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Posted by Paul ( in NY) on Sunday, February 24, 2008 at 19:19:20 :
In Reply to: Bumblebee gets her Oil Burner posted by Paul ( in NY) on Sunday, February 24, 2008 at 16:22:04 :
Lets explore some of the different possibilities in a Diesel Swap. When you buy a used Diesel, it has been in service typically using Dodge, Ford or GM Transmissions/Equipment. I am only going to present my thoughts on a Manual 5 speed OD Transmission. If your going to use your PW/WC or M37 on the road, and want a decent speed, considering engine RPM's, you must use 4.89 ring and pinion differentials and a 5 Speed Over Drive Transmission. If your building only a trail truck, then 5.83's and a 4 speed may suit you well. I dont consider a 6 Speed Transmission as they are Huge and Very Heavy for our applications.
You want a Diesel, but one driving factor must be funding the project. I strive as you must, to keep costs down as low as possible. So lets explore some different conditions which effect 'everything' including swap cost. The following are suggestions to consider in keeping the cost down. Lets not buy any more parts than are needed, and not throw away or try to sell unwanted parts. In my opinion, a Cummins 4B series is the easiest to drop in our trucks, PW/WC or M37. In all cases below, The engine is a Cummins 4B series.
Condition 1;
Your used Diesel comes with a GM SM 465 4 speed Manual Transmission. The transmission has to go away, but you already have a Flywheel housing Adapter, flywheel and starter, I dont advocate re-using a unknown clutch and Pressure Plate and Throwout or Pilot Bearing. I would select a GM, NV-4500. You will need to buy a Bell Housing NV-4500 to GM Flywheel Housing Adapter. Early GM, NV-4500's had a very low 1st gear which would be nice off road. The GM Application, mounts the starter on the Passenger side of the engine
Condition 2;
Your used Diesel comes with a Ford Manual Transmission. You already have the Flywheel Housing Adapter, Flywheel, Bell House and Starter. You may want to consider using a Small Block Ford ZF-S542. Its Plug and Play. If you want to use a Big Block/Diesel ZF-S542 with a wide ratio gear set, you will need to buy a very expensive adapter made by two companies. Then you will use a Dodge Flywheel and Starter. My only concern with the Small Block ZF is that the clutch slave is internal. I will only use external slaves as they are so easy to change.
Condition 3;
If you ever find a 4B series with a Dodge NV-4500 attached....Your Golden and in my opinion, its worth premium dollars. Its ready to drop in and use, assuming everything is in good condition. Grab it Quick, before I find it LOL.
Condition 4;
Your Engine comes with no Flywheel Housing Adapter, Flywheel or Bell House or Starter. Its a bare Cummins 4B series. Then, without question, the cheapest and easiest parts to obtain are Dodge CTD, 2nd Gen. Everything that bolts behind a 2nd Gen Dodge 6B series will bolt up, Plug and Play to a 4B series. Now all you need to do is buy a Flywheel Housing Adapter, NV-4500 Bell House, Starter, Flywheel and Clutch.....but its all Dodge, easy to find at wrecking yards.
You could also consider using a SAE#3 Adapter and a Spicer transmission. In my opinion, they are old iron, wacky shift pattern and not in any means what I want.
Although the front engine mounts may be the same in all the above, Rear Mounts/Transmission Mounts are all different. Transmissions are different sizes which will make mounting heights and fore/aft at different locations. This is just a quick overview that I thought about while eating supper. You can see how difficult/impossible it would be to make a Generic 4B Diesel Swap Kit. Others may have different ideas. I, we, would love to hear them as we all can learn. I present the above after 3 Diesel Swaps in my Power Wagon, WC-53 and M37.
Paul
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