Engine for crewcab...

[MMckeen]

I made a post in another thread, but was thinking maybe I would get more response here since it is for a conversion. I'll just post the link and you can reply here I guess. Actually, I'll just copy it to hear.

Please let me know your thoughts asap. Thanks!



This is my first post and I later I will transfer most questions to the conversion forum.

This seem to be a great site so far! Been lurking around lately.

Anyways, I have a 1991 Chevy 4x4 Crew Cab 1ton SRW (the last GOOD year... still square body style like the 80's and still solid axle D60 up front )I want to do the conversion into. I am COMPLETELY new to diesels!! So I am sure I will have LOTS of questions!!!!!!

I found a complete 1994 Dodge 2500 with the 5. 9 in it. It is a 2wd truck (I dont think that matters?). The truck was hit on the drivers door HARD and the transmission is busted. Not sure what else.



I am going to check it out tonight. From what I am told, a complete truck is the way to go, as everything will be there.



Can you guys give me some things to look for to make sure the engine, etc are good? It has 200K on it and was owned by 'an old fart' who took VERY good care of the truck supposedly.

Oh and the truck was a manual transmission.



My main concern is any engine damage that may have occured. What is the likelyhood of that happening in the accident. No fire or anything. Basic damage was drivers side, a little of the front fender and a little of the bed. . basically right though the drivers area.

 

[MMckeen]

Well I went and looked at the truck last night. The guy hadnt looked at it very close. I didnt get there until after dark which sucked, frickin traffic. Not a straight panel on the truck! It was hit good. jetta went right UNDER the drivers side and if you are looking at it from above, it looks like this )

Guy was cool as hell. Gave me some tools to get the hood open etc.



Everything was broken at the mounts. The transmission was busted at the VERY end where the transmission bolted to the crossmember. When the crossmember buckled, I guess it pulled it down and it just busted. Not sure, but it looks as if you could just replace that end housing where the 6 (or so) bolts are. Its just that end piece.



The engine was laying a little crooked in the engine bay I looked down at the mounts and I was like DAMN!!! the engine is cracked... then I got a better look. The motor mount cracked, NOT the engine. The mount is still bolted to the block It cracked right where it meats the motor mount goes and meets rubber part that attaches to the frame.



Oil looked GREAT. New filter, etc. The guy said he has owned it since it had 17K on it and his dad planned on getting a million miles out of it, so it was taken care of... . his words were 'you know how old people drive'



It did have the 'normal' oil residue on the oil pan, etc... but I guess that can be expected with 200K on it?



As far as the turbo... I dont know a whole lot, hardly anything. It had a little surface rust on the housing... big deal?

I didnt really know what else to look for.

I have pics, but wont be able to upload them until tonight when I get home



Everything in the engine compartment was in tact and all there. the engine was sitting a little crooked from the broken mounts.



All of the wiring looks great, even under the dash... it didnt get hit where the wiring was.

He said to think about it and he wont do anyting with it until he hears from me by Friday (it was late and he wanted to go to bed ).

So watcha think? From the searching I've done, it sounds like anytime you can get the whole truck, its worth it alone, even if the truck is totalled this bad?

 

[MMckeen]

PICS (FIXED!):

http://community.webshots.com/photo/255462577/255526986lHZFSI



http://community.webshots.com/photo/255462577/255524167REnCLh



http://community.webshots.com/photo/255462577/255524694seOcbK



http://community.webshots.com/photo/255462577/255525888mzSARJ



http://community.webshots.com/photo/255462577/255526283HSEmdp



http://community.webshots.com/photo/255462577/255526735onHPxV



http://community.webshots.com/photo/255462577/255525681VPipJs



http://community.webshots.com/photo/255462577/255525301VGmbPG



The entire engine compartment is virtually undamaged.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[mberry]

Doesn't sound too bad. I wouldn't use the transmission without it going to a good transmission shop to have it looked at. If it was taken care of as good as you say since I can't see the pictures I would do it. 200K is less than half of the mileage before these engines need an overhaul. Might need a valve adjustment though.



I had surface rust on my turbo at 2K miles or before. Doesn't take much to get them to rust. Shouldn't be a problem though unless the damage to the rest of the truck tweaked the housing or something else.



Someone with more experience will chime in and help out if I said anything that was incorrect. What year was the 53 block? May want to do a search on that and read up.



All in all, you can do wonders with that motor and it will be a great running truck once you get it done.

 

[Nordby]

If the price feels right to you, buy it. It'd take more than what you describe to hurt that engine. A front hit obviously would be cause for concern, and a rear hit where the force was transmitted through the drivetrain into the engine would be cause too. Sideways, I doubt it, though I am not an expert.



Unfortunately the motor mount is cracked - can ya weld it? That is one of the great things about having a donor truck. Cut the motor mount perches off the dodge frame and use them to fabricate the perches on the chevy frame.



You may have to do a slight body lift of the Chevy to fit the cummins in there better. The oil pan to valve cover distance is pretty deep! The Chevy might have an NV4500 if a standard, and a bell housing change and output shaft might be all you need. Else, steal the donor transmission, fix that rear tailhousing, fabricate a mount for it, and have someone build your driveshafts.



What a sweet ride. Someone is going to think you have a 6. 5L GM Turbo Diesel, and when you leave them in a smokescreen, they are really going to be confused!



good luck, jon

 

[MMckeen]

I fixed the pictures. The engine has its normal oil leaks, etc. The crash was all in the passenger compartment and bed... the engine bay is fine except for the broken motor mounts. The same guy owned this truck since it had 17K on it and he wanted to get 1 million out of it. As his son said 'my dad drove this truck, and you know how old people drive'.

Yeah, I cant wait to get started on this. I've had my chevy crewcab truck for a while and have been doing some thinking/research here and there and wanted to do the swap, but everything I came across was out of my budget so I decided to just do the BBC for now. Then I found this deal. The problem is, I dont know anything really about diesels... I hadnt gotten into the workings, etc yet... I just knew I wanted one! SO now, I guess I'll buy it and then learn as I go!! Kind of backwards, but when a deal comes... ya just cant pass it up. I just got word that the injection pump alone is worth what I am getting the whole truck for.

My biggest fear is getting it all done and the motor have a knock, or something internally wrong... but most of you say that is highly unlikely, that these engines are built very well.



I'll have LOTS of questions, so bare with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kschitoskey]

Good luck; sounds like the makings for an awesome truck. Keep us posted. .

 

[Nordby]

Diesel, for me, was simpler and easier than all the gasoline applications I was getting OK at (tractors, ford trucks, vw bugs, ... ). Confounding at first, then very simple. And, the experimentation that would explode a gasoline engine, just makes a cummins diesel smoke, cough, and ask for more.



Have fun with it, it truly is worth it.



jon

 

[dcamilleri]

Check out the pictures of my 85 suburban on this forum. Everything will be almost identical to what you want to achieve. I would be happy to answer any questions.

 

[MMckeen]

Thanks! BAD NEWS though. The guy sold the truck from under me. We had a deal... and 'supposedly' a guy showed up who the sellers wife 'thought' was me, gave her the $$ and hauled away the truck a few hours before I was to go back down to pick it up. I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ******.

So the search resumes. Anyone got any leads? I may just have to put the BBC back in for now Man this sucks.