The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Diesel to L6 swap

A friend of mine has a F@rd '88 E250 or 350 ambulance he still uses for training purposes. After 16 odd years, the diesel powerplant is getting clapped out. He called the dealer who said diesels can't be rebuilt and tried to sell him a new motor (w/install) for $4 grand.
Assuming the dealer was correct, can a 300 **** straight six swap in? Of course there are wiring and fuel system issues, I know. But an L6 gas motor could be rebuilt for half the dealer's qoute.

If the dealer says it cant be rebuit I would call
another dealer who knows what he is talking about.
Cant see any reason why a diesel should not be possible to rebuild, it might be a little bit more expensive than a gas engine because of the fuel system but the rest of the engine is more or less the same.

Diesel engines in general can be rebuilt. The military has rebuilt their diesel engines for years for the cost savings. I concur and would try another dealer or someone who does just engine rebuilding.

It would be cheaper to buy a [censored] rusted out van with the same motor if it was low miles.

Thanks guys, I don't trust dealers either. I did give him my machinist's phone number. What he does with that is his affair. But it just seemed unusual that a diesel couldn't be rebuilt.
Tony: rusted out vehicles with good running gear are the rarity here in Tucson AZ, [and the southwest in general]. The bodies don't rust so people drive the hell out of them. A donor van from the northeast would fill the bill, but then there's shipping.
Anyway, it's not my project, just trying to find out stuff for a friend.
I guess the L6 swap is more hassle than it's worth.

My father recently had his **** diesel of that same vintage (6.9L?) rebuilt. Never believe a Stealer, I mean dealer. Just be sure that your rebuilder includes a little extra piston to cylinder clearance on the rear most cylinders.

Thanks, Jason. I'll pass that on. My friend is an EMT instructor with no mechanical aptitude. He didn't know what size engine he had offhand or even if it was a 3/4 or 1 ton.

Don't know anything about it myself, but my father who was a professional heavy truck mechanic for many years said that some of the lower end Caterpiller diesels(3208?)were "toilet paper" engines. Not meant to be rebuilt. Just use them until they were through and then throw them away. Obviously that is not the case with all diesels, but may be the case with the one in your friend's ambulance.