Questions about 6BT versions (1 Viewer)

[cokenacho]

Good afternoon everyone,
I´m writing you all from Santiago de Chile. I´m Jorge and I´ve bought a 91' FJ80 in december 2018, and this model has inside the 3FE engine.

Currently I´m looking for the chance of swapping my FJ80 due to gas price here (I´ll become poor soon) and the most recurrent reason of the low power which has the 3FE. The option I´m looking here is the 6BT engine, but unlike the reality of you in the U.S., there is almost impossible to find a 6BT which comes from a Dodge RAM. What you find more here in Chile is 6BT engines but what come from Ford Cargo trucks, so I don´t know if buying those 6BT I could use it and swap my FJ80.

I´ve tried to find everywhere and asking to people about the differences what those engines can have, but till now I don´t get a convincing answer.

I wish you could help me with my thread, and if my plans reach a good finish I´ll post it within the next months.

Thanks in advance,
Bye,

 

[greentruck]

What year production are these Ford cargo trucks with 6BT Cummins in them?

The basic 6BT engine is a widely adaptable engine. I used to work in a heavy truck garage. All of the yard spotter trucks had the 6BT in them. At the same time, some mechanics owned Dodge pickup trucks with 6BT powering them. The thing that made these very different applications work was what transmissions they were mated with, what engine control computers they ran, and how the drive train was geared. Fuel pump and injectors also make some difference. Basically all those parts are swappable, so you can rebuild a 6BT to be more suitable for a different application if you can find the needed parts.

For the 80 swaps, the oil pan often needs swapping or modification, so look at that on your donors, too.

If you were going to swap a 6BT into an 80 series, yes, you are best off with one from the Dodge for one that would require a minimum of changes. The spotter truck is designed for low speeds, heavy loads, and high revs, because they moved semi-trailers from one dock door to another on the lot or at low speeds around town.

My guess is that the 6BT in the Ford cargo trucks in Chile would be set up somewhere in between where the ones in the spotter trucks were and what you'd find in a Dodge. You can probably find what you need in Chile, but you also should look for a good diesel mechanic or parts person to help guide you in choosing from what's available in Chile.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Get photo of the engine in the cargo van if possible. Odds are it probably has a different manifold, taller intake horn, long ass dip stick. My 6BT came from a school bus so I’m noticing the differences from my other 6BT that came from a Dodge.

 

[shocktower]

It would be nice to see the motor, and give you an idea, I know putting a Cummins in a 91 takes more work than a 93-97 , because of the 3FE motor mounting, so you need to figure that too, the way I have seen it done is take the motor mounts cut out of a 93-97 , and welded in place .