Diesel conversion

[Ranchero50]

I guess it all depends on what you want out of it and how much trouble you want to go through to make it work. From experience the 6.9 swap is tight. The manifold rides right on top of the power steering box. The oil pan needed trimmed an inch. You need to install a 1.5" body lift and don't expect to remove the drivers side valve cover easily if you have power brakes. An inline motor resolves all of those problems. Like you I had the motor and tranny given to me and a lot of support to keep plugging away at it. Check out some of the pics over on the project updates forum before you decide. I'm still in bodywork mode so it hasn't run yet, plug diesel is 20 cents higher than premium now...

Jamie

[James72]

Wow, here diesel is 15 cents lower then regular. Besides my wifes uncle refines used vegtable oil and runs it in his '04 dodge cummins, so the fuel cost is about 20cents a gallon and he's proven it already. It dose look like a ton of work either way, I'm starting to think cummins may be the way to go for easyer future repairs. Also the turbo on the 7.3 is hard enough to get at in it's natural habitat.

[68Mercury250Ranger]

Nobody mentioned the Navistar DT360 turbo and intercooled . Wet sleeve engine, unlike the cummins no sleeve. Also has an Inline injection pump. Sorry can't tell you what years/models. I did an Inframe rebuild on one about 5yrs ago and it was significantly smaller than the DT466.

I like the cummins idea but here in Ontario, the Cummins 4bt are almost non existent other than offroad applications and the occassional Front wheel drive wheelchair bus. $ 3000-4000 , unless you want a core motor.

As for Cat motors , I am watching for a burnt/rolled 3126 powered medium duty truck to put under my Mercury M700 body.

Thats one nice motor, no performance mods required!!!!!!