Builds Moonshine - A Build Thread

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Thank you sir!

The side panels are expensive, but I think it's worth the money. So much unused storage space in there otherwise!![/QUOTE]

Johnny, price isn't the issue... I just like my tunes a little too much I guess. I am mounting my 10" subs in the front part of the side panel area. Wonder if I could get 1/2 side panels??? HA!

Looking good..

J

 

[Rastaforte]

Welcome Aboard!

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

Nice find. I'll agree with Boots about that 3200RPM spring. Best mod for the money you can do to these motors.

Fuel pin and timing spacer are fairly inexpensive and make a big difference too.
Looking forward to see the swap.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Congrats on getting the engine. I'm jealous you'll get yours done before mine.

Thank you sir, but I doubt it'll be done before yours. Moonshine will never be 'done'.

Thank you sir!

The side panels are expensive, but I think it's worth the money. So much unused storage space in there otherwise!!

Johnny, price isn't the issue... I just like my tunes a little too much I guess. I am mounting my 10" subs in the front part of the side panel area. Wonder if I could get 1/2 side panels??? HA!

Looking good..

J

He can make anything you need man! Half panels, 3/4 panels, you name it.

Thanks again!

Welcome Aboard!

Thank you sir! I'm glad to be here

Nice find. I'll agree with Boots about that 3200RPM spring. Best mod for the money you can do to these motors.

Fuel pin and timing spacer are fairly inexpensive and make a big difference too.
Looking forward to see the swap.

Yup, reading your 6BT build thread, I've learned a lot! To start off, she'll stay stock aside from the 3200 rpm spring, but more mods will follow for sure.


This weekend I'm going to go pick up an engine stand and get to work tearing down this motor.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I should hit Kevin up and see what he'd charge me for a custom set.... I'll PM him.. Thanks Johnny.

J

 

[GLTHFJ60]

It took me far too long to assemble my engine stand and put the motor on it. HF 1 ton capacity engine stand has two different length arms and short adjuster slots, so I tried every combination to get this motor up without using the two holes with the adapter locating sleeves. To no avail, I ended up using those two holes and the top ones. I'll have to source new sleeves as these will likely be crushed after taking the motor off the stand. Didn't get anything else done as the jetta needed some maintenance before leaving for a quick overnight to the OBX.

Running out of space!!!

Label found underneath the transmission adapter:

Ready for cleaning and paint.

 

[Wyoming]

I was always looking on the web to find pictures of the front end configuration on these engines and you just posted the clearest one I've seen. Mine will be exactly the same. Thanks.

On the third picture down (Front shot) there is a hose that has been cut right above the two bolts that hold the tensioner on...could you get me a closer picture of that so I can see exactly what is going on?

Did you say you were overhauling the engine?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I was always looking on the web to find pictures of the front end configuration on these engines and you just posted the clearest one I've seen. Mine will be exactly the same. Thanks.

On the third picture down (Front shot) there is a hose that has been cut right above the two bolts that hold the tensioner on...could you get me a closer picture of that so I can see exactly what is going on?

Did you say you were overhauling the engine?

No problem Wyoming!

I'll get you another shot later tonight. I believe it's one of the two heater core connections. That particular hose is connected to the upper portion of the thermostat housing. If you look into that port, you can see the thermostat in there. When you have a chance, get the casting number off of your bell housing as well as any more info on your specific ranger model. Thanks man!

I am not overhauling the engine, simply resealing and painting it. It runs like a damn top so I don't see a need to open it up.


Here's a video of the motor while it was in the donor truck.

 

[Wyoming]

Oh man that sounds good! I can't wait to hear mine for the first time.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Oh man that sounds good! I can't wait to hear mine for the first time.

Nor can I! I'm excited to hear your brand new motor turn up.

Here are the pictures you wanted. Let me know if there is anything else I can do.

In other news, I spent the afternoon cleaning my garage to make room for the motor prep. In doing so, I took the winch off of the plate it was attached to and took a look at the shoddy wiring job. She didn't work when I powered her up, just lots of clicking. I'll clean it up and then rewire the solenoid pack and hopefully I'll have a working winch to install!

 

[Landcruisin'60]

Running out of space!!!

Toss the Pits on a pallet, I'll keep them safe and sound for you!

I'm interested in your diesel build. If I keep my 60 I think the engine needs to be the next big change. The little 2F isnt really up to the task of east coast wheeling.

 

[ntsqd]

I don't know if it's true with 4BT's, but there are many different fan idler brackets for the 6BT's. May likely be a really good idea to know what the donor was (down to the VIN if possible) should it become necessary to replace that part. A friend ran into this when putting a 6BT into his F-600 4x4 based "extreme motorhome". A very helpful parts guy was able to get him one the moved the fan to where he needed it to be.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Toss the Pits on a pallet, I'll keep them safe and sound for you!

I'm interested in your diesel build. If I keep my 60 I think the engine needs to be the next big change. The little 2F isnt really up to the task of east coast wheeling.

I agree, the 2F just doesn't cut it. Thanks for tuning in!

I don't know if it's true with 4BT's, but there are many different fan idler brackets for the 6BT's. May likely be a really good idea to know what the donor was (down to the VIN if possible) should it become necessary to replace that part. A friend ran into this when putting a 6BT into his F-600 4x4 based "extreme motorhome". A very helpful parts guy was able to get him one the moved the fan to where he needed it to be.

I've read that Cummins lists all parts based on the motor's serial, not the vehicle that it is in.

 

[Wyoming]

Here is one of the things you asked for. I can't seem to locate my build notebook which has the receipt from Advance Adapter in it. The picture will have to do for now. I didn't have much time as I was on my break. I will spend some more time with it as soon as I have time. You should have no problem contacting a salvage yard and asking them for an early seventies bell housing for a Chevy pick up. Seriously, I didn't have a casting number. I called Idaho Falls and told them that and they shipped me the bell housing.

I looked again at lunch time and I can't find a casting number on the bell housing. There might be one on the inside of the housing, I'm not sure. I wouldn't be able to tell you that until I pull the engine in a few weeks.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Congrats on the Cummins... Exciting!!

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Here is one of the things you asked for. I can't seem to locate my build notebook which has the receipt from Advance Adapter in it. The picture will have to do for now. I didn't have much time as I was on my break. I will spend some more time with it as soon as I have time. You should have no problem contacting a salvage yard and asking them for an early seventies bell housing for a Chevy pick up. Seriously, I didn't have a casting number. I called Idaho Falls and told them that and they shipped me the bell housing.

I looked again at lunch time and I can't find a casting number on the bell housing. There might be one on the inside of the housing, I'm not sure. I wouldn't be able to tell you that until I pull the engine in a few weeks.

Congrats on the Cummins... Exciting!!

Thanks guys!!

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Ok my IH8MUD bretheren, I need some help on choosing my drivetrain setup. Due to some advice from Andre and some research I've done, I do not think I'm going to go with a Ranger anymore. When I first found out about it, it seemed like a workaround to the lack of overdrive in the H55, and to get any real gearing I was going to have to go with a Toybox. If I switched to another transmission with a deeper overdrive, I wouldn't need the second transmission and would possibly get lower final drive for crawling around. Thus this idea was born:

4BT---NV4500---NP203 Range Box---Split Case

This would afford me a couple of things:
- significantly lower first gear ratio = ~60:1 with just the split case and axles
- NP203 essentially bolts to the NV4500, giving me ~120:1 low range
- Murdak makes a split case adapter to the 203, so I keep my PS drop rear output for my axles
- NV4500 has 0.75:1 overdrive, making this rig more highway-friendly while keeping one transmission
- Selling my H55 would recoup the cost of installing this NV4500

What does everyone think? Should I go this route or stick with the H55 / Ranger OD method?

For the sake of this discussion...
- let's assume that both conversions cost the same

 

[Cruiserdrew]

That would be a nice set up, but I'm all for using what you have.

Why not just keep the H55 then 203 then split case.

The difference in overdrive isn't that big a deal. Given that you have a diesel pushing it, you could simply stay with 4.11 gears. Then you have the same effective overdrive and less $$ spent.

Are you set on the 203? Toybox would give lower gears and the adapters are part of the reduction box.

On a related note, I have a Chevy pattern 203 I'm not using, but probably not worth shipping to the East Coast.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

That would be a nice set up, but I'm all for using what you have.

Why not just keep the H55 then 203 then split case.

The difference in overdrive isn't that big a deal. Given that you have a diesel pushing it, you could simply stay with 4.11 gears. Then you have the same effective overdrive and less $$ spent.

Are you set on the 203? Toybox would give lower gears and the adapters are part of the reduction box.

On a related note, I have a Chevy pattern 203 I'm not using, but probably not worth shipping to the East Coast.

Overdrive is the primary concern with using the H55. Underdrive can be had pretty much just as easily between the Toybox or the 203. I am not loyal to either at this point. Instead, I'll let the transmission choice dictate my underdrive selection.

The overdrive of the H55 is .85 and the NV4500 is .75. That equates to a 250 RPM difference at 65mph.

H55 w/ 287/75r16s and 4.11 diffs = 2300rpm @ 65 MPH
NV4500 w/ 285/75r16 and 4.11 diffs = 2050rpm @ 65 MPH

My goal is to be at ~1800 RPM @ 65mph. 250rpm is much easier to adjust with rubber overdrive than 500rpm. Even if I regeared to 3.73s, which I really don't want to do, I'd be at the following:

H55 w/ 287/75r16s and 3.73 diffs = 2100rpm @ 65 MPH
NV4500 w/ 285/75r16 and 3.73 diffs = 1850rpm @ 65 MPH


Based on the fact that the peak torque of the 4BT is ~1800 rpm and peak HP ~2000 rpm, I want to be between 1800 and 2000 rpm at highway speed. To do that without regearing, which adds significantly to the cost of my conversion, I'd have to run a ranger or super large DD tires.


Are you saying that I adapt the H55 to the 4BT with a bellhousing, get the toybox, and run 37's to do well on the highway with my current diff ratios?




Then we get into the question about future modifications. If I want to go to 'tons at some point, then I'd be in a much better position if I get the NV4500 and 203 range box. Then I could switch to a 205 and run a centered rear diff very easily.

No clue what to do.

 

[gothodgie]

I like the NV4500 route... I have driven a few GM trucks with that tranny and it works well, my knee just can't handle pushing a clutch pedal very much anymore... when i stuff the diesel in my 60 i'm going t400/203/split case...

side note... I know someone who last i heard had a NV4500 GM remand with no miles on it... Still had the tag on it from GM when i saw it....