85 CC chevy conversion, newbie

[HSkinner]

I'm in the process of an 1 ton 85 chevy CC 4x4 conversion. The frame's been shortened it to a short bed, boxed the front 75% of the frame and custom built the crossmembers and motor mounts for the RTO 6610 roadranger 10spd manual trannyan the 5. 9 motor. The motor is out of a late 80's service truck or something big enough for air brakes and that roadranger transmission. It has a bendix air compressor on the motor. I've used a divorced 205 transfer case and everything is wleded up and in place. The area I'm having problems is with the hydroboost lines and the existing powersteering pump thats on the back of the air compressor. Also, It must have been in a Chevy because it's got a chevy alternator on it and I'm trying to decide if I should leave it or change to something else. Also, on the top of the motor it appears that they may have had the a/c compressor mounted and running off of a second belt and pully and I really want to keep the one serpintine belt. Which a/c compressor should I use and how do I mount it. Sorry about the book I just wrote but any help will be appreciated. I'll put the pics in my profile. Thanks

 

[HSkinner]

pics

Here are the pics

 

[DVolk]

85 CC chevy conversion , newbie

I gues first i got a few questions , Why do want a 10 speed road ranger?



That transmission darn near as much as the transmission ? Unless your really into

shifting i wouldnt use it .

plus the suspention on the truck unless you went to custom springs wont handle it ,plus are under load with just the cummins by its self .



The power steering pump on that engine is a vickers power steering unit.



They have a large flow rate , the bottom ,the large opening is the the return

line . You should be able to take the high pressure line and plumb it to the one in your truck ,and then just "T" together the 2 returns together then plumb onto your pump .



I suggest calling a good Hydraulic shop and ask them if you can plumb down

that vickers pump or not if you dont know of any call Potter Webster in Portland ,Ore , ask for RecaLindstrom say i sent you .



But I think you will starve the pump for oil and burn it up since they have roughly 2 gallon tank on them for a oil tank .



I would pull the Air compressor off and the vickers off and install a stock dodge one it will be less head ache then if you want on board air buy a belt driven Air compressor operated buy a switch .



I also would not bet that engine was in a chevy because of that GM alternator on it . Id be willing to bet it came from a yard goat (trailer spotter)

or a big industral loader , both are air brake equipted units and usally have

GM chargeing and starting units



Im just finishing a 83 suburban

 

[PKirby]

My engine had a similar style pump without the compressor. It is a different brand and the flow rate may be different. I used a tee on the return line for the steering and hydroboost and a Freightliner P/S tank. You can see the tank in one of the pictures in the attached post.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136977

 

[HSkinner]

I bought the truck in the middle of the conversion. I probably would have done an allison or something with less gears but the motor and transmission were already in it and I prefer the manual anyway. The truck has a small hydraulic storage tank but it's only maybe a . 5 gallon tank. I know that the previous owner had the truck running for a while and never had any issues with the power steering but he also half-azzd some of the stuff on the truck so I'm trying to resolve these issues. I kinda liked the idea of having a mechanical air compressor on the truck. What's the pro's and con's of this compressor as opposed to an electric one? Thanks for the help. Heath

 

[DVolk]

85 CC chevy conversion , newbie

Heath,



I think youd be ahead of the game to swap that transmission , you will hate it down the road .



The pros and cons over the 2 style of compressors .



The type thats on the engine now is for constant use ,you cant just turn it off and is really only designed to work air brakes only , yes you can use them to air tires up etc but there not much on running air tools .



Also it will eventually give up because of a constant air pressure on the tanks ,80 to 120lbs . Do you really want that much air when your iside your truck cruing down the road just to usewhen you need air ???



The other style isnt electric , it simply has a a clutch thats activated

by a 12 volt switch and can produce more air than the one on the engine

and be lighter as well .



On another veiw of the engine that mount on top of the engine isnt a Air conditioning mount its for some thing else ,you can get a ac mount

that would work with this application from a 93 to97 kenworth 300

cummins part # 3930888 it bolts to the passenger side of the engine ,

the other type of aircompressor couldbe used in that other location

 

[Niki]

Did you get this off ebay? I remember this on there a while back. What is the rating of that cummins? I see it has a VE pump. I don't know what you need air for, if its going to be a service truck or something go for it, but I'd think it would just be more stuff in the way under the hood. It's kind of cool though. Let us know when you get it on the road how that 10 speed is. What ratio is the highest/lowest gear in it?

 

[HSkinner]

Ya, I picked it up off of ebay a few months ago. I built a cc short bed some years ago and decided I'd do it again. I talked with the guy that built the truck for a few days before I finally bought it. I plan on using the compressor to fill my air bags and also the remote transfer case is going to be set up on air pistons to switch it from 2-4 wheel drive. Any body else done anything like this with the transfer case or does anybody alse have any better ideas? Thanks for all of the input.

 

[HSkinner]

Also, this truck obviously doesn't have an intake heater and I'm moving to the high country. What do I do to help with cold starts?

 

[DVolk]

85 CC chevy conversion , newbie

On that shifter for the t-case it seems rather complicated , the air bags if your just putting a setup like fire stone air springs , you dont need that much compressor for that .



On the cold start , you got 2 options ,



1 the cheapest dont do any thing besides plug it in a nite



2. just add the grid heater from a 89 to 93 engine found in any dodge , then wire it on a push button set up , for cold starts





On that transmission that 6610 has litterly a walking gear , thats deep low hole then the upper ,high hole will clip right along with the 6bt will probally never get over a idle at highway sppeed with 355s or 411s

 

[Oconnellrb]

hey man looking good glad you finally joined Ryan

 

[LeeJ]

,you can get a ac mount

that would work with this application from a 93 to97 kenworth 300

cummins part # 3930888 it bolts to the passenger side of the engine ,

the other type of aircompressor couldbe used in that other location[/QUOTE]



Is this the mount that you have to cut the frame to get the clearence on Ive got a 85 chevy that Im just finishin It dosent have the ac on the motor but Im trying to put a system on it