453 Detroit Diesel

[Skywalker 0]

Hi,

Just wondering what you experts think about an engine swap I have heard someone did. I guess the guy put a Detroit 453 from I beleive an old school bus into a Pickup truck.

The main reason I thought this would be a good project was that he supposedly obtained 29 mile per gallon. It didn't matter if it was loaded or empty.

I thought maybe I could put a 453 in a Ford 1 ton pickup. Does this sound crazy? Thanks for your thoughts.

[bindernut 0]

a 2-32 or 3-53 yea, but I think a 4-53 might be a bit big. And even if it fits, I would suspect you'd have to beef up the suspension, steering & possibly brakes.

Mark

[TP from Central PA 1,782]

I considered using the 4-53 for my Conversion but I had acouple of problems..................

1. Those Detroits are alot taller than others of the same hp size.........It wouldn't have fit into my independent front suspension pickup without a body lift kit and/or alot of hacking on the front end.

2. Weight is a major issue with any repower. Probably the biggest reason I didn't use a 6BT Cummins.

With this said, I don't know much about Ferd's older 1-tons.........I imagine if they have a solid axle with leaf springs you maybe able to do it with some helper springs as you'll have more room to play with for oil pan clearance.

Their was a GMC on ebay a few weeks ago that someone put a 4-53 in. I talked to the owner and he said it was running on a 2-ton GM truck chassis, although he didn't know much more as he bought it like that. Said it was a puller though with the Clark 5 spd behind it.

Might want to look into a 4BT Cummins for your project. You can get adapter to run GM trannys and they are easy to soup up. I didn't want a 4 cylinder or I'd have used it instead of the little 6 I did use.

[cliff 0]

I have personally seen an F-250 pickup with the inline 6-71 installed in it. It was a tight fit,,but the truck was a '73 with the independent front suspension and it had electric cooling fans on it. Somewhere around here I have pics of it...hafta see what I can locate.

[chip man 17]

I have seen a '66 F-350 with a 4-53 in it. owner had taken it off the road because of frame cracks near the motor mounts. tm

[TP from Central PA 1,782]

I have personally seen an F-250 pickup with the inline 6-71 installed in it. It was a tight fit,,but the truck was a '73 with the independent front suspension and it had electric cooling fans on it. Somewhere around here I have pics of it...hafta see what I can locate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I won't believe that until I see it with my own eyes.................The front end would NEVER handle that weight. And I honestly can't see a 6-71 in a pickup without a huge dog house in the cab.

Are you sure it wasn't a 6V-71? Or a smaller 4 cylinder one?

[magicmikey 1]

Skywalker

My summer truck is a `72 F-350 with a Cummins V6 and 5spd OD tranny. This was done in 1982 and now has 307,000 miles on it.

Engine weight is 2000 lbs,the front coils are 15/16" ,the front end has had one rebuild. Other than wearing out 3 rear ends,here in mountain country, I have put in a newer Chevy which appears to be able to handle the torque so far.

The engine is rated 140hp,500 ft.lbs@3300 rpm and mileage is 24-33 mpg.

HTH

mike

[bindernut 0]

I won't believe that until I see it with my own eyes.................The front end would NEVER handle that weight.  And I honestly can't see a 6-71 in a pickup without a huge dog house in the cab.

Are you sure it wasn't a 6V-71?  Or a smaller 4 cylinder one?

I'm with you Tyler, a 6-71 is too heavy and long to go in a pickup. Not sure about a 6v-71, but i wonder if that might get too wide.

Mark

[460Diesel 0]

Over at ytmag real early this year in the classic truck section was a picture with a video of a 70's-80's GMC pickup with a 4-53 Detroit in it.Do a search there and you might find it.It seems like he was having good luck with it.

[TP from Central PA 1,782]

I'm with you Tyler, a 6-71 is too heavy and long to go in a pickup. Not sure about a 6v-71, but i wonder if that might get too wide.

Mark

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've seen 6V-71's in 1-tons, but I wanted to put a 6-71 in our old IH Fleetstar that my neighbors had, and even though it came out of another Fleetstar, my measuring tape said it would have just barely fit in ours..........So we went with a Triple Trouble(AKA 555 Boatanchor) Cummins.

I couldn't imagine stuffing one in a 3/4 or 1-ton truck, unless it was on a 2-ton chassis or something similar.

[cliff 0]

As soon as I can find the paper pic of it I will go to Wally World and have it scanned so I can put it on here. The truck was seen at the national EDGETA show here in Republic Mo in 1996. And YES it was a 6-71. I worked for Detroit Diesel and I KNOW the difference.

[TP from Central PA 1,782]

As soon as I can find the paper pic of it I will go to Wally World and have it scanned so I can put it on here. The truck was seen at the national EDGETA show here in Republic Mo in 1996. And YES it was a 6-71. I worked for Detroit Diesel and I KNOW the difference.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Like I said, still don't believe it..................Please post pictures, I want to see this rig!

[460Diesel 0]

Cliff,

I believe you.Nothing is impossible.I have personally seen a 1966 IH pickup with a big V-8 Cat diesel in it.It had been beefed up a bunch and weighed right at 10,000 lbs empty,had a 1700 Loadstar 2 speed rearend under it..I have pictures of it and wrote down the story of it somewhere.I also remember a red and white 1974-75 IH pickup that came thru my area quite often some 20-25 years ago that had a V-6-53 Detroit in it.He always pulled a big gooseneck trailer.

[langoley 0]

But wait,the 4-53 is also available in an aluminum block version!!!I have a 3-53 al. on a log loader.

[sawmill 0]

Anything is possible ,there is a

one ton 4x4 here with a 3208 Cat.

It is a 70's model International.

A lot of guys will try anything,but

it does'nt mean it always works

great.

[IH RD 0]

No offense to you "die hard" 2 cycle fans, but there are a lot of better engines to invest your time in than them noisy, oil leakin' Detroits! (excluding the 40 & 60 series 4 cycles of course .)

IH RD

[sawmill 0]

IH RD

I have a 1976 skidder with a 4-53 Detroit.

Never has had anything done to it except

tuneups. Has had the heck worked out of

it under every condition. It sat all winter in

16 feet of snow. Finaly got to it last week,

hit the starter and it was running in seconds.

It will work hard all day on 6 to 8 gallons of

fuel,might use a quart of oil in two weeks.

It started and ran when it was 40 below zero

day after day. Had to use it to pull or jump start

the other loggers equipment with the better

engines. Note mostly new John Deeres.

I have 3 other Detroits on machines,never

had a minutes trouble with any of them. One

of them has worn out three machines and

still going strong. By the way I run.Cummins,

Cat,AC,and a few others too. But those old

Detroits can hold there own with any of them.

[chip man 17]

Sawmill great engines for machines, but hardly my first choice for a pick-up or one ton.

[sawmill 0]

chip man

I agree ,too heavy for a pickup.

A pickup or one ton doesn't have

the gears to run one right. They

work ok in a 1 1/2 ton with a 2

speed axle.

[IH RD 0]

I'm not tryin' to pick a fight with the 2 cycle people .

Over the years we've had 318's & 6V-92's in trucks & 4-71's in some equipment. So I've had some experience with them. One of the biggest problems is they have no "torque curve", if you don't keep them suckers wound tight they fell flat, you had better have a lot of gears to choose from. They just would be my last pick for a engine period, but expecially in a truck.

Now the 60 series are a complete different story, we have a 365hp in a semi tractor, and they have low-end torque that just won't quit!, a super well designed and performing eng. in my opinion.

IH RD

[TP from Central PA 1,782]

One of the biggest problems is they have no "torque curve", if you don't keep them suckers wound tight they fell flat

Slam the door on your fingers of both hands when you get into the truck and they run like a raped ape. Most of the guys around here that don't like 'em are the ones who pull them down like they have a 3406 Cat under the hood.............And then they complain because they ain't got the stuff.

My neighbors have a IH 2050 with a 6-71, 5spd with a 2 spd rear that was setup just like our 2010 except we had a 555 Cummins..............Theirs has a lime box on it so they only use it every so often, but it will flat out scoot if you get a guy behind the wheel who ain't affraid to let it roar on hills. I know I'd have rather had theirs than the POS Cummins we had.

[W.K.TEDDYBEAR 0]

HAVE SEEN 2 AND DRIVEN 1 FORD 3/4 TON WITH 3-71IN MID 70'S THESE CAME FROM ALASKA PIPELINE JOB.

HAULED CONTAINERS FOR AWHILE WITH "DINOSAUR"(25'WHEELBASE,DOUBLE FRAME RAIL,FIXED DROP AXLE,13SPD,HENDRICKS WALKING BEAM BISCUIT[NO REAR SPRINGS]REAR SUSPENTION, 20,000lbs WITH 3"FUEL IN 1 TANK, 57MPH TOP SPEEDAT 2250RPM) WITH A 12V71 DRY BLOCK DETROIT IT ACTUALLY PULLED AT 1500RPM GROSS 98,000LBS, WAS GOVED AT 2250RPM AND ADVERTISED TORQUE WAS DOWN AT 1300RPM BY DETROIT SERVICE MANUAL. AT OR BELOW 1500RPM HAD TO WATCH TEMP GAUGE CAUSE IT LIKED TO GET WARM. HEAT IS THE KILLER OF THE 2 CYCLE DETROITS, HEADS WILL CRACK IF YOU GET THEM HOT WAS TOLD NEVER LET THEM GO OVER 205F.

[Dr._EVIL 0]

RD - I agree with You.... Most Guys who say they like Detroits haven't run them that much.... Noise alone will make Your ears ring for a month..... Trucking co. I drove for had a bunch of 6V-92 TTA's in everything from S2200's to Transtars, all with 9 speed RoadRangers.... Not enough gears.... They got about 1/2 mpg more than My 903 Cummins with 6-speed Spicer.... but I checked the oil in My Cummins daily and added a quart about every two weeks. Detroits took a gallon a DAY, sometimes more.

If You want to repower a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup drop a 5.9 Cummins, or maybe a DTA-360 IHC in it if You want something "Different"

[no_brainer 0]

You all are thinking wrong I would rather use a 3-4 cyl perkins better all around and I read a story when smokey what ever his name is put one in a mustang and it rocked.

[Detroit 0]

A 4-53 in a pickup isn't impossible. The 53 series is way shorter in height than the 71 series. I'd like to put one in the '46 Dodge Powerwagon that we have. That or a Perkins. But I think a 236 Perkins wouldn't have enough power, and a 354 Perkins wopuld be too long. Any way we decide to go, we have bunches of those engines lying around. This truck has 5.43 gears in it, so a smaller motor would be fine. Just need to find a transmission to mate to the engine..