> Considering that the diesel Rabbit took about 2.4 weeks to hit 60 mph
> one would need to seriously examine the sanity of this conversion.
> The later turbo version fitted to the Golf might move an 88 but not J-L
> s beast. He would need something by John Deere for that.
> John and Muddy
Nothing escapes you John, nothing. I figured someone would pickup on the
clues, and I had a strong suspicion it would be you.
I spill the beans...
A few years ago I had a job in a Deere dealership garage over the summer.
There was a turbo JD six cylinder in the corner of the storage shed, that
was attached to an SM465 GM 4 speed, and had a ton of specially made
brackets, engines mounts, and a cyclonic air filter. I was immediately
smitten with this huge thing, thinking it would be perfect for the
Land-Rover (yeah, right). The shop foreman/owner, a nice old man who has
build/restored/rebuilt more interesting machines than anyone I have ever
met, told me a story about it.
In 1981, he wanted a diesel pickup. He couldn't get one, so he made one. He
bought a brand new 1 ton Chevrolet with a gas motor with a super high rear
gear, brought it home, and pulled the engine. He used a new John Deere long
block, built the adapters, custom oil pan, the list goes on. This truck was
legendary in Ottawa, almost everyone in the farm equipment business knows of
this chevy. The owner used it to pull a gooseneck trailer all over the
States and Canada, to attend steam shows, farm shows, etc. It was the shop
truck for a good dozen years, and was finally retired with over 800 000kms
on the clock, due to terminal corrosion. The cab mounts went through the
floor and that was it. At that time, they bought a Ford F450 super duty with
a 6.9 (which has 600 000 kms on it - these guys are good at maintenance).
The engine's been sitting, waiting for a new use, since that time. That
summer, when I asked him about it, he took a look at the rover, which had a
2.25L 4 banger in it, rover axles, and looked pretty sorry, and told me it
was not going to work. The engine was just too big for it. He wouldn't sell
it to me, knowing quite well it was impossible and the drivetrain would
never hold up.
Anyways, since that summer, he and I have kept in touch. When I needed to
use a big lathe for the adapters for the transmission, he offered up his
equipment, in exchange for some info on how I was planning my engine swap.
He was really worried about it at first, but after seeing the finished
product, was quite impressed with the adapters. Anyways, everytime I go in
I'll show him what I've done to the rover, he's always quite interested and
inquisitive, as am I about his projects.
Last time I was there (sporting the same tire size as his gorgeous
PowerWagon - He had a hard time with that) I started asking questions about
that engine again. He looked at me kinda funny, and took a look at the Ford
six in Valdez. He started asking me if there was a way of moving the
radiator forward, and after explaning to him that a stage 1/coiler front
panel would give me a lot more space, he spilled the beans on the motor -
all the mods, all the stuff he had done to it. We broke out the tape measure
and same to the conclusion that it might fit. The oilpan (which he made)
would clear the axle, the transmission would work just fine, the radiator
could be worked out. I'm pretty sure he was as excited as I was about the
idea. Because the motor is offset, the pan clears the front diff- a very
good thing.
So, he said to come back in the spring (too much snow in front of the big
doors of the shed to get the motor out). I've got a feeling this motor might
be the one, not because it's particularly perfect for the rover (heavy, very
big and overpowered). However I'm pretty sure John wants to see it hit a
million kicks, and installing it in a fully galvanized vehicle that's liable
to be in use for another 800 000 kms interests him. I'm not sure if it will
indeed fit, I took a really quick look at it, but I remember looking at the
Ford 300 and thinking the same thing, wondering how in the world I was going
to get that thing in there.
Now, some of you are thinking, aren't those engines, like, monstrous? Well,
not really. They are actually quite light for such a big chunk - they weigh
about 1100 lbs. That's a lot, for sure. However a Cummins 5.9BT is about
1000 lbs, the 4 cyl about 750 lbs. The Perkins has got to be 900 lbs. It's
not a huge increase over my 800lbs Ford 300. With the battery relocated top
the back, it's even less. Like having someone standing on the front bumper.
The length is something else - 44" from water pump nose to end of the
bellhousing. however, when you take into account that the 6" long
bellhousing fits inside the tranny tunnel, the engine is 38" long. That's
still pretty darn long, however on this particular engine the water pump was
shortened for more radiator to fan clearance. It's about 36" long where it
matters, which *just* fits according to my calculations. Height will be a
problem, I might have to get creative with the turbo, perhaps move it to
beside the engine, but it's the same height as the cummins, which wasn't
impossible to fit. The pump is on the left side, which is good, and the
alternator's up high.
The engine itself is a 6068, which is a 6 cyl, 6.8L diesel - Don't laugh! JD
has always had a slightly bigger displacement than others, just for
durability reasons, so this engine's competition is the B series Cummins.
This particular engine has been turboed and the pump has been tweaked to
about 160 hp. The governor has also been adjusted so it will run up to about
2800 rpms when shifting. I admit it's overkill and I'd probably be OK with a
smaller motor, however this engine returns stellar gas mileage - 25 - 30 in
the chevy, it's already got all the adapters worked out by someone I trust
and I know that the setup will last. As far as purchasing cost, it might be
very inexpensive - He can think of it as good advertising for the shop, and
the brand!
J-L
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