retrofitting a trucktor...
 

OK, so I saw a reference to the Shade tree website about switching your gas burner pickup into a "tracktor" in another thread here. I read his website and then picked up the phone and called him and what he had to say was pretty interesting although pricey.

Has anyone else here looked into doing it or actually done it? I like the idea of getting 40-50 mpg but the mods he described are pretty heavy and would represent an awfully big investment for me personally.

Any personal expirience lurking around here from a fellow GIMer maybe?

Re: retrofitting a trucktor...
 

I am confused as to what you are asking.

I think it could be one of three things:

1. Do you want to do an engine conversion in your current vehicle to a high efficency diesel like a cummins 4bt giving you lots of torque and good fuel economy.

2. Do you want to put a wood gasifier system in the vehicle to run off of wood.

3. or possiblily a WVO waste vegatable oil system to run in your current diesel.

Re: retrofitting a trucktor...
 

Sorry, I wasn't very clear was I?

I'm investigating putting a diesel engine from a tractor or some other older vehicle in my '67 2x4 ford truck. I'm not so sure I'd want to go with a Cummins or Isuzu conversion because of all the associated engine management systems that I'd have to plumb in. My truck is incredibly simple as it is and I like that about it.

I'd rather stick with a very simple, older diesel engine with about 100+ hp and 250 ft pounds of torque. I'm not looking for any tire smoking quarter mile action, just simplicity and economy.

I found this older Ford diesel motor and a transmission so far, but I have no clue about the specs other than that it's a four cylinder. It should pretty much bolt right in without any major complications I'm hoping, but I don't know for sure. Can anyone identify it?

Re: retrofitting a trucktor...
 

Actualy the Cummins 4bt is a 1 wire hookup it is entirely mechanical the 1 wire is for fuel silenoid cutoff to kill the enging that is all.

They are available with chevey or ford bell housings they were standard in Frito-Lay, UPS and most bread trucks.

Basicly the 4bt is the same as the gen 1 Dodge cummings truck minus 2 cylinders.

Check out this site for more info.

http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/index.php

The hard thing about the swap is sourcing the engine and beefing up your front springs due to it being heavy. But people have stuffed them in Ford Rangers without too much hassle.

Re: retrofitting a trucktor...
 

Oh and on another note. If I am thinking that is what it is, that engine you have a picture of makes about 30 hp and 100flbs of torque.

It looks like the diesel case, massey, ford diesel tractor engine from the orchard tractor size tractor and it gets all it's oomph from gearing

Re: retrofitting a trucktor...
 

I think you would have a problem with gearing if you did such a swap. Most industrial diesel engines have a maximum RPM of about 2200. There are exceptions to this rule, though. Either way, diesels are only efficient in the 1600 to 2100 RPM range. This is why 18 wheelers have so many gears.
Your top speed may be very limited at 2200 RPM (unless you have a very high differential ratio), but this might be solved by installing the tallest 16" wheels and tires you can find, unless it's a 3/4 ton and thus already has them.
With the limited RPM range, whatever gears your truck now has will not be enough to fill the gaps between the limitations of the 1600-2100 RPM range so you will routinely be operating out of that range. That said, there will likely be no longevity benefit of doing this swap because you will be lugging and over-revving to get it up to highway speed.