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International BD154 Engine

The International Harvester BD154 is a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder, inline liquid-cooled diesel engine primarily manufactured at the International Harvester facility in Bradford, England. Widely integrated across a massive variety of agricultural and industrial machinery, this power unit is famously featured in tractors like the International Harvester B414, B275, 434, 444, as well as several industrial loaders, backhoes, and crawlers. Known for its heavily built cast-iron block and cylinder head, the BD154 relies on a pre-combustion chamber design equipped with electrical glow plugs to facilitate reliable low-temperature cold starting. It has earned a long-standing reputation for field durability, straightforward serviceability using basic shop tools, and consistent low-end torque delivery under demanding agricultural loads.

The cylinder head utilizes an overhead valve (OHV) configuration. It features a conventional design with two vertical valves per cylinder (one intake and one exhaust valve) operated via pushrods and rocker arms actuated by a gear-driven camshaft located within the engine block. Valve clearance adjustments are carried out at the rocker arm adjusting screws. Cylinder Bore: 3.50 inches (88.90 mm). Piston Stroke: 4.00 inches (101.60 mm). Total Displacement: 154 cubic inches (2.5 liters).

This diesel power plant relies on an indirect injection system using specialized pre-combustion chambers embedded within the cylinder head. Fuel delivery is handled by a mechanical fuel transfer lift pump that draws diesel from the fuel tank, forcing it through a CAV-type replaceable primary fuel filter element to catch contaminants. Clean fuel is delivered directly to a timing-geared CAV DPA distributor-type injection pump. The high-pressure pump precisely times and forces fuel into flat-tipped pintle-type injector nozzles set to mechanical opening thresholds to atomize fuel within the pre-combustion zones.

The engine uses a forced-circulation lubrication system pressurized by a rotor-type oil pump driven via gears off the front of the crankshaft. Oil is pulled from the engine oil pan through a pickup screen, forced through a full-flow oil filter assembly, and routed into a main oil gallery to lubricate the main bearings, connecting rod journals, and camshaft bearings. An external high-pressure oil line carries oil from the main gallery upward to the cylinder head to lubricate the rocker arm assembly.

Engine cooling is managed by a closed, liquid-forced thermal circulation system. A belt-driven centrifugal water pump is mounted to the front of the cylinder block to continuously circulate coolant through the engine block jackets and cylinder head. System temperature regulation is governed by an integrated cooling system thermostat that restricts flow until operational temperatures are reached.

General Technical Data

Engine Specifications

Engine Model ............... International Harvester BD154
Engine Type ............... 4-cycle inline 4-cylinder indirect injection liquid-cooled diesel
Number of Cylinders ............... 4
Cylinder Arrangement ............... In-line
Engine Bore, in (mm) ............... 3.50 (88.9)
Engine Stroke, in (mm) ............... 4.00 (101.6)
Displacement, cu.in (L) ............... 154 (2.5)
Rated Engine Power, hp (kW) ............... 38-43.5 (28.3-32.4)
Rated Engine Speed, rpm ............... 2000
Peak Torque ............... 115 lb-ft (156 Nm) at 1300 rpm
Idle Speed ............... 650-750 rpm
Aspiration Type ............... Naturally Aspirated
Operating Speed ............... 2000 rpm
Compression Ratio ............... 23:1
Firing Order ............... 1-3-4-2
Combustion Chamber ............... Glow plug pre-combustion chamber
Camshaft Drive ............... Gear driven train
Crankshaft Rotation ............... Clockwise from front
Cylinder Block Type ............... Cast iron
Cylinder Head Type ............... Cast iron
Lubrication System ............... Full-pressure
Oil Pump Type ............... Gear-driven
Oil Filter Type ............... Full-flow, spin-on
Cooling System ............... Liquid-cooled
Water Pump Type ............... Belt-driven, centrifugal
Air Cleaner Type ............... Dry dual-stage
Starting System ............... Electric Starter
Electrical System ............... 12 V positive ground

Fuel System

Injection Pump Model ............... Lucas CAV DPA Rotary
Injection Pump Type ............... Distributor rotary plunger type
Fuel Injection Pressure, psi (bar) ............... 2133-2275 (147-157)
Injector Nozzle Type ............... Pintle type nozzle
Fuel Transfer Pump ............... Mechanical diaphragm type
Fuel Filter Primary ............... Water separator sediment bowl
Fuel Filter Secondary ............... Paper element spin-on canister
Injection Timing Marks ............... Flywheel degree marks and pump scribe line
Static Injection Timing ............... 18 deg BTDC
Governor Type ............... Mechanical centrifugal
Governor High Idle Speed, rpm ............... 2200-2250
Governor Low Idle Speed, rpm ............... 650-700

Dimensions and Weight

Overall Length, in (mm) ............... 31.2 (790)
Overall Width, in (mm) ............... 21.5 (545)
Overall Height, in (mm) ............... 33.8 (860)
Dry Weight, lb (kg) ............... 515 (235)
Wet Weight, lb (kg) ............... 548 (250)

Maintenance Data

Service Information

Compression Pressure (Minimum), psi (bar) ............... 380.0 (26.2)
Engine Oil Pressure (Minimum), psi (bar) ............... 30.0 (2.1)
Engine Oil Pressure (Idle), psi (bar) ............... 15.0 (1.0)
Thermostat Opening Temperature, F (C) ............... 170 (77)
Thermostat Full Open Temperature, F (C) ............... 192 (89)
Intake Valve Clearance, in (mm) ............... 0.018-0.020 (0.46-0.51)
Exhaust Valve Clearance, in (mm) ............... 0.018-0.020 (0.46-0.51)

Engine Oil and Coolant

Engine Oil Type .................. SAE 10W, SAE30, or 10W-30
API Service Classifications ......................... CC or CD
Engine Oil Capacity with Filter, qt (L) ............... 6.25 (5.9)
Engine Oil Capacity without Filter, qt (L) ............... 5.5 (5.2)
Cooling System Capacity, qt (L) ............... 12.0 (11.4)

Service Intervals

Change oil and filter ............... Every 100 hours
Fuel filter replacement ............... Every 250 hours
Inspect air filter ............... Every 50 hours
Valve clearance adjustment ............... Every 500 hours
Fuel system inspection ............... Every 1000 hours
Change coolant ............... Every 1000 hours
Check injection timing ............... Every 1000 hours

Service Specifications

Cylinder Bore Production Diameter, in (mm) ............... 3.500-3.502 (88.90-88.95)
Cylinder Bore Maximum Wear Limit, in (mm) ............... 3.506 (89.05)
Cylinder Out of Round Limit, in (mm) ............... 0.0015 (0.038)
Cylinder Taper Maximum Limit, in (mm) ............... 0.002 (0.051)
Main Bearing Clearance Standard, in (mm) ............... 0.002-0.004 (0.051-0.102)
Main Bearing Clearance Wear Limit, in (mm) ............... 0.006 (0.152)
Crankshaft Main Journal Diameter, in (mm) ............... 2.124-2.125 (53.95-53.97)
Crankshaft Crankpin Journal Diameter, in (mm) ............... 1.7495-1.7500 (44.44-44.45)
Camshaft Journal Diameter Number 1, in (mm) ............... 1.872-1.873 (47.55-47.57)
Crankshaft End Play, in (mm) ............... 0.002-0.008 (0.051-0.203)
Connecting Rod Bearing Clearance Standard, in (mm) ............... 0.0015-0.0035 (0.038-0.089)
Connecting Rod Bearing Clearance Wear Limit, in (mm) ............... 0.005 (0.127)
Connecting Rod Side Clearance, in (mm) ............... 0.005-0.010 (0.127-0.254)
Intake Valves Seat Angle, deg ............... 45.0
Exhaust Valves Seat Angle, deg ............... 45.0
Intake Valve Stem Diameter, in (mm) ............... 0.311 (7.90)
Exhaust Valve Stem Diameter, in (mm) ............... 0.310 (7.87)
Intake Valve Lift, in (mm) ............... 0.375 (9.52)
Exhaust Valve Lift, in (mm) ............... 0.375 (9.52)
Valve Spring Free Length, in (mm) ............... 1.94 (49.28)
Camshaft Journal Diameter Number 2, in (mm) ............... 1.841-1.842 (46.76-46.79)
Camshaft Journal Diameter Number 3, in (mm) ............... 1.747-1.748 (44.37-44.40)
Camshaft Journal Clearance Standard, in (mm) ............... 0.002-0.004 (0.051-0.102)
Camshaft Journal Clearance Wear Limit, in (mm) ............... 0.006 (0.152)
Camshaft End Play, in (mm) ............... 0.003-0.007 (0.076-0.178)
Piston Pin Diameter, in (mm) ............... 1.125 (28.57)
Piston to Cylinder Liner Clearance, in (mm) ............... 0.0035-0.0045 (0.089-0.114)
Top Ring Groove Clearance, in (mm) ............... 0.0025-0.0045 (0.064-0.114)
Second Ring Groove Clearance, in (mm) ............... 0.002-0.004 (0.051-0.102)
Oil Ring Groove Clearance, in (mm) ............... 0.0015-0.0035 (0.038-0.089)
Top Ring End Gap Standard, in (mm) ............... 0.011-0.016 (0.279-0.406)
Second Ring End Gap Standard, in (mm) ............... 0.009-0.014 (0.229-0.356)

Tightening Torque Specs

Cylinder head bolts ............... 110-130 Nm (81-96 lb-ft)
Main bearing caps ............... 120-135 Nm (89-100 lb-ft)
Connecting-rod bolts ............... 55-65 Nm (41-48 lb-ft)
Flywheel bolts ............... 95-110 Nm (70-81 lb-ft)
Crankshaft pulley bolt ............... 180-200 Nm (133-148 lb-ft)
Oil drain plug ............... 30-40 Nm (22-30 lb-ft)
Injector hold-downs ............... 20-25 Nm (15-18 lb-ft)
Glow plugs ............... 8-12 Nm (6-9 lb-ft)

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