There's a 455 available near Quincy, IL from a guy that switched to a 6.5 GD turbo diesel. PM for details.
engine swap ideas for more mpg
- Thread starter mldeolde
- Start date
There hasn't been an update on that channel since that video was posted 3 years ago. Just wondering how it worked out.
There's not a lot of long term results on the 6.5L TH425 combo, not that I can find anyway.
When I was at Dave Lenzi's a few years back he showed me about half a dozen LS engine upgrades he was working on. He told me the names of several guys they were for and none of them were social media types, just like Dave himself.
That may be true for the Manny conversions too! Not saying I'm that much younger than Manny but my generation can't take a $hit without posting photos of it on facebook, I swear.
Some guy with a big mouth suggested to Hal that he might want to consider an FMC since it was already a rear pusher ...... so I think he's working on an FMC now and the GMC diesel pusher project is on the back burner now...... Sorry about that!
You'd need to find a later model with the 454 Chevy, one of the 'slant nose' models to get the transfer case. Early ones used the TH425 like our GMC's.
I'm a bit embarrassed that the 'pusher' has been put 'on the back burner'. The rear I was using in that project worried me and I backed off once I ran into the FMC. I have since found a rear that is suitable with the correct ratio (r140 with 3.73 ratio). These were used in the FMC with a 4.63 gear and only a few were custom built for diesel swaps in that ratio in those coaches. A true unicorn. Afraid I'm not nearly as fast as I once was, this getting old isn't for sissy's.
The Wolfe family had their GMC in our backyard yesterday and said it is doing well. Theirs is the second one in
I had a chance to see Henry Wolfe's Manny Diesel conversion first hand yesterday at the above event at Louis Hudgin's place. Pretty clean. It sounds like it does everything he wants it to do, pulling grades at speed in high gear, while getting 12 - 16 MPG. It is even surprisingly quiet with the hatch cover on. Pretty impressive.
Cost wise, because Henry did the work with Manny instructing and helping, it probably didn't cost much more than it would to have a shop do a conventional engine rebuild and R&R. He didn't get into specific costs but I know just getting a 455 or 403 rebuilt/replaced will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $15,000.00 on up. If you are able to do it yourself, it would be about half that.
Cost wise, because Henry did the work with Manny instructing and helping, it probably didn't cost much more than it would to have a shop do a conventional engine rebuild and R&R. He didn't get into specific costs but I know just getting a 455 or 403 rebuilt/replaced will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $15,000.00 on up. If you are able to do it yourself, it would be about half that.
I think I don't agree about the the cost. I did a very complete overhaul for my 455 and it was about 3500$us cash out of pocket. A shop might have charged 5K and install is not all that much.
That extra 10000$us can still buy a lot of gasoline.
Matt
That extra 10000$us can still buy a lot of gasoline.
Matt
True. I was basing that on my own experience, engine AND transmission, plus all the assorted new parts to do the installation cost me ~$6500.00. It took me probably close to 100 hours. A shop should be able to do it in less time, but at $120.00 - $150.00 per hour.
One of the guys at yesterday's get together said he was quoted 80 - 100 hours from Miguel at MGM to do an engine R&R. I have personally known people who have paid as much as $24,000.00 to have all that done (granted he got ripped off) but I don't think $12,000 - 18,000 would be TOO out of line.
Let's look at this rationally, shall we??
80 hours is two full time men for a week.
When I removed my engine, it was the first time I had ever taken the engine out of a TZE. I did have a friend to help, and he was a help (he always is), but he has very little experience as a wrench.
Including all the side stuff that really didn't have to happen, but I long ago found out that not taking enough apart will usually cause problems. This time did include all the draining and disconnecting that had to happen. From start until the engine was mounted on a work stand all alone was not two full days. This was me and a non-wrench working at a very comfortable pace and having little idea what we might encounter.
When I did the overhaul, you might be shocked at the slow pace. I did it like I used to build critical engines complete with calculated clearances and fits all in a "build book" just in the unfortunate case that I might liver long enough to work on this engine again.
Going back in was easy because now everything was clean and ready. As I had taken the driveline out the front, I could even do the cam break-in before it got any farther along. This was also a good leak check when things were easy to see.
We had the wheels on and had put her back on the ground before the end of the third day.
That all be said, I would bill this at about 50~60 man hours and that included jack-up time and learning at lot that I did not know before.
The guy the quoted 80~100 hours did not have the plan for a critical path is all I can say.
Matt_C
80 hours is two full time men for a week.
When I removed my engine, it was the first time I had ever taken the engine out of a TZE. I did have a friend to help, and he was a help (he always is), but he has very little experience as a wrench.
Including all the side stuff that really didn't have to happen, but I long ago found out that not taking enough apart will usually cause problems. This time did include all the draining and disconnecting that had to happen. From start until the engine was mounted on a work stand all alone was not two full days. This was me and a non-wrench working at a very comfortable pace and having little idea what we might encounter.
When I did the overhaul, you might be shocked at the slow pace. I did it like I used to build critical engines complete with calculated clearances and fits all in a "build book" just in the unfortunate case that I might liver long enough to work on this engine again.
Going back in was easy because now everything was clean and ready. As I had taken the driveline out the front, I could even do the cam break-in before it got any farther along. This was also a good leak check when things were easy to see.
We had the wheels on and had put her back on the ground before the end of the third day.
That all be said, I would bill this at about 50~60 man hours and that included jack-up time and learning at lot that I did not know before.
The guy the quoted 80~100 hours did not have the plan for a critical path is all I can say.
Matt_C
