I have a chance to pick up a 1979 Peugeot 504 sedan with a 4 cyclnder Diesel and automatic, the car runs great, has 83,xxx miles on it. Price seems cheap at $300. Problem is where do you get parts for the engine and who made the engine, I want to use the engine and transmision in my small tractor project, but I don't want to put it in if I can not find simple parts like a injector, fuel pump, water pump, and etc. From what I can tell is the engine is a Indenor type, but I am limited on my diesel knowledge. Hope someone can help, I really like the engine, and at 2.3 liters it seems to me that would make a powerful compact tractor. From Bearscamp

Keep in mind that any part for a diesel is going to be about 2-3x its counterpart in a gas burner. That is for currently supported engines which have new parts rolling off of assembly lines to keep up with demand. Not having a reliable source of affordable parts is probably one reason the car is only $300. I'm not trying to rain on your parade or anything, far from it. I love the way a diesel sounds, pulls, even smells, they're just too rich for my budget. A quick search about the 79 peugeot shows more cars for sale than people selling parts. Then the only new parts I saw were seals and a fuel filter, no engine components unless you went to used parts. May be just the thing if you like a 'challenge' though.

(edit) Meant to add that some of the more common diesels may be a bit easier to maintain, just pull up google and type in "xxx parts" or the model of the car and 'diesel' to compare how many vendors are selling new parts, reman and aftermarket parts, and people selling used parts like its a big deal to get them. It can give you a nice idea of the open market status of that particular engine. Personally, I have a little 20hp perkins three cylinder on my massey and I love it, though I havent had to work on it yet either.

Well my friend Randy that owns the Junkyard is going ot save the car for me for a couple of months, I really like the fact that its a 4 cylnder with a automatic behind it and rear wheel drive, and being diesel on top of that, seems it would make a good tractor power train. Napa has the glow plugs, there cheap, but then again ethier is cheap to. Is there a few general companies tha tmake the injectors, or is each diesel make its own, and is there a way to rebuild a injector or a pump? Like I said I know little about diesels, I love there power and fuel ecomony, but the few around here that i use never seem to need anything other than filters and oil changes.

I love diesels myself, that is when they aren't broken. Of course to be fair, diesels don't break often. Old fully mechanical diesels break even less often. But when they do break, I would like to know that I can get parts, whether they break tomorrow, next year, or a decade from now. Put in some research into availability of parts. It is a british motor, so repairs may be frustrating on our side of the Atlantic. But then again, you may be pleasantly surprised. Check google with different searches, see what you find with parts, and if that motor is used in any other vehicles. I did read that some nissans have a peugeot motor, but don't take it as gospel.

(edit) On the injectors, most seem to be made by bosch and delphi. But again I can't promise that that's the truth. Does the engine have one fuel pump with individual lines going up to the cylinder head, or a pump for each cylinder? From what I hear, the single injection pump feeding all cylinders seems to be more reliable, as it's fully mechanical.

I would have to look again, but I believe its one pump that feeds the 4 injectors through a line system. Google has not been very helpful with this for me. I am probally going to pass on this, but it would of been cool for a compact tractor project. I have a International DT466 with 38,XXX miles on it that I could use, just awful big and heavy for a small tractor, I also have a bronco II with the 2.8 or 2.9 I cant remeber carbureted V6 in it. I just need to build a small tractor for plowing snow and garden work. The wife has used a old Ford garden tractor for years, but its all worn out and in need of transmission parts that we can not find with out buying another whole tractor. I also have to watch size, I built the frame to be 12 feet long for the tractor, I could make it longer, but I rather be able to cut it down, so I well have to look around for a power plant that well fit in the space, I have a 3/4 ton rearend that I am going to cut down and divorced transfer case from a 74 ford pickup. I figure running in 4 low should gear it down enough, but the TC would also allow it to have a highway gear to. Well time will tell. From Bearscamp

I think that Mercedes diesels seem to be pretty common and pretty inexpensive, I have seen plenty that were fairly low miles but with rusted out bodies for $500 to $700.
unless you are going to work it day in and day out, you might be better off with a lighter gas engine like a 4 cyl out of a small truck.

A 4cyl gas burner is eactly what I'm looking for now. Something like a toyota 22r. Carburated four cylinder, timing chain instead of belt. Common so it's easy to get parts on Sunday afternoon when everything is bound to break.

Well the big problem up here is its not easy to find a rear wheel drive 4 cyclinder anymore. I got a few months to look around before its time to drop in a engine, so we will see what I can find. Peugeot is still on the back burner, and I have the option of trading junk in my collection for it, so I may grab it anyways and see what happens. If it doesnt cost me anyhting out of pocket, then what do I have to lose.

Look for 1/4 ton toyota or nissan pickups. Late 80's to mid-90's models of both of these pickups have pretty durable engines and trannys. Toyota pickups prior to 85 will have the 22r carburated engine. Pickups after 85 will have the fuel injected 22re. As far as I can tell, there is no difference in these motors but induction system. Nissans in the "88.5" to around 95 will all have a 12 valve fuel injected 4 cylinder. 2.4 Liters with a timing chain. Both toyota and nissan pickups in these age ranges were also available with a v6. I've never had experience with the 6, but I've looked at one and it was a rat's nest of emission controls. Also heard they aren't as durable as the straight 4.

Ford ranger 4-cylinder pickups, or Chevy s-10,---rear wheel drive and heavy enough to do garden work---as for length, I would look to stay down to 6 feet OR less.---the reason?---turn around at ends of garden, unless you have an awful lot of room!

I use farmall cubs and they are really too long to be of much use in my big gardens.--plus being under-powered!
I have been rebuilding my rear engined,cut down 57 chevy car axle tractor and its about 6 feet or so, but with good brakes hooked up independent, the tractor does spin right around fairly short turns. The engine on this is a Continental 4cyl, IY-69 (industrial power unit type)about 20 actual grunt hp and is plenty to farm with.

These are just more ideas that I am adding to your "possible" list to keep in mind as you look for "stuff"-- LOL! thanks; sonny

Just to throw another perspective... I am using a forklift motor in my tractor project, (Toyota 4p). Came from a industrial floor scrubber that I got for scrap price. You'll get a lot of hydraulics that your can use or sell to recoup some money, hoses, pedals, guages and lots of other bits that you'll spend a lot of time making or searching for. Everything is engineered to work together. And usually they are carbureted and simple to work on. They'll also have an engine governor. Look for asphalt rollers, forklifts, tugs in an industrial salvage place.

You can also look for whatever's cheap on craigslist.

I agree with sonny, keep the wheelbase short.

A lot of the smaller industrial machines have nice light but powerful little engines on them, PLUS a lot of extras on them that could be adapted to small tractor use.
Long, or wide wheelbase would cut into the use of the tractor.---short, and narrow would give more control in tight places.--- The height is another factor to consider.--( straddle row, or between the row), if you want to cultivate with it, then you really need it to have a lot of clearance under the bottom.(might rig up drop axles, this could also be another idea for more gear reduction,if needed).
Just tossing out more ideas for you! thanks; sonny

Well I wish there was a industrial salvage yard around here, but are junkyards around here are usually 2 acre and less, and consist of rot box vechiles. The length being at 12 feet is not a issue here, width well be determined more once I get the drivetrain figured out. I am leaning towards the Bronco II drivetrain, that little V6 is real narrow, and its carburated, and has eletronic ignition. It runs good, and I might try having two transfer case instead of one. The snow is melting up here, so hopefully it well be spring soon and I can get onto things. From Bearscamp

From what a previous mechanic told me, the toyota sixes are based on the old GM straight sixes. But if you are looking for a 4-cyl sized reliable and economic engine, you might consider the Subaru 2.2 4-cyl dual opposed. The only stock auto engine deemed reliable enough to merit an FAA type acceptance for use in experimental aircraft with only the addition of a special oil sump system to deal with non-level running. Like the old VW engines, only water cooled and fuel injected. You can even find turboed models from about 92 on. Just a suggestion.
Doc

Jeez, a turbocharged garden tractor-gotta love it,Doc.

Well thats a lot of suggestions, but I think the Bronco II engine and trans have won the debate. I wanted automatic, but the 5 speed well do, and its already got a transfer case attached to it. And best part is I already own it. But who knows a lot could change between now and then, Firewood has to be done first.

Lot to be said for a system you already own. Had a ranger 2.8 5sp that was a real joy to drive, but it was starting to burn oil, so I made a trailer out of it. Overbuilt it, so now I don't even use that (towed good behind my old v6 truck, but my 96 2.3 doesn't care for it, I have a little 4x8 import thing that is good enough for what I do). Anyone want a homemade utility trailer?

But anyway, what I remember about the motor is the lifters were noisy but never gave me any trouble, and to keep it from icing up the carb on wet days I had to wire the heat riser damper over to run from the riser all the time. Right peppy little motor, lotta "grunt".

As to two cases, look for "ranger case doubler", there's a bunch of articles out there on how to splice an extra reduction section from a bronco/ranger onto an existing case. Heck if I could find a dummy case from a bronco and 5sp 4wd tranny to fit my 2.3, I'd throw a reduction section behind my existing trans just so I wouldn't have to slip the clutch so much backing a trailer. Problem is everyone else is looking for 'em too...

Good luck with your build, sounds like fun!

Glyford, thanks for the info, I am still in the planning stage, but I think the 2.8 would last me for many years. My biggest problem is I got to go buy a book to see how the ignition wires up. To bad there wasn't a points distbutor for this engine, I prefer old school simplicity. From Bearscamp

Bearscamp, don't go buy a book when you've got a computer to show you the way. Save that money for your tractor project. here is a site that may have the ignition information you need and there are many others.
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/2_8Duraspark.html
I hope that comes up as a usable link, I recently got a new computer and am still figuring out how to set up all the features. I think I may need to enlist the aid of a teenager.lol

I run a garage so buying a book is a tax rite off anyways. And a lot of times I prefer a book. I tried starting the engine the other day, couldnt ge tit to fire, so I have to work on it and see what happens. I have thought about a 302 I have kicking around to. But time well tell.