can anyone tell me what a 6.9 is compared to a big block in weight comparison, i'm thinking about converting an older car, something full size from the 60's most likely to diesel, i'm into running veggy oil and WMO and think it would be pretty cool to convert an older car into one, any help would be appreciated, thanks vernon

 

A 6.9 will weigh nearly double a big block. I posted this in a thread earlier, but here is a Monte Carlo with a Cummins ISB 5.9

http://youtube.com/watch?v=T9--ISeNexM

 

I think Its right around 900lbs With Out acceries, flywheel and manifolds for these engines but I don't know what a big block weighs. Good Luck!

 

About half that - 400 to 500 pounds.

With the exhaust manifolds, flywheel, alternator, & etc. on them, the 6.9s are pushing 1200 lbs.

If you put one in a car, you better have some seriously HEAVY duty springs - not to mention a-arms, a-arm bushings, shocks, spindles, wheel bearings, etc. to put under it or the front suspension probably won't hold up very long...

 

be a lot easier to take the cab and bed off the truck and retrofit a car body to the frame. that way you've got the look of the older car without the worry about a massive front build up to support the weight.

just a thought.

speedrdr

 

I'd sure like to hear from someone that has actually weighed one. I did even have to change the front springs on this project.

 

FWIW, I recently quoted a replacement motor for my '88. It's a 7.3 but I doubt that there is much weight difference. A factory "Runner" includes the water pump, harmonic balancer, IP and lines with with the intake manifole. It does NOT include the exhaust manifolds or the fly wheel.
Because I was paticularly interested in weight to pull and replace the motor I checked into their shipping weight. They told me that the motor would be 885lbs on a steel pallet. I'm guessing that the engine is close to 800 lbs. If you add the brackets and accessories on the front of the engine, AC, alternator, etc... I would plan AT LEAST 1000 lbs.
Another little detail is the total height to pull and replace past the radiator apron. be sure that you can safely handle over 1000lbs 5ft. in the air, Dave S. made a VERY good point in my thread that if this engine falls on you, your going to end up with mangled and maybe severed body parts. If you have interferences then you have to figure out how to put 1000 lbs where you want it
I don't have any info on the big block but would trust CheaperJeeper's numbers, and his suggestion about the front end parts. Maybe if you could find one of the old GM wagons that they put the modified 350's in??????
Best-O-Luck
Ron

 

That guy with the cummins monte carlo, he said that he had to get bigger springs for the front end, and fab up some custom motor mounts, he didn't even have to modifiy the firewall.

 

Yeah, the IDI isn't much (if any) bigger than a big block gasser in terms of external dimensions. It should fit into any engine bay designed for a big block just fine. The real difference is internal. The crank and rods are anywhere from 1-1/2 to 2 times thicker, bigger, heavier. Plus the block has more internal trusses and thicker castings. I lifted one with manifolds, flywheel, alternator, IP, water pump, vacuum pump, etc. all installed. Basically everything but the fan.

I used a cherry picker rated at 1250 lbs and a strap rated at 1000 lbs to load it into and uload it out of the back of my truck. The cherry picker groaned a lot, and was hard to pump, but it lifted it. Took it over to a buddy's house to temporarily store it in his shed. We lifted it out and started slowly lowering it down and when it got down to within about 3"-4" of the driveway we stopped lowering it. That is when the 1000 lb strap snapped like a rubber band and dropped it the last 3 or 4 inches onto the concrete! It landed with a thud and it felt like someone dropped a ton of bricks on the pavement right next to me.

That is where I get my estimate of it being MORE than 1000 lbs, and probably pushing closer to 1200 with everything installed. The exhaust manifolds alone feel like they weigh 50-75 pounds apiece. There ain't NOTHIN' 'bout these old beasts that is built lightweight....

 

The weights on bigblocks vary. An older 460 dressed ready to run will weight mid 700's and depending on what that is they can weight 800. We checked these back when the pulling truck was being built. The add-ons make the difference.