The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Detroit Diesel Conversion

Hello,
I am getting closer to converting my 52 Chevy 1 ton pickup to a 2 ton with a Detroit Diesel 4-53T. That's 212 cubic inches, two stroke, 180 HP at 2,500 and 435 ft-lb at 1,500.

So far I have 13" disc brakes front and rear.
Power steering.
Hodroboosted brakes.

I am looking for a Roadranger RTO6610 transmission, overdrive with 10 speeds.

On the list later is Air conditioning, 5 window cab, aluminum flat bed with wood deck..... And the list goes on.

Anybody done something like this before?
Have any ideas?

Talked to a friend a while back who showed me an old tandem axle semi tractor he'd only paid $1,000 for and drove home.

I don't know details about different models of Roadranger transmissions, but based on what he said I'd be looking for a complete truck if I wanted one. Preferably one with the motor I wanted also.

I have the engine already, it runs great, I drove it 8 hours to get home, pulled it out of the truck and sold the truck. It has a 5 speed spicer.

I have been looking for a whole truck with the transmission I need, but no luck yet. I'll find one eventually, just got to keep looking.

I Have not done this but a weekend ago is seen a 1960 peterbuilt on a ford one ton chassis with a DD 4-53T, see the pics here:

web page

The are from the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Truck Historical Society 4th Annual Truck Show in Salina September 10-11, 2005 At the Art Robinson Transport Museum

That is an interesting looking truck. Do you know if he was at the national show in Auburn a few months ago? I feel like I have seen that truck before, but if so the hood was not up. Thanks for the pictures.

It does not look like he has a Jake Brake, I would think that a miniature big rig would have to have one of those, then it would even sound like a big truck. He may have one if they ever made a tall aluminum valve cover for the 4-53, anyone know?
My Jake Brake has a 2" cast iron riser under the normal valve cover. Should turn a few heads to see a pickup sized truck make such a racket, that's on top of being a screaming Detroit....

A couple weeks ago I stumbed on three old trucks all mounted on 1-ton frames. Two were Dodge's with Cummins motors and the third was a gas powered Ford.

A Diamond Reo, a Diamond T and I've forgotten what the third was. I took pictures but since none of them were made by GM or even using GM parts I haven't shared them here.

One guy working in a shop behind his house. They sure were cool!

I can't remember if it was coloradok5.com or which truck site it was,maybe gm-diesel.com, but there is someone there with a 73-87 bodystyle truck with a 4-53 or 71. It's a 4 door, brown in color...

It sounds like a cool project... love them 2 strokes!

Jay

Are you planning on hauling something with this..??? Unless your uhhhhhhhh plannin on haulin a big load in the bad mountains or something you dont need the 10 speed... sounds like youll have enough power with just the 5 speed spicer that was hooked to it....???? Unless ya just like shiftin.. or split shiftin...... or even the 5 speed with a two speed rear end... or better yet get an allison....

You might want to keep it in mind how low geared these old stovebolts are,and your engine will want to run at about 2,000 rpm;you might have to gear it up more than a OD high Road ranger can cover.
Speed

There is nothing a two-stroke detroit diesel loves to do more than rev. You can wind the snot out of them. Don't worry about the gears so much.

not that you can, butyou hafta - the 2 strokes have the power at the top

Bill

They will only rev up to the governor which is usually about 2100 rpm... if ur goin without or faster than that.. uhhhhhhhh duck.......

yeah, what fatweed said. along with ya can't hear yerslf scream, and they are just "giving away" diesel fuel. switch to a later model year differential and keep the clark 5 spd. yagonna keep the compressor just to shift the splitter on the tranny? why???? you have a chance to do something unique and really useful here. or something unique and nearly useless because you ain't got the money to drive the thing, and it tops out at 37 1/2 miles per hour. a big truck with a 4:11 gear tops out about 65 m.p.h. with a direct tranny--------and great big wheels.

something to consider, ain't it?

Right on, Kool. Sounds like one of those things where if you're going to do it, you have to do it all the way because halfway is worse than not even starting.

But this is great! For years I've been hoping somebody would do a conversion like this. (The 350/350TH upgrades are great, but ...) So PLEASE take lots of pictures as you go and write up as you go. This is a fascinating (for me, anyway) thought process you are going through as I am starting to think possibly that I might cease work on my '49 and convert it to diesel.... A lot of other guys around here are too.

You are the first that I know of to actually start the project (and tell us about it) so please share your data! Sounds like an awesome Tech Tip/Feature article in the making.

Thanks,
John

Vaughn;
As was pointed out by Fatweed,Detroits sound like they're revvin'but just like the other diesels,they run at relatively low rpm's. Gearing is always an issue on the old stovebolts,regardless of the engine used. How fast will your 'bolt go at 2,100 rpm?
Speed

Hello All,
I have been away from a confuser for several days...

I'll try and answer all your questions and concerns.

I already have a Dana 70HD rear end in my truck, and I will change my 4.56 gears to 3.54 when I go diesel, that is as fast as they make for the 70HD.
I will also need an overdrive to cruse at a normal speed.
SO, I can't use my 5 speed spicer because it is not overdrive. I could use the 5 speed spicer from a deuce and a half, they are overdrive. But I want the roadranger.

I probably won't use all the gears unless loaded.
I will use it to pull a trailer in the mountians.
With good insulation in the cab, and a reasonable muffler it won't be very loud.
I won't use an engine mounted air compressor, but an electric one with a 100% duty cycle. It would be a tight squeese to fit the PS pump, AC compressor, and air compressor all on the same side of the engine. The other side has water pump and alternator.
The transmission really does not take that much air, and it's only the one shift when shifting over 5th, or under 6th.

I had a 73 chevy with a 4-53t engine a few months ago, I drove it home from CO with better than 20 MPG, that's 65mph at 2,500 rpm.

I plan to cruse at about 2,000 for best fuel economy and run about 70.

If you look on another thread at the pictures from the Winchester truck show two weekends ago there is a picture or two of my truck and my new engine, they are the last pictures on one of the links.

Here is the picture link, picturtes 55 and 56
http://community.webshots.com/slideshow?ID=459552863&key=rVUuDR

I did get a transmission last week, it's a Roadranger RT610, not overdrive, but the same case so I can fit it with the engine in my truck till I find an overdrive version.

I have a 13 speed roadranger (too big) that I want to trade for a RTO6610, any one know of one?
I have a lead on another RT610, I may pick it up if the price is right.

The next thing I need is a great 5 window cab and a 6100 frame, Any ideas on where to find one?

Grigg

I'd love to some photos too! It sounds like it would be fun.

Grigg,

I know where you can find a 4400 frame and 3-window cab....

John

Thanks John,
But I think I will try and find what I really want, a 5 window 6100. I only want to do this once, so I think it is worth the effort to do find the right stuff and do it right the first time.

I did pick up a good Roadranger RT610, now I have two of these.
I will go look at two more transmissions locally that may be either RT613 or RTO613's, or perhaps one of each.

I also picked up another exhaust manifold and an Airesearch T04B98 turbo, exactly like the one I just had rebuilt. I will try and trade it for a T04E03 with an A/R of 0.81. That's what I need when I change to a bypass blower.

Hey Grigg,

In your travels have you seen any Spicer 5-speed OD transmissions? I want to replace the SM-420 to make my '56 Chevy 4400 NAPCO run a little faster and thought that would be the easyest way to do it.

Thanks,

Mike

Mike,
I think you are looking for the 3053A from a 2.5 ton military with multifuel. It has about 0.80 overdrive ratio. It also does not have provisions for a spedo cable or a parking brake.

I would not pay over about $250 for a really good one. They are so plentifull in the surplus market that they can be found at a good price. A friend of mine got one for $20, but he is lucky. I have a lead on one around here for about $200, but I have not seen it yet, I can dig up the phone number if you want?

Grigg

I love the sound of a well tuned 6v53T, that and a 5 speed deep ratio allison automatic make a 14 Ton LAV cruise easily at 70 mph.

this is gwine ta be interestin'.

-W

I am getting closer to puting an engine and transmission in a frame.
I have my engine just about done, and I have two roadranger RT 610 transmissions to choose from.

I am still trying to find an overdrive to buy or swap, but till then I can use a dirrect drive to fit it all together.

I am still looking for a 2 ton 137" Advanced Design frame, but if I don't find one soon I will go buy a local one for $300 (with rusty cab). I would like to find a good frame and cab all at once, but to keep moving forward I may get just the frame first.

Does anyone have an easy way to post pictures? I have tried to figure it out before with no luck.

There is a section under stovebolt forums, the office, stovebolt faqs that deals with posting pictures. Another way is to find a site such as webshots.com to host an online album and then post a link here in the forum.

Just to clarify, the 3053A has a 15% overdrive (0.85:1) in 5th gear.

I thought I was close, I also did some checking and agree that it is 0.85.
Thanks,
Grigg

Grigg I see you used the webshots route previously so maybe the Stovebolt Faqs will be of some use

http://community.webshots.com/user/Grigg3

Here you go, some pictures of my new engine.

I'll have some of my axle conversion soon.

I finally got my oil pan turned around this weekend. Had to make a pickup tube extension because Detroit does not, and has never had a pickup tube for a rear sump 4-53 turbo.
I will try to get a transmission bolted to the engine Sunday so I can check dimensions and see how it may fit in my truck.

Still looking for the right 5 window 2 ton.......

There are more pictures in my album now, including all of the axle swapping I did a year or so ago.

could you use a 5 window pickup cab?
I dident know that there was that much diffrence,
sounds like a cool project

Hello Luke,
I could use a 5 window cab from any size truck.
I also need a Frame from a 6100 2 ton, and front clip from a 1.5 or 2 ton.
So, to get it all on one truck I am looking for a 5 window 6100, perferably a 49 or 50 model.
I will piece together a truck if I find the cab and parts separate. I know of a good frame not far away, so actually I only need a good cab and fenders and hood.
Either way, I am looking for good sheetmetal....
Grigg

I have a 50 gmc 5 window cab good shape but needs some floor board work
also have compleat 2 ton 49 truck
please e-mail me if interrested
(this is not the swap meet)

Thanks Luke,
But I was hoping to find a truck or parts within about 15 or 20 hours drive at the most, two days non stop is a little long for me.
Thanks for the offer, but I'll keep looking, I have only waited 2 or 3 years so far, another one or two won't hurt. Although I am really looking forward to having this assortment of oversize parts on the road eventually...
Grigg

yea the distance thing kinda sliped my mind,
do you have photo of compleat chassis with engine stitting in it yet?
cant wait to see it

vrooooooom.

-W

No, no pictures of the frame yet, I am getting closer to having one though.
As soon as I get it, get it stripped, blasted, and primed I will position the engine in it and make mounts for everything, then build the truck back around it.
I'll be sure to post pictures on Webshots as it progresses.
I am gradually adding captions to the pictures already there ...

I just got home from a 1,700 mile round trip with a VW jetta full of sheet metal for my soon to be truck.
Sam, "acmegarage", had 3 NOS big fenders, a NOS hood, and a great used hood, inner fenders, grill, splash pan, grill upper and lower covers, and a radiator support. All for the 1.5 or 2 ton chevys, like I am building
With his and his wife's help it all fit in the VW with only the used hood on the roof rack.
I'll have some pictures added to a new album on the link bellow in the next few days. You may not believe that all that stuff fit till you see it..
Now all I really need to get started is a nice 5 window cab and a 137" WB 2 ton frame.
I am getting closer....

Grigg digs himself deeper and deeper into the pit...



good thing you have all the stovebolters to help pull you out... he he he.

-W