Hercules diesels


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Posted by Charlie on May 03, 2000 at 14:18:40:

In Reply to: Dr Frankenstein posted by Jonas on May 03, 2000 at 09:16:30:

Before you buy Hercules diesels remember the company is currently defunct. I say this owning two of them. My 2nd one I bought used in California. I only paid $800 but it was set up an automatic. I bought a flywheel and block to GM bellhousing adapter from Hercules before they closed down. Pau Caudell (MARS)MAY have access to some parts. I also have some gaskets including head and filters can be gotten anywhere, like NAPA. It's likely that bread truck take-outs are already set up for GM SM465 4 spds, so no parts will be needed then, except for a Ranger overdrive which will fit nicely between the motor and SM465.
As far as I know, I'm the only person to have installed a Hercules into a Power Wagon, as opposed to a M37. With the GM bellhousing (which has two bolt holes at 30 degrees from horizontal on either side) I made a "cradle" out of 6.1 lb/inch channel and mounted the bh on the cradle with stock GM rubber insulators. I solid bolted the cradle to the stock frame rear mounts. For the front I bought a pair of M37 mtor mount brackets from Paul. I made a 13 degree wedge by welding 3 4" wide, 6" long steel caster wedges (from a spring shop) together. I weled a piece of 1.25" solid steel plate to that. I drilled and tapped a 5/8" bolt hole in the steel plate. I bolted the whole thing to the motor mts. I then welded the whole mess to the part of the frame where the front x-member and frame meet (lots of metal there) with motor already bolted in the rear. So everything HAS to line up just right. The angulation was to get rear trans output located right and to get clearance under the firewall and floorboards. and to get fan located right re radiator.
Stock M37 kit parts won't work, and besides the stock M37 kit has a 3.5" thick adapter plate "to use up length" so that the M37 bellhousing will be in the stock location. If you want a longer transmission (5spd?) or overdrive, length is a precious commodity.
So make sure the motors are hooked to manual transmissions already. And also my motor was a de-tenued "calif. spec" motor, only 85 hp. I turned the pump up to an estimated ~110 hp, but I was told by Hercules that the 85 hp 3.7DTs have some weaker internals and it might eventually blow up on me. It's OK so far, though; I have both EGT and boost gauges. This is in a 48 B1PW with 5.83s and SM420 4spd, intended for village use<40 mph.
Advantages of the Hercules are that they are about 1" shorter and up to 100 lbs lighter than both Cummins and Perkins. But the 3.9BT Cummins can be gotten in up to 330 ft-lb and the Perkins 1004T Phaser up to 290. Even my intercooled M37 Herc. is only 268. Naturally aspirated diesels in this size range only put out 170-200 ft-lb. I'd guess these motors are turbo but not intercooled, estimate 225-230 ft-lb.
Charlie


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