Diesel engine swap
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Diesel engine swap
I have a 73 F-250 with a 390, but I would like to put in a 3208 Caterpillar engine or a cat engine that will out pull a newer Cummins diesel. I figured since they put the 3208 in a lot of semi trucks so it should be more then enough for a full size truck. I'm pretty sure the size of a 3208 is a little bigger then a cadillac 500 V8 so it should fit my truck, given a sutible motor mount can be made. Could someone give me some info on fitability, if it will out pull a Cummins, and anything I could learn about this kind of swap.
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From: where the deer and antelo
The 3208 will be a tight fit, but I believe it can be done, as is in some of the F600 trucks. I have a bucket truck with one in. It is a F7000 4X4 that is quite heavy, but gets around real well. In my trucks (heavy work trucks, this is my third) that have had them in, I don't think a Cummins would out pull them.
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From: South Eastern MN
As tempting as that sounds, that cat engine is in a different class as the Cummins, if it produces the same amount of H.P., the cat would have gobs more torque. I don't know if your trucks frame, suspension, transission, or anything else related will be able to hold up to the weight, or torque of that gigantic low revving engine beast! If it isn't a 4x4, it'll be real hard to get that monster of a truck to hook up. Also, please think about braking and safety. I just wrecked the front end of my 02 F-350 diesel, my brakes were getting just a little bit weak, and I figured I'd wait until they started to make some noise or some grinding...well, to say the least, I couldn't slow my truck down enough in time to make the impact damage less, as it had been the last 4 times.
As much as I hate how engineers put things together, I am going to ask you to look at this as an engineer...please think of safety, even if it makes the installation more difficult.
Remember, just my 2 cents.
As much as I hate how engineers put things together, I am going to ask you to look at this as an engineer...please think of safety, even if it makes the installation more difficult.
Remember, just my 2 cents.
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: nortonville illinois
we have 3208 s in our new holland combines and i thought that it would be sweet to put one in a truck but i didnt know what id do for a tranny in it, and since the moter/tranny would weigh more than the rest of the truck
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From: where the deer and antelo
Originally Posted by sneak
.... I don't know if your trucks frame, suspension, transission, or anything else related will be able to hold up to the weight, or torque of that gigantic low revving engine beast!
Last edited by jimlj; Oct 31, 2005 at 05:24 PM.
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More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: nortonville illinois
do you mean the bolt pattern for the tranny is the same as a chevy or the moter aint much bigger than a chevy couse we have one we took out a couple of yrs ago and that huge chunk of aluminom and steel is as big or bigger than the pallet it was (the pallet is crushed now) sitting on
and anouther thing to look at what will you have in the back of the truck to keep them from just spinning when you are doin the truck pulls becouse you will probly have 2 or 3 times as much weight on the front as normal and this will take away from the weight on the back of it and will probly just spin as soon as you get it wound up
not very practical in my opinion but we have all had worse ideas
and anouther thing to look at what will you have in the back of the truck to keep them from just spinning when you are doin the truck pulls becouse you will probly have 2 or 3 times as much weight on the front as normal and this will take away from the weight on the back of it and will probly just spin as soon as you get it wound up
not very practical in my opinion but we have all had worse ideas
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My F-250 is a 4x4 and i have a beefy custom made rear bumper and if i filled it with lead would that start to equal out the extra weight of the 3208? The front secion of the frame is boxed, is that sufficient or would i have to redesign it with bigger boxed C-channel? As far as axles go would a dana 60 for a 78 1 ton with dana 70 outer stub shafts be strong enough for the weight of the CAT, or would i have to upgrade to narrowed Unimog or Rockwell axles? Does a 3208 have any special computer components to run?