 233 was, front and back?

Or should he just bite the bullet and do a full rebuild on the 233?

Yeah it will physically bolt up since they share the same block family and almost all the mounting points from the front and near, but you might need to swap over the 233's oil pan front cover, flywheel, and even the timing gear. So I agree with @MadameOpera it's more trouble than it all is worth.

 

[JW IN VA]

Yeah it will physically bolt up since they share the same block family and almost all the mounting points from the front and near, but you might need to swap over the 233's oil pan front cover, flywheel, and even the timing gear. So I agree with @MadameOpera it's more trouble than it all is worth.

Flywheel is the same as a 6600's. It had the 256.