1987 f-150 conversion to 4bta?
#1
1987 f-150 conversion to 4bta?
Ok guys I was really considering putting a diesel in my truck a few months back then I read that it was a
huge amount of work and that you had to replace nearly everything but I was looking on yalls forum today and read somthing about a 4bta I think? Anyway I heard that is a lot less ha ssle is this true if so can you explain exactly what I need to do to put this motor in my truck also I. Currently have the 5.0 3p2efi in my truck stock with about 6 inches of lift and before you ask I want to use this truck for mudding not anything to major but you know after a nice rainy day or so. Sorry if I spelled anything wrong my phone is kinda lagggy
huge amount of work and that you had to replace nearly everything but I was looking on yalls forum today and read somthing about a 4bta I think? Anyway I heard that is a lot less ha ssle is this true if so can you explain exactly what I need to do to put this motor in my truck also I. Currently have the 5.0 3p2efi in my truck stock with about 6 inches of lift and before you ask I want to use this truck for mudding not anything to major but you know after a nice rainy day or so. Sorry if I spelled anything wrong my phone is kinda lagggy
#2
well first of all, who told you that, and a huge amount of work compared to what? in my opinion a 4bta would be more of a pain, even though its smaller and lighter, because they didnt put them in pickup trucks, so you are missing alot of little things, my advice would be find a good 4bt, and then look for a 92 or so dodge with a blown 6bt then use every thing from the dodge that will bolt on to the 4bt, use the radiator, inter cooler the flywheel housing, the transmission the t case, the exhaust, all of it, that is what would kill you if you were trying to find it all piece by piece, or of course you could just put a 5.9 in it and then wait for the haters to say it wont work
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oh yeah also a 6bt will a vaccum pump for you brake booster so you dont have to mess with a hydro boost. if you know how to weld and do your own work it isnt hard.
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oh yeah also a 6bt will a vaccum pump for you brake booster so you dont have to mess with a hydro boost. if you know how to weld and do your own work it isnt hard.
Last edited by cumminsf150; 09-16-2012 at 10:25 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
#4
#5
well i wasnt saying 4bt over a 4bta, i think the only difference in the two would be they would have different injectors, what i was saying is doing a 4bt would be more of a pain than just doing a 6bt, based on what they cost and getting all the odds and ends compared to just buying a dodge truck and swaping it over, but if you could find a dodge truck with a blown motor you could probably get all you need and still make money off the scrap.
#6
well i wasnt saying 4bt over a 4bta, i think the only difference in the two would be they would have different injectors, what i was saying is doing a 4bt would be more of a pain than just doing a 6bt, based on what they cost and getting all the odds and ends compared to just buying a dodge truck and swaping it over, but if you could find a dodge truck with a blown motor you could probably get all you need and still make money off the scrap.
#8
well that goes back to my original point, a 6bt is cheaper because of supply and demand, a 4bt is a 6bt with 2 cylinders missing so its less motor, but since theres thousands of dodge trucks with 6 bts in them out there you will find one cheaper generally that a 4bt because they are used in commercial trucks and equipment so they usually sell for what a whole running dodge truck would cost. of course a 4bt will be a better choice as far a weight and millage, but i would imagine it would cost more, i originally wanted a 4 bt but couldnt do it with in my budget, if you can find the fabled p30 van with a good 4bt in it go for it, but I decided to go with the 6, based on the entire project cost me 2 grand to complete, and ive seen it done before, and never heard a horror story about the front end not handling it, although there are plenty of people out there clicking refresh dreaming of the day when somebody snaps a spindle or cracks a frame in a half ton. if you drive your truck like a half ton and dont try to pull a goose neck, you will be fine. in my opinion the 2wd twin i beam front end on an f150 is capable of holding up a 6bt because it only has 2 pivot points and the axle beams are plenty strong, as far a a 4wd ttb, you could fill a stadium with people talking $hit about it, and i have no experience with a cummins in a 4wd f150, if you can find a 4bt do it, but it in my opinion will cost more, unless you can find one already set up for a ford transmission.
#10
well that goes back to my original point, a 6bt is cheaper because of supply and demand, a 4bt is a 6bt with 2 cylinders missing so its less motor, but since theres thousands of dodge trucks with 6 bts in them out there you will find one cheaper generally that a 4bt because they are used in commercial trucks and equipment so they usually sell for what a whole running dodge truck would cost. of course a 4bt will be a better choice as far a weight and millage, but i would imagine it would cost more, i originally wanted a 4 bt but couldnt do it with in my budget, if you can find the fabled p30 van with a good 4bt in it go for it, but I decided to go with the 6, based on the entire project cost me 2 grand to complete, and ive seen it done before, and never heard a horror story about the front end not handling it, although there are plenty of people out there clicking refresh dreaming of the day when somebody snaps a spindle or cracks a frame in a half ton. if you drive your truck like a half ton and dont try to pull a goose neck, you will be fine. in my opinion the 2wd twin i beam front end on an f150 is capable of holding up a 6bt because it only has 2 pivot points and the axle beams are plenty strong, as far a a 4wd ttb, you could fill a stadium with people talking $hit about it, and i have no experience with a cummins in a 4wd f150, if you can find a 4bt do it, but it in my opinion will cost more, unless you can find one already set up for a ford transmission.