The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 6-cyl. diesel power

Has anyone repowered a stovebolt with a diesel? Which one? Before I knew how strong and happy my 216 is, I thought about either the Cummins or Toyota 6's as cost-effective repower units for a high-miler work truck. This '51 will stay original, but I haven't ruled out the idea for another truck. I don't want a V-8, or anything else you can't fix with a big rock. Mercedes makes one, too. All the above could be acquired with manual transmissions with overdrive ratios.

Check the Big Bolt forum, I think there was one that got a Detroit conversion in there,
Also, oersonal opinion- the Mercedes 5 cylinder (??) deisel isn't a very good engine. No power, horrible vibration, parts availibility virtually nil and vey expensive if you do find them. I've never seen one with a stick shift either. The Cummins would be a better bet if you want an inline deisel.

I certainly would not consider the Toyota diesel. The Cummins would be a good choice--parts are readily available and reasonably priced, the engine is very popular and well proven, light weight, compact and would be an excellent choice.

Do not overlook the Perkins engine. Everything I said about the Cummins would apply to the Perkins as well, although parts and availability are not as good as the Cummins, still better than many. I have had excellent results with all of my Perkins engines. The Perkins would also be considerably cheaper than the Cummins, at least by my experience.

The A series Cummins, as was used in UPS trucks and Onan generators, would be a much better fit than the B series used in Dodge pickups. Yanmar engines are bullet proof, light weight and relatively high revving, and would be a great replacement for a gas engine.

As far as most practical, the cummins 4BT, that's like in the dodge truck but only 4 cylinders.

The 6 cylinder from the dodge is going to be too long to make it an easy conversion, and you will want a 1 ton truck or better to start with, or at least I would.

I am doing the Detroit 4-53T conversion, check out the pictures on the link below.

Grigg

The 2-stroke detroits are fine engines, no getting around it. I have personally put about 300,000 miles on them, though, and my tolerance for that horrible noise is sharply curtailed. Also, my hearing has been damaged enough. 30% loss in one ear, and no further loss since I stopped driving them.
Hadn't thought about Perkins. I'd want 100 - 150hp, and i'll be looking into them.
I've had good luck with naturally-aspirated Mercedes engines. Used parts are everywhere, and the Unimog has a 6 and a 6-speed transmission.
Why not the Toyota, Crabby?

Well, I guess I can't really say for sure on the Toyota, except that everything I have ever had made in Japan was so very, very expensive on parts. I also live in probably much different circumstances than you, that is I am in a rural area and there are no Toyota dealers for many miles but the Perkins and Cummins engines are very easy to find parts for here. And of course the price for parts is comparatively reasonable.

I guess after reading the other posts maybe the other smaller engines might be something to consider but the 6354 Perkins weighs less than 1000 lbs (without accessories) as does the Cummins. I don't think that is so terribly heavy considering the old Chevy 6 cylinders where by no means light. You didn't say if this is a 3/4 ton or not. If it is, I would think the B series or Perkins would work pretty well.

I have a couple of Mitsubishi 4 cyl diesels in the
smaller Fuso trucks. They are nice little engines. Depending on the year, 120-150HP. Earlier, 89 back, were turbo but not intercooled. Later are intercooled and there is a lot of difference in power. I had one out to work on it and I would guess its weight at around 650-700 lbs. Parts are not cheap, but if you get a good engine parts are seldom needed. Most I have seen go 250-300,000 miles. The auto trans for the late ones is very expensive to repair, wouldn't recommend one. But, the mid-late 80s had a Chrysler torqueflight, no better trans in my opinion. Might check you local truck wrecking yards. I have found that the late auto trans versions are often retired when the trans quits and the engine is still good.

The Cummins 4bt suggestion is also good, very similar to the Mits. The cummins was available with a GM T400 trans.

I would love to have a small 4cyl diesel in my 62. I don't have a shop though and would need someone to do the conversion.

I found this diesel engine site on the net.

dieselenginemotor.com

Is your 51 a 3/4 ton? If a 1/2 ton you will have to do some serious spring, suspension, and maybe frame work. The diesels are great but HEAVY. The factories don't offer them (V8 and 6) in 1/2 tons. I think I read where ford (I think) is just now offering one in a 1/2 ton.

I don't think that Ford diesel is availible in the US yet, they are using it in the Europe market in light vans, might make the North American market early next year. This engine is a v-6, not an 8.

It's starting to look as if the Cummins 4BT would be my choice, although they're pretty thin on the ground in these particular parts. Of course, I haven't gotten all serious about looking just yet. Pretty sure I couldn't justify the cash outlay to accounting until at least next year. Time for a little more research: I don't want an automatic, and that's what all the 4BT's I saw were set up for. Will they take that dodge tranny, I wonder?

[img]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/53/753/1/87/18/2078187180096215731SvWDHj_th.jpg[/img]

It's a 1-ton, Coilover. No problem that way.