Anybody run a Perkins air-cooled diesel? Never knew much about them but was reading on the interwebs the other day and they caught my eye. Seems like they'd be a great option--extremely reliable, tons of low end torque, compact size, no cooling system to worry about, etc. Horsepower seems a little low but torque is rather high for the size, and rpm limit is rather low. Thoughts?
I meant Deutz diesels...
- Thread starter tclark
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Perkins?? Really..?
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Air cooled anything is bad. Liquid cooling allows higher power output and better control of operating temp.
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Look up cummins 6at. Produced in the eighties. I have had 3 of them, currently two. Pretty much a drop in for a chevy six. Bellhousing takes any GM tranny. I'm running sm 465 4 speed. Weighs 700-800 lbs, 210 cu in, 120 hp, 6 cyl turbo'd. Water cooled oil cooler, bosch VE pump. Very smooth. Paid about 1200.00 each. One is in my '59 f350. You can see mine running on youtube '59 f350 with cummins 6at' There is another video of one I bought. It's by Pete Cahoun. I think it's called just 'cummins 6at' . I signed on this morning to get some other info on my '85 fj 60, and couldn't help posting this up because they are so compatible with our drivetrain. Most of them came out of UPS trucks, and were installed in the 80's to replace a 292 chevy inline six. I run my '59 up and down the freeway, and it's a great running engine.
X2, but what do I know.
They are excruciatingly loud
I had a perkins one time on a MF135 tractor....was stone cold dependable...aka tractor engine... don't think I would look to even try to get one of those water cooled versions to work in a car/truck. Just not worth it when you have so many better alternatives with proven performance gains and known parts solutions.
If I wanted a diesel I would jump off on a 4bt and never look back, plenty of write-ups on that, and if you wanted a 1 ton drivetrain ...a 6bt.
You can "buy" yourself plenty of heartburn trying to make some things work....normally there are good reasons why people have not done certain projects before. I like to have fun driving the thing over trying to figure out how I'm going to get this or that to work. before I can ever drive it.
If I wanted a diesel I would jump off on a 4bt and never look back, plenty of write-ups on that, and if you wanted a 1 ton drivetrain ...a 6bt.
You can "buy" yourself plenty of heartburn trying to make some things work....normally there are good reasons why people have not done certain projects before. I like to have fun driving the thing over trying to figure out how I'm going to get this or that to work. before I can ever drive it.
I haven't had any experience with the Perkins air cooled engines, but if they're anything like the Deutz and Yanmar air cooled engines I've worked on it will be extremely loud, even louder than my 4BT. Another thing to consider is it's probably not set up for highway use so the fuel injection system will have to be completely recalibrated by someone who knows what they're doing. It would much easier to use one of the Cummins or Isuzu truck engines that's already set up for highway use.
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Good lord, mention anything on here other than a sbc and people act like you're crazy---which I find ironic because the very argument they use for it would eliminate having a cruiser at all and put them in a Chevy truck...
Anyway, rant over. First off, I totally agree the sbc is a good choice because of how common it is, parts availability, power, etc. Thing is I don't drive a cruiser because it's practical, common, or powerful, I don't rock crawl and I don't tow bulldozers so I have no use for 1 ton axles, 4" lifts, soa, or chevy trucks with FJ60 bodies on them. I wouldn't mind a little more power, and I'd love a diesel and the mpg, torque, and alternative fuel options it brings to the table. The lift for a 4BT puts it out and 6BT just seems absurd. I'd go with a 6.2/6.5 or a 4BD before either of those. At this point it's just armchair swapping anyway, so I'm open to anything.
All I know is that every single thing I could find on the air-cooled Perkins mentioned they're reliable as a hammer, which I find to be a big plus. They're simple, use no electronics, make tons of torque, are compact---what's not to like? I'm sure they're loud being air cooled, but the I6 oughta at least be smoother than the 4BT right?
Anyway, rant over. First off, I totally agree the sbc is a good choice because of how common it is, parts availability, power, etc. Thing is I don't drive a cruiser because it's practical, common, or powerful, I don't rock crawl and I don't tow bulldozers so I have no use for 1 ton axles, 4" lifts, soa, or chevy trucks with FJ60 bodies on them. I wouldn't mind a little more power, and I'd love a diesel and the mpg, torque, and alternative fuel options it brings to the table. The lift for a 4BT puts it out and 6BT just seems absurd. I'd go with a 6.2/6.5 or a 4BD before either of those. At this point it's just armchair swapping anyway, so I'm open to anything.
All I know is that every single thing I could find on the air-cooled Perkins mentioned they're reliable as a hammer, which I find to be a big plus. They're simple, use no electronics, make tons of torque, are compact---what's not to like? I'm sure they're loud being air cooled, but the I6 oughta at least be smoother than the 4BT right?
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I bet they have just as many parts for it as for my 2F, or any other part on my cruiser....hmmm
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They actually carry quite a few land cruiser parts depending on the location of course... they carry any and everything for the small block Chevy
I already have 2 chevy's, don't need another one..
I have yet to find a single thing in stock for mine locally. Unless you count a battery. I never argued that the sbc wasn't common or easy. Just not what I want; I'd prefer another I6, ideally with compression ignition.
wait... isn't that legendary 2f essentially a Chevy design under license to toyota? Just checking..I wasnt too sure.I already have 2 chevy's, don't need another one..
I have yet to find a single thing in stock for mine locally. Unless you count a battery. I never argued that the sbc wasn't common or easy. Just not what I want; I'd prefer another I6, ideally with compression ignition.
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- #18
wait... isn't that legendary 2f essentially a Chevy design under license to toyota? Just checking..I wasnt too sure.
That's the rumor---shouldn't there be parts everywhere then?
How about John Deere engines, older four or six cylinders are totally more reliable than any Perkins.