There's a cummins 6AT 3.4 for sale in my area. I'm looking at it for one of two projects. 1) would be a CJ8 or Scrambler 2) would be a 64 Jeep FC170. Both of would cool to me.
From what I could find out is that this motor is about the same size as a 292 Chevy 6cyl. The person is selling with a 2wd 727 auto. Which I don't need. Would a trans adapter from a 6BT work on the engine? I have a complete 5spd from a 93. What can be done to make it perform better? I'm not looking for 400hp from it. Or should I steer clear of it.
Any information/advice would be welcome.
P.S. he's asking $1950.00

 

We had one come into the shop as a genset that needed a water pump, parts are expensive (almost double) and harder to find than for BT's for sure. There is not a lot of info around on these, unless you are going to use them as a generator.
I would be sure, have proof that everything works by making sure it runs well before putting down any $, since they are long out of production.
Cummins took them on as an orphan so to speak, vehicles were an afterthought, and being parts are harder to find, expensive and little mod advice, since it's not a BT.
They seem like an ok motor if your just going to chug along, but if you want to Mod to any degree, i would stay away.
I don't know how much power you could get out of one, but to be sure, if you want lots of power, I'd stick with a 4 or 6BT as they are common.
Even if you have to pay a little extra, it might be well worth the extra few bucks to get something you can work and has potential, as well as lots of documenation, with rather than get stuck with an anchor.
My Father had a saying, and it served me well, when they say "Rare Cars" it's not always cause it was expensive or good... it's cause they simply didn't sell well, cause nobody wanted them.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

I looked in MPLS Craigslist and see a guy has one for sale for $1950. IF that's the one, it looks like it's been sitting outside quite a while uncovered. He's giving some dog and pony talk about how they didn't catch on, and how it's been sitting doing nothing for almost a year... More like 20 since something broke either on the motor or tranny... and they pulled it, and how he's occasionally turned it over to keep lubricated. I'll call B.S. on all that. Look at how rusty those belts are! Why is he telling the history of the engine development rather than the history of that particular engine where came from, how many miles are on it, why it was pulled, what the truthful story of it is? That engine, if it were that good, it would have been well taken care of, I mean no rust AND have a good history with some documentation. The pictured one has been sitting outside uncovered and NOT well taken care of. See all the rust and I mean EVERYWHERE?
IF it's as good as he says it is, and for what he's asking (Premium for a rusty orphan-the only guarantee he'll give is you'll never see another!), I'd ask for a video of it running, or at least let you connect a battery and dump some fuel in.
He should allow that without hesitation since it's sitting on something where the motor could easily be strapped down to start it.

Once you lay down that cash (I notice how he wants to load it for you without starting it or a video), YOU own that anchor.
From his description that it's "Great for a Rat Rod", it reads like he's banking on a new owner getting all emo on owning a good diesel, then letting it sit in his garage while he finishes building the rod, then a year or more down the road he tries to fire that anchor up you find a major issue wrong with it.

 

That's the one.My thoughts on it are if it was a good engine it would have sold by now. I'm just going to let it go. He wants to much and it's just to much of an odd ball.
I have enough of that kind of stuff.

 

I appreciate the advice, you saved my day. Thank you sir.