If Rudolph Diesel's plan came to fruition, the vast majority of old trucks would have come with mechanical diesels like this and we'd all be better off for it.
@@elisalazar3097 nah it's Americans being dumb af. Because there will always be some soft headed pig who will say that a gas hog is better than a diesel because that's all their brain can handle
Awesome! The 4bt’s are significantly more expensive than the 6bt, if space isn’t a concern it often makes more sense to go with the 6. Either way, IMO they are the crown jewel of diesel engines. I have a swapped vehicle and I think I would pull the engine for another swap before I’d ever think about selling it.
They may be considered the crown jewel here in the states but it can be argued in the diesel community that other diesels are far superior. It comes down to what one plans on doing with the engine.
Theirs better options the 4bt is just more common….om606 would be a crown jewel….Cummins are cheap and throw away engines in the commercial world not having wet sleeves make overhauling them to expensive to justify if they have worn cylinders
@@oddlyrightoddlyright2475 that and they're designed to be a little lighter so they can be put in trucks and equipment and not be ridiculously heavy. But I agree they're pretty much bottom dollar industrial engines and they didn't hold up in farm equipment
Considering putting one in my ‘68 Lincoln 🤔 thinking 6BT at first but the length is a killer and I don’t want to be chopping the chassis around, the appeal of a mechanical all torque motor for cruising with about 4 times the mpg is great, especially when it’s already got a patina’d Fallout look
7:30 Correction, they run hot but take a while to warm up on the big cast iron blocks. From what I've learned, the combustion chamber is under way more pressure and heat compared to a petrol. That's why diesel parts are so heavy duty. Great video and cool truck.
I’m doing something similar, putting a Ford 256D out of a Ford tractor (came out of a 5000, rebuilding it into a 7700 motor) into an ‘87 F-250. Your video has some good information, thanks a lot for sharing!
Did the same with a 68 f100 everything you said is spot on. If I wasn’t working on the road right now I’d drive mine everyday over my 3500 cummins. zf5 speed 3.55 gears and 35 inch tires is perfect combo. Can get 30 mpg driving 60 mph on flat ground 24-26 is the normal hiway.
I have no inclination to do anything with a 4BT, idk why I even clicked the video, but I can say one thing for sure, I thoroughly enjoyed the video lol
Have you looked at getting an auxiliary gearbox? Gear Vendors make an auxiliary box that goes behind the transmission and will double your transmission gears. A 5 speed becomes a 10. It'll give you a double over drive for non-towing highway use. It's basically having half gears between the main gears. It is awesome!
Honestly that's a really good idea for an old truck like this. I have a stock '76 F250 with the 360 and T18, it handles 80 no problem (unless the wind noise bothers you). I also just remembered that I'm running regular tires lol. That's really cool and I hope it holds up well for you
At work we have a 4bt case skid steer vibrates terribly and everything broke on that rig we worked it to the ground but the engine never skipped a beat
Thank you for this video! Very good info! I’m considering the 4BT swap on my highboy. Main reasons are the fuel economy and it seems to fit much better. I don’t want to modify my firewall to get the 6 to fit.
You solved the one thing I hate about those beautiful 70s Fords, the fuel economy. I sold my 79 f150 with the 351M because it got 8.5mpg highway and it was slower than my 2.7 i4 Tacoma. Well done!!
In the “middle” of a 6bt nv4500 swap to my 1967 f100 (on a 1978 3/4 ton 4x4 frame)...thanks for showing lots of the details... hope my truck works as well as yours.
Crazy cool. That 4BT is still making really good power. Probably way more than my 67 F100 4x4 with a 428. I bought my 67 specifically to put a 4BT in it....but retired from state service before it could get it done.
Good vid, I've got 4 older 6bt dodges, was humming and hawing about getting a 4bt into a 2wd XCLB dodge 1500.. I'd push the power up a bit in it, probably shoot for 300hp, 5x16 injectors and an HE351cw would probably work quite nicely About the cons of the expensive repairs, the one good thing about the 4bt is you can get a good set of pistons from a 6bt that melted a hole in one!... Aftermarket parts are plentiful too, and if you've done engine work on gassers, it's really not much different
Great article! I can relate to this. I drove a 1974 F250 2wd for 13 years. I put an Isuzu 4BB1 in it in1979 and turbogharged it in1982 . It gave me 27 mpg and was very dependable--noisy as hell, though.
so much common sense it hurts. thanks for taking the time to make the video! i was considering a 4bt into an f100 but i dont think its for me right now. i do run an 89 idi on vegoil tho....smells great.
Thanks, thought the ‘P’ pump would be the only choice for anything used in a engine swap to gain a bit of performance. Now realise the VE pump would be best for my intended use. Thanks for that :)
fyi, you can get an Isuzu 4BD1T which is kind of the analogue to the Cummins B series, for a considerably smaller sum. Just make sure it comes out of an NPR box truck or you'll have to change the pump out for an on-road pump. Luckily though, China is still making lots of the Isuzu diesels under some license. You can get brand new pumps from there on the cheap.
Thanks for making this video. Really answered a lot of my questions. I have the exact same year and color truck even have the off road lights on the front and 4WD. Mine has the 300 six and gets 9 mpg on a good day and doesn't have enough power to pull a leaf off a picnic table. 480 tq on a chassis dyno is well over 500 ftlbs at the flywheel. Big increase over stock with such mild mods. What blows my mind is 20 mpg in a 6000+ lb 4 WD truck. Amazing! I've thought of converting mine to a diesel even thought of a Detroit (love the sound) several times but I just can't swing the cost. I have a spare 351W in the shed and will probably throw a 408 stroker crank in it and call it good.
That's the way large cast iron block diesels warm up. Small sub-3 L automotive diesels like the VM 2.8 and 3.0 VM and MB diesels don't take long to warm up. VM has a viscous water heater to assist that.
Just caught your video a couple years late Lol. I am a 73' to 79' dent side Ford lover, Back in the early 80's just out of high school got my first one a 75' F250 high boy before it was over that truck was on 18/44s a 490 ci BB Ford pushing 823hp on the dyno right @ 1 mile per gallon of good fuel. A couple of friends of mine were Detroit Diesel guys they were putting 453 and 471T DDAs in theirs pretty nice little set up. So my old 75' I decided to make it bigger with with 2 1/2 ton rockwells and 48s and do a Detroit swap... Well that never evolved when she was tore down another friend of mine rolled his truck and needed a body and offered me to much to refuse for mine then others wanted the big block military's and tires so she never ended up finished. So let's click to now last year found the back yard find of history for me, a pristine 1979 F 350 4x4 with a 453T DDA with a RTO 6610 10 spd over drive transmission still playing with her. I can see the 4 BTA light good mpg plenty of go. the only difference in the Detroit and the Cummins is weight the detroit is 1200lbs and the transmission is 1200lbs. But she is cool and gets good MPGs and even has a real 2 stage jake brake. But Love your truck real cool ride!
I have a 3-5 year plan for my bronco which at one point was a coyote swap. However, I have always wanted a diesel bronco so its still on the table. Thanks for the info, great video.
Awesome no nonsense truck! I have a 1964 Power Wagon that will be getting a 4BT in the near future. I appreciate the engine buying tips. I'm probably going to start with a used engine.
That's great power to the wheels for a slightly messed with 4bt at 4400 feet of elevation Edit: I'd only really swap in a 4bt into anything mainly for better fuel economy
@@RustyJunkExhibition Hey, don't know if you have caught some of these comments or not, but if you are anywhere along our test corridor when we are out there in the Rockies, (Denver, Idaho Springs, Silverthorne, Dillon, Steamboat, Kremmling, Winter park, Granby), but fire me your contact info to magnumv1066 at gmail and when we get in your neck of the woods we'll meet up for lunch sometime. Thanks for posting your project and using our good old 4B!
@@austinblevins6804 highly doubt that. Once the ENTIRE cost of swapping is figured in, and that diesel is often higher than gas I can almost guarantee you won't. Not in the lifetime of that truck/engine
I have a 2008 jeep wrangler rubicon that is repowered with a 4BT. It has had the cummins since 2012. I think it is the perfect power plant for a jeep, if you like diesels. It has noticeable noise.but it isn't like you can't hear the radio. It gets great fuel mileage off-road, around 24-46 on the highway.
I had a ‘78 that was my grandpa’s truck. I always wanted a 4BTA in it. I ended up just massaging the 300 six that was in it, and on 35’s with 4.88 gears it was pretty stout. I loved the 205 for its strength, but hated the 1.96 low range. The Dana 44 front was the weakest link. If I can ever get my hands on another one, I’ll never let it go!
Weve been working on a 4bt in a ranger. We were starting with an ifs 200s ranger, and changed up to an 88 ranger with the leaf spring front end to help pick up the weight. Was alot easier to figure out the geometry and reinforcment for the new axles and the 4bt. Plus alot more engine bay room to start with. Motor is mounted, now everything else goes together haha
I was thinking of 4bt swapping my 07 Ranger 4x4. I want to keep the axles and M5OD-R1HD manual transmission, though. I just want a basic, non-computer, mainly stock Cummins and Ranger. So think the stick manual transmission and transfer case will hold up unless I beat on it. The original 8.8 axles should be fine. I’d also like to swap an 83 Ranger dash in.
Just found your channel. I love old iron (especially Fords), and your no B.S. presentation style. I've subscribed, an am diving into the playlist. Keep up the great work.
Used to be able to buy the whole bread truck for less than a grand around here, now you're looking at 2500-3000 for a 4bt, if you're lucky it'll still have an injection pump hanging on it for that money.
Chad McKinney I think is his name bought a metric crapton of 4BTs and has been scalping them. Even ones where the oil pan has no drain plug and allowed the oil pan and bottom end rust out.
I want to build a 4bt 4door S10 dually. Tucked handcrafted tubs and shortend axle(not a full size truck axel). Proportionately eye-pleasing. With a in bed hitch to tow my Civic.
i completely agree...i am doing a p pump24 valve with a zf 6 speed on a dually ford frame with a 79 chev crew cab and an 89 grill...you did a good thing here, very nice...Yah bless...doug
Awesome looking truck. Although I was way too young at the time to drive a car, I remember trucks like this Ford. My grandparents had a 1976-77 F250 Camper Special they used to tow a 5th wheeler trailer around the country. If only they were powered (at the time) by Diesel engines, either a Cummins 4bta, or possibly a 6bt.
Love to do this to my 05 Silverado, it's got the very anemic V6. I use that truck the same way this truck is used except no trailer hauling and my truck is about 1000lbs lighter
great video. I run a 96 gmc k1500 manual.. 5500 empty. this setup would have it hovering at 6k. I have a welded frame, and this would finish nicely my sarcastic over weld. for gm swaps in the half ton..torsion 4x4 is much better off for the front engine weight increase. Nice ford you have, my first was a 1974 f100. I loved it. my gmc just went past 385k, my old ford was at 330.
Very nice build. I look on it with envy. Ideal for myself would be to do it with a Ford chassis. If international had built a 6 cylinder idi I would consider that swap as well.
Your power to the ground figures are very respectable )) More power really only puts the rest of the drive train in danger of being destroyed. People in Australia have been putting 6BT in old Nissan Patrols...........and they just blow the diffs to pieces ;) I priced one of the new Cummins 2.8, 4 cylinders and they were min Aussie $10k.
They could. They could 100% build a smog legal 4bt, but it would be such a dog in comparison to modern engines it wouldnt sell. Modern engines will burn half the fuel, make 3x the power, run just as long, and make lower emissions.
@@gamesofcontent these older diesels can run straight vegetable oil without any additives or modification. It detonates cleaner with better oil pressure and temp from lubricating the cylinder Other than the fuel lines and tank. Veg oil isint volatile to enviornment so any line to a plastic tank could work and legal. 55 gal on front bumper if ya wanted... Newer diesels are all computer and censor operated. I dont see it being possible. Plus let's put on our tin hats.and say EMP.... well then the 4bt gets push started and the newer one suffera.multiple electrical fires and toxic fumes keep anyone from getting close.....
Yeah, if the gov wpuld get rid of some of their regulation thats strangling bussines they easily could. Europe has diesels in almost every truck and suv brand.
Excellent video. I have a couple of project vehicles that I want to put a diesel in. I like diesel drive characteristics. My wife has a '18 Ram 2500 Tradesman Crewcab 4wd 6.7L. 3.42 ratio 6sp auto. I have a '16 Ram 1500 Tradesman Quadcab 4wd 3.0L 3.92 ratio 8sp auto. Cummins has a R2.8 crate engine. That is probably a better engine for most swaps. I hope to install one in my '96 Jeep ZJ. And a '78 Dodge B-100 van, that will be converted to 4wd. The key to enjoying a small diesel engine swap is axle gearing and double overdrive transmissions. My wife's truck is an absolute beast!!! That 370hp, 800lb/ft tq Cummins is more capable than the truck is rated for. My Ecodiesel with the 8sp ZF trans and 3.92 ratio is great off road. But would be better with a 4:1 ratio transfer case. On icy roads my truck is a dream to drive. My wife's truck is hard to manage unless in low range. The example you gave with the Chevy 1 ton would work very well with a doubler box and an overdrive stick or auto transmission. Most likely your truck could use a doubler too. Unfortunately any diesel swap incurs costs. The R2.8 Cummins costs $8k as a fairly complete crate engine. And it will pass 50 state emmisions up to a '99 body.
You make some extremely good points in your vid. With gas prices so low right now im having a hard time convincing myself to make the 4bt swap. I did the math and it would take about 7 years for the swap to pay itself off 😂
Doing a diesel swap is not just about fuel mileage vs pay back, it to me you love driving diesel engines, I bought a new 2018 6.7 2500 ram, the diesel option is 9k over gas, will take years to recover the premium, but if you ever have resale, that's where you win! Same with diesel swaps, but I love diesel motors, I also own a 95 ram 4x4 12v, a 12v winnebago pusher, a mercedes 190D and currently doing a 4bt swap into my 88 grand wagoneer, once you get hooked on diesel motors, nothing else will do... so diesels are not for everyone, my wife mostly hates them, she loves the 6.7 [all stock] so before you swap drive some diesel powered vehicles and get to know the quirks and fun of them, you'll get converted or you won't, my 0.02...
Nicely down truck, I have a 1985 GMC 2500 frame and a 1966 Chevy C20 cab and bed 4bt Cummins VE . I’ve had the motor in a rat rod that I built , but it was too much motor for it.
I like what you did and how you went about it. I'm currently working on a similar project with a 12 valve in a 4x4 Ford E250. I won't need to turn things up just do what's good for fuel mileage.
8:23 good! Nice to see someone care about reliability and drivability, sure this thing would be great up here in Wyoming! My suv is normally aspirated and my god does it struggle 😂
I bought my 4bt for $1100. My dad is a cummin's collector and i knew right when i saw it for sale what a deal it was. Going to tune it and put it in a beefed up dodge dakota.
Nice review..thank you...I happen to have the exact same engine i pulled from an Oshkosh truck that came in the scrap yard..engine was replaced with reman low hours...Same Injection pump as yours...I have a 79 Bronco i plan on installing this in...
Great video , you put it all out there with very good facts . It's an awesome engine but like you said it expensive and has limits as do all engines . But sadly most ppl think it's way more than it is . I'm a 6bt guy myself but if I had a 4 I'd make good use of it .
They're neat swaps, although I think in a daily application the vibration and noise would get tiresome. Seems like it would be great for a trail rig, though.
I've been dying to put one in my 95 Land Rover Discovery. With the 4BT, I will have better MPG, Horsepower, and most importantly, reliability. Question is, where do I find a good deal on one now they are so popular?
I have a 73 F100 and my 302 spun a bearing. It was a hot piece of mess to begin with so I decided to rebuild another 302 and swap it in. well instead of just dumping another 302 in, I had it bored, heads done, new intake, cam, etc. by the time I was done I was about 5k into the engine. yeah its better than the boat anchor that was in there but 10mpg and 65mph is about the best it gets. I could have bought a 4bt and swapped it in for less by the time all the smoke cleared.
My '72 Bump Side F250 has the 24V / Allison and 205 transfer case. Just a great combination but don't have nearly the miles or use you are getting on this one.
I'm glad this video exists one of my buddy wants to put a 4BT in their Jeep really badly Even though there are 350 is perfectly fine and has lots of horsepower By the way I do own A4BTI was actually looking for a 12 valve for my 1984 4 wheel drive But I ended up buying a Box fan because I had the bellhousing I needed It ended up being easier to go with the 4BT even though I wanted the 12 valve
That truck is AMAZING! How much did it cost you to make? This is such a logical and sensible built. This is the best of old school and advencment in technology. Deeam vehicle eight here.
I’m doing a tdi swap in a ranger. Thought about a 4bt for a second but like you said, way too heavy for the chassis. Hopefully one day I can do a 4bt or 6bt in an old f250 or f350 single cab. I have a 7.3 now and it hasn’t been reliable at all. I use it for work and have put 55k on the truck and probably 8k in repairs and maintenance at 325k now. Ready to sell and move on. Love the truck just not the bills and down time.
@@RustyJunkExhibition I thought that maybe there was video of what I mentioned so I went and found it and then felt silly for my comment. Thank you for the way you responded. New sub.
You are right. Trucks from the 70's up to the Mid 90's had around the same power levels. This 4BT is out performing most stock gas trucks up to the Mid 90's. Especially in the fuel economy, and torque departments. Thanks for pointing that out!
I was hoping for a little better fuel economy. My old 7.3 will do 21 at 65 with stock tires and 14-15 in town hard to justify a 4bt swap in a truck. I appreciate the video though.
I put a 12 valve in my ‘79 Supercab. Going to change the 4:10 out to something else. I have a gear vendor overdrive on it but 70mph is giving it all the onions.
If Rudolph Diesel's plan came to fruition, the vast majority of old trucks would have come with mechanical diesels like this and we'd all be better off for it.
Word🎉
Government regulations 😂😂 government knows what’s best 😂
@@elisalazar3097 nah it's Americans being dumb af. Because there will always be some soft headed pig who will say that a gas hog is better than a diesel because that's all their brain can handle
12 valve for life !!
No, his plan was for the engine to run off of different oils made from plants from which are grown all over the world do some research 🧐
I’m a GM fan, but hats off to this rig! One of my favorite era of Ford truck. And simple, utilitarian, timelessness.
Forever one of my favorite 4bt trucks, simple and good looking
You mean super good looking!
Awesome! The 4bt’s are significantly more expensive than the 6bt, if space isn’t a concern it often makes more sense to go with the 6. Either way, IMO they are the crown jewel of diesel engines. I have a swapped vehicle and I think I would pull the engine for another swap before I’d ever think about selling it.
They may be considered the crown jewel here in the states but it can be argued in the diesel community that other diesels are far superior. It comes down to what one plans on doing with the engine.
idk I'll stick to my 2018 cummins
Theirs better options the 4bt is just more common….om606 would be a crown jewel….Cummins are cheap and throw away engines in the commercial world not having wet sleeves make overhauling them to expensive to justify if they have worn cylinders
@@oddlyrightoddlyright2475 that and they're designed to be a little lighter so they can be put in trucks and equipment and not be ridiculously heavy.
But I agree they're pretty much bottom dollar industrial engines and they didn't hold up in farm equipment
The 4BD1 Isuzu is far superior to the 4bt Cummins in design and construction. It is simply better built and comes factory with a rack pump
Considering putting one in my ‘68 Lincoln 🤔 thinking 6BT at first but the length is a killer and I don’t want to be chopping the chassis around, the appeal of a mechanical all torque motor for cruising with about 4 times the mpg is great, especially when it’s already got a patina’d Fallout look
This is definitely pushing me more towards my idea of a 6BT into a K5 Blazer. Great MPG, an engine I know well, and more torque.
Sounds like a great project. K5s are a solid platform for a serious off roader.
But isnt the 6bt too heavy to put in a blazer?
The best full disclosure 4BT video I've seen. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
I have a 1974 F100 and want to do a 4bt swap in it. THANK YOU for all the information you provide in your video. it is really helpful!
7:30 Correction, they run hot but take a while to warm up on the big cast iron blocks.
From what I've learned, the combustion chamber is under way more pressure and heat compared to a petrol. That's why diesel parts are so heavy duty.
Great video and cool truck.
I’m doing something similar, putting a Ford 256D out of a Ford tractor (came out of a 5000, rebuilding it into a 7700 motor) into an ‘87 F-250. Your video has some good information, thanks a lot for sharing!
Now THAT is an interesting sounding project...
I hope you will post a video of that when you finish!
Did the same with a 68 f100 everything you said is spot on. If I wasn’t working on the road right now I’d drive mine everyday over my 3500 cummins. zf5 speed 3.55 gears and 35 inch tires is perfect combo. Can get 30 mpg driving 60 mph on flat ground 24-26 is the normal hiway.
You did a good job with the body swap. Usually I can spot a body swap, but I didn’t spot this one until you pointed it out.
Thanks for the compliment. She fakes it pretty good.
Thanks for doing this video. I’m looking at putting a 4bt in my 82 bronco, I want that fuel economy! Right now I’m getting 7-10 mpg with my stock 351.
Brother, you have made one honest truck and video. People like you make this world work.
I have no inclination to do anything with a 4BT, idk why I even clicked the video, but I can say one thing for sure, I thoroughly enjoyed the video lol
Have you looked at getting an auxiliary gearbox?
Gear Vendors make an auxiliary box that goes behind the transmission and will double your transmission gears. A 5 speed becomes a 10. It'll give you a double over drive for non-towing highway use. It's basically having half gears between the main gears.
It is awesome!
Thanks so much! I'm doing a 4bt swap rigth now and when I saw your project I really got all motivation that I need
Honestly that's a really good idea for an old truck like this. I have a stock '76 F250 with the 360 and T18, it handles 80 no problem (unless the wind noise bothers you). I also just remembered that I'm running regular tires lol. That's really cool and I hope it holds up well for you
Great truck. A test drive in the video would have been the cherry on top.
At work we have a 4bt case skid steer vibrates terribly and everything broke on that rig we worked it to the ground but the engine never skipped a beat
Thank you for this video! Very good info! I’m considering the 4BT swap on my highboy. Main reasons are the fuel economy and it seems to fit much better. I don’t want to modify my firewall to get the 6 to fit.
You solved the one thing I hate about those beautiful 70s Fords, the fuel economy. I sold my 79 f150 with the 351M because it got 8.5mpg highway and it was slower than my 2.7 i4 Tacoma. Well done!!
In the “middle” of a 6bt nv4500 swap to my 1967 f100 (on a 1978 3/4 ton 4x4 frame)...thanks for showing lots of the details... hope my truck works as well as yours.
The 6bt will be nice. They run smoother than the 4bt. And they're easily upgraded..
Crazy cool. That 4BT is still making really good power. Probably way more than my 67 F100 4x4 with a 428. I bought my 67 specifically to put a 4BT in it....but retired from state service before it could get it done.
Good vid, I've got 4 older 6bt dodges, was humming and hawing about getting a 4bt into a 2wd XCLB dodge 1500.. I'd push the power up a bit in it, probably shoot for 300hp, 5x16 injectors and an HE351cw would probably work quite nicely
About the cons of the expensive repairs, the one good thing about the 4bt is you can get a good set of pistons from a 6bt that melted a hole in one!... Aftermarket parts are plentiful too, and if you've done engine work on gassers, it's really not much different
Very well put together vid I own 2 6bta Dodge diesels. Nice to see the old truck with the best diesel out there installed.
Great article! I can relate to this. I drove a 1974 F250 2wd for 13 years. I put an Isuzu 4BB1 in it in1979 and turbogharged it in1982 . It gave me 27 mpg and was very dependable--noisy as hell, though.
so much common sense it hurts. thanks for taking the time to make the video! i was considering a 4bt into an f100 but i dont think its for me right now. i do run an 89 idi on vegoil tho....smells great.
Thanks, thought the ‘P’ pump would be the only choice for anything used in a engine swap to gain a bit of performance. Now realise the VE pump would be best for my intended use. Thanks for that :)
don't listen to keyboard warriors and you'll be amazed what you can learn out there
This truck is a "hodge podge" of AWESOME!!
Great build. As for the noise and vibrations and people not liking them. I have a '95 power stroke. It's straight piped, I love the clatterstroke.
One of the best looking trucks on the web and having a 4BT is icing on the cake.
fyi, you can get an Isuzu 4BD1T which is kind of the analogue to the Cummins B series, for a considerably smaller sum.
Just make sure it comes out of an NPR box truck or you'll have to change the pump out for an on-road pump. Luckily though, China is still making lots of the Isuzu diesels under some license. You can get brand new pumps from there on the cheap.
Thanks for making this video. Really answered a lot of my questions. I have the exact same year and color truck even have the off road lights on the front and 4WD. Mine has the 300 six and gets 9 mpg on a good day and doesn't have enough power to pull a leaf off a picnic table. 480 tq on a chassis dyno is well over 500 ftlbs at the flywheel. Big increase over stock with such mild mods. What blows my mind is 20 mpg in a 6000+ lb 4 WD truck. Amazing! I've thought of converting mine to a diesel even thought of a Detroit (love the sound) several times but I just can't swing the cost. I have a spare 351W in the shed and will probably throw a 408 stroker crank in it and call it good.
Just wanted to point out, that 460 will VERY quickly cost you more in fuel the the 4BT swap would cost up front.
That's the way large cast iron block diesels warm up. Small sub-3 L automotive diesels like the VM 2.8 and 3.0 VM and MB diesels don't take long to warm up. VM has a viscous water heater to assist that.
Just caught your video a couple years late Lol. I am a 73' to 79' dent side Ford lover, Back in the early 80's just out of high school got my first one a 75' F250 high boy before it was over that truck was on 18/44s a 490 ci BB Ford pushing 823hp on the dyno right @ 1 mile per gallon of good fuel. A couple of friends of mine were Detroit Diesel guys they were putting 453 and 471T DDAs in theirs pretty nice little set up. So my old 75' I decided to make it bigger with with 2 1/2 ton rockwells and 48s and do a Detroit swap... Well that never evolved when she was tore down another friend of mine rolled his truck and needed a body and offered me to much to refuse for mine then others wanted the big block military's and tires so she never ended up finished. So let's click to now last year found the back yard find of history for me, a pristine 1979 F 350 4x4 with a 453T DDA with a RTO 6610 10 spd over drive transmission still playing with her. I can see the 4 BTA light good mpg plenty of go. the only difference in the Detroit and the Cummins is weight the detroit is 1200lbs and the transmission is 1200lbs. But she is cool and gets good MPGs and even has a real 2 stage jake brake. But Love your truck real cool ride!
Ive wanted to build a 79 4 door ford truck with a 6bt. I wanted the 6bt because the truck will be used for work, pulling trailers daily
I luv how you reused the granny 4 speed shifter
I have a 3-5 year plan for my bronco which at one point was a coyote swap. However, I have always wanted a diesel bronco so its still on the table. Thanks for the info, great video.
Awesome no nonsense truck! I have a 1964 Power Wagon that will be getting a 4BT in the near future. I appreciate the engine buying tips. I'm probably going to start with a used engine.
That's great power to the wheels for a slightly messed with 4bt at 4400 feet of elevation
Edit: I'd only really swap in a 4bt into anything mainly for better fuel economy
Thanks man!
@@RustyJunkExhibition Hey, don't know if you have caught some of these comments or not, but if you are anywhere along our test corridor when we are out there in the Rockies, (Denver, Idaho Springs, Silverthorne, Dillon, Steamboat, Kremmling, Winter park, Granby), but fire me your contact info to magnumv1066 at gmail and when we get in your neck of the woods we'll meet up for lunch sometime.
Thanks for posting your project and using our good old 4B!
Spending thousands to save pennies on fuel
@@rslover65 over time you'll save that much if not more
@@austinblevins6804 highly doubt that. Once the ENTIRE cost of swapping is figured in, and that diesel is often higher than gas I can almost guarantee you won't. Not in the lifetime of that truck/engine
6.5 guy but here I am. Nice build and look forward to future content. 👍
I have a 2008 jeep wrangler rubicon that is repowered with a 4BT. It has had the cummins since 2012. I think it is the perfect power plant for a jeep, if you like diesels. It has noticeable noise.but it isn't like you can't hear the radio. It gets great fuel mileage off-road, around 24-46 on the highway.
I had a ‘78 that was my grandpa’s truck. I always wanted a 4BTA in it.
I ended up just massaging the 300 six that was in it, and on 35’s with 4.88 gears it was pretty stout. I loved the 205 for its strength, but hated the 1.96 low range. The Dana 44 front was the weakest link. If I can ever get my hands on another one, I’ll never let it go!
Bro I got a 78 Ford F150 ranger that was my great grandpa’s
Weve been working on a 4bt in a ranger. We were starting with an ifs 200s ranger, and changed up to an 88 ranger with the leaf spring front end to help pick up the weight. Was alot easier to figure out the geometry and reinforcment for the new axles and the 4bt. Plus alot more engine bay room to start with. Motor is mounted, now everything else goes together haha
Looking to swap a ranger any tips?
I was thinking of 4bt swapping my 07 Ranger 4x4. I want to keep the axles and M5OD-R1HD manual transmission, though. I just want a basic, non-computer, mainly stock Cummins and Ranger. So think the stick manual transmission and transfer case will hold up unless I beat on it. The original 8.8 axles should be fine. I’d also like to swap an 83 Ranger dash in.
Meant to say I think the stock manual transmission and transfer case will hold up.
@Mike Tonon it will not, sorry bud even the R1HD can't take the torque
Damn that’s super clean, and done right imo.
I like how it’s basic and not over done. Great video, very informative.
Just found your channel. I love old iron (especially Fords), and your no B.S. presentation style. I've subscribed, an am diving into the playlist. Keep up the great work.
Awesome, thank you!
I remember 8 years ago when you could get a 4BT with transmission for $1200. Now they want $2500+ for them.
Used to be able to buy the whole bread truck for less than a grand around here, now you're looking at 2500-3000 for a 4bt, if you're lucky it'll still have an injection pump hanging on it for that money.
Chad McKinney I think is his name bought a metric crapton of 4BTs and has been scalping them. Even ones where the oil pan has no drain plug and allowed the oil pan and bottom end rust out.
Amayzing build, and you've racked up some incredible mileage on top of that! Congrats on your bad ass built!
I want to build a 4bt 4door S10 dually. Tucked handcrafted tubs and shortend axle(not a full size truck axel). Proportionately eye-pleasing. With a in bed hitch to tow my Civic.
i completely agree...i am doing a p pump24 valve with a zf 6 speed on a dually ford frame with a 79 chev crew cab and an 89 grill...you did a good thing here, very nice...Yah bless...doug
Thanks for the video i been watching a bunch of videos im swapping a 4BTA in to my 1960 f250 4x4
Awesome looking truck. Although I was way too young at the time to drive a car, I remember trucks like this Ford. My grandparents had a 1976-77 F250 Camper Special they used to tow a 5th wheeler trailer around the country. If only they were powered (at the time) by Diesel engines, either a Cummins 4bta, or possibly a 6bt.
Love to do this to my 05 Silverado, it's got the very anemic V6. I use that truck the same way this truck is used except no trailer hauling and my truck is about 1000lbs lighter
Great summary! This was very helpful as I plan my 4BT swap into a 1992 Dodge B250 4x4 Ram Van
great video. I run a 96 gmc k1500 manual.. 5500 empty. this setup would have it hovering at 6k. I have a welded frame, and this would finish nicely my sarcastic over weld. for gm swaps in the half ton..torsion 4x4 is much better off for the front engine weight increase. Nice ford you have, my first was a 1974 f100. I loved it. my gmc just went past 385k, my old ford was at 330.
A k1500 is a great 4bt swap
Very nice build. I look on it with envy. Ideal for myself would be to do it with a Ford chassis. If international had built a 6 cylinder idi I would consider that swap as well.
Your power to the ground figures are very respectable )) More power really only puts the rest of the drive train in danger of being destroyed. People in Australia have been putting 6BT in old Nissan Patrols...........and they just blow the diffs to pieces ;) I priced one of the new Cummins 2.8, 4 cylinders and they were min Aussie $10k.
I have an '02 wrangler with a blown motor........ that's why I'm here.
Go with a VW tdi engine lots of kits for Jeep swapping lots of power and mileage and a lot lighter and cheaper.
Tdi for the jeep all day that cast iron 4bt is way too heavy
Very nice! If only the government, in all of their "infinite" wisdom, would allow car companies to build these!
They could. They could 100% build a smog legal 4bt, but it would be such a dog in comparison to modern engines it wouldnt sell. Modern engines will burn half the fuel, make 3x the power, run just as long, and make lower emissions.
@@gamesofcontent these older diesels can run straight vegetable oil without any additives or modification. It detonates cleaner with better oil pressure and temp from lubricating the cylinder Other than the fuel lines and tank. Veg oil isint volatile to enviornment so any line to a plastic tank could work and legal. 55 gal on front bumper if ya wanted...
Newer diesels are all computer and censor operated. I dont see it being possible. Plus let's put on our tin hats.and say EMP.... well then the 4bt gets push started and the newer one suffera.multiple electrical fires and toxic fumes keep anyone from getting close.....
Yeah, if the gov wpuld get rid of some of their regulation thats strangling bussines they easily could. Europe has diesels in almost every truck and suv brand.
Nice build, and great to honestly hear what the truck is and clearly is not.
Giddyup!
Really nice truck & video, thank you for sharing. I've always wanted to do a diesel swap in one of my old trucks, now I know I want to do it.
Excellent video. I have a couple of project vehicles that I want to put a diesel in. I like diesel drive characteristics. My wife has a '18 Ram 2500 Tradesman Crewcab 4wd 6.7L. 3.42 ratio 6sp auto. I have a '16 Ram 1500 Tradesman Quadcab 4wd 3.0L 3.92 ratio 8sp auto.
Cummins has a R2.8 crate engine. That is probably a better engine for most swaps. I hope to install one in my '96 Jeep ZJ. And a '78 Dodge B-100 van, that will be converted to 4wd.
The key to enjoying a small diesel engine swap is axle gearing and double overdrive transmissions. My wife's truck is an absolute beast!!! That 370hp, 800lb/ft tq Cummins is more capable than the truck is rated for. My Ecodiesel with the 8sp ZF trans and 3.92 ratio is great off road. But would be better with a 4:1 ratio transfer case. On icy roads my truck is a dream to drive. My wife's truck is hard to manage unless in low range.
The example you gave with the Chevy 1 ton would work very well with a doubler box and an overdrive stick or auto transmission. Most likely your truck could use a doubler too.
Unfortunately any diesel swap incurs costs. The R2.8 Cummins costs $8k as a fairly complete crate engine. And it will pass 50 state emmisions up to a '99 body.
You make some extremely good points in your vid. With gas prices so low right now im having a hard time convincing myself to make the 4bt swap. I did the math and it would take about 7 years for the swap to pay itself off 😂
Doing a diesel swap is not just about fuel mileage vs pay back, it to me you love driving diesel engines, I bought a new 2018 6.7 2500 ram, the diesel option is 9k over gas, will take years to recover the premium, but if you ever have resale, that's where you win! Same with diesel swaps, but I love diesel motors, I also own a 95 ram 4x4 12v, a 12v winnebago pusher, a mercedes 190D and currently doing a 4bt swap into my 88 grand wagoneer, once you get hooked on diesel motors, nothing else will do... so diesels are not for everyone, my wife mostly hates them, she loves the 6.7 [all stock] so before you swap drive some diesel powered vehicles and get to know the quirks and fun of them, you'll get converted or you won't, my 0.02...
With crazy rise in gas... how does it compare now?
diesel for life . they burn better than gasoline as well
Good presentation. And explained very well. I've done. The 4BT and 6BT and Mercedes 5cyl turbo diesel swaps. Super Nice F2500 swap. Way to go man.
Nicely down truck, I have a 1985 GMC 2500 frame and a 1966 Chevy C20 cab and bed 4bt Cummins VE . I’ve had the motor in a rat rod that I built , but it was too much motor for it.
I have a 4BT in a 78 GMC 4x4 Suburban and love it!
I like what you did and how you went about it.
I'm currently working on a similar project with a 12 valve in a 4x4 Ford E250. I won't need to turn things up just do what's good for fuel mileage.
I have no clue how that'll fit though
8:23 good! Nice to see someone care about reliability and drivability, sure this thing would be great up here in Wyoming! My suv is normally aspirated and my god does it struggle 😂
I bought my 4bt for $1100. My dad is a cummin's collector and i knew right when i saw it for sale what a deal it was. Going to tune it and put it in a beefed up dodge dakota.
Nice review..thank you...I happen to have the exact same engine i pulled from an Oshkosh truck that came in the scrap yard..engine was replaced with reman low hours...Same Injection pump as yours...I have a 79 Bronco i plan on installing this in...
A little confident huh 😏 awsome sales man .I don't doubt a word you said.
Great video , you put it all out there with very good facts . It's an awesome engine but like you said it expensive and has limits as do all engines . But sadly most ppl think it's way more than it is . I'm a 6bt guy myself but if I had a 4 I'd make good use of it .
Pretty cool this popped up on my feed! Looks like you got some fancy wheels on it now.
It was weird putting shiny parts on the Ford! So cool you found the video.
I've been looking for info on a 4BT for a daily. Thinking about putting one in a K20 just cuz . Thanks man.
They're neat swaps, although I think in a daily application the vibration and noise would get tiresome. Seems like it would be great for a trail rig, though.
Thanks, it was good to remind people about matching engine to frame.
I put on in my 1954 Ford custom line and love it
Nice job on this video and presentation. Big thumbs up! Keep that old iron on the road.
I've been dying to put one in my 95 Land Rover Discovery. With the 4BT, I will have better MPG, Horsepower, and most importantly, reliability. Question is, where do I find a good deal on one now they are so popular?
Been looking into doing this swap on a 53 Chevy 3100. Ty for all the info.
I have a 73 F100 and my 302 spun a bearing. It was a hot piece of mess to begin with so I decided to rebuild another 302 and swap it in. well instead of just dumping another 302 in, I had it bored, heads done, new intake, cam, etc. by the time I was done I was about 5k into the engine. yeah its better than the boat anchor that was in there but 10mpg and 65mph is about the best it gets. I could have bought a 4bt and swapped it in for less by the time all the smoke cleared.
A fresh 302 sounds sweet! You'll just have to build another truck with a diesel
@@RustyJunkExhibition well if my superduty doesnt behave it might loose its v10!
My '72 Bump Side F250 has the 24V / Allison and 205 transfer case. Just a great combination but don't have nearly the miles or use you are getting on this one.
Thanks for all of the info and being straight forward about it. That’s a great looking truck.
I'm glad this video exists one of my buddy wants to put a 4BT in their Jeep really badly Even though there are 350 is perfectly fine and has lots of horsepower
By the way I do own A4BTI was actually looking for a 12 valve for my 1984 4 wheel drive But I ended up buying a Box fan because I had the bellhousing I needed It ended up being easier to go with the 4BT even though I wanted the 12 valve
Thinking about doing this swap with a Jag.
I rarely give a crap about horse power unless I'm trying to go as fast (top speed) as possible with as little weight as possible.
That truck is AMAZING! How much did it cost you to make?
This is such a logical and sensible built. This is the best of old school and advencment in technology. Deeam vehicle eight here.
I love it. Broncos are awesome, and I want a 4BT in a 4x4 with a manual transmission.
Awesome video man. I've got an 82 GMC K15 I'm thinking of doing a 4BT swap with.
Great video. Looking to maybe swap a 4bt into my 87’ K30. Was looking to 6bt, but considering the 4bt
I’m doing a tdi swap in a ranger. Thought about a 4bt for a second but like you said, way too heavy for the chassis. Hopefully one day I can do a 4bt or 6bt in an old f250 or f350 single cab. I have a 7.3 now and it hasn’t been reliable at all. I use it for work and have put 55k on the truck and probably 8k in repairs and maintenance at 325k now. Ready to sell and move on. Love the truck just not the bills and down time.
I'd love to do a tdi swap in my ranger. You planning on making a video series?
Ramon Santiago Possibly. I’m not good with editing and even worse in front of a camera. Car is already tore down some.
@@elijahcavin2408 damn. Well atleast make a video like a quick walk around when it's done?
Would have been cool to hear it and perhaps have shown an in cab video of a run down the road. Enjoyed. Thank you for sharing.
Check out my other videos for this content. Thanks for watching!
@@RustyJunkExhibition I thought that maybe there was video of what I mentioned so I went and found it and then felt silly for my comment. Thank you for the way you responded. New sub.
@@jerryferguson5461 It's all good! I love the feedback.
Thinking of putting a 4cyl comercial fridge diesel in my K10
5:55 183HP to the rear wheels is pretty good! I'm pretty sure a stock 351M/400 wouldn't do a whole lot better.
Considering the 95 crew cab 4x4 dually that I had came with only 169 horsepower. Because it was an automatic transmission. Your 4 banger is damn good.
You are right. Trucks from the 70's up to the Mid 90's had around the same power levels. This 4BT is out performing most stock gas trucks up to the Mid 90's. Especially in the fuel economy, and torque departments. Thanks for pointing that out!
I was hoping for a little better fuel economy. My old 7.3 will do 21 at 65 with stock tires and 14-15 in town hard to justify a 4bt swap in a truck. I appreciate the video though.
My 91 F350 has the non-Turbo 7.3 dizzler. I imagine exhaust temp isn’t an issue. And neither is getting a speeding ticket. 😆
I think this will be the way I go with my 63 Jeep Gladiator.
I like your manual locking hub conversion.
I put a 12 valve in my ‘79 Supercab. Going to change the 4:10 out to something else. I have a gear vendor overdrive on it but 70mph is giving it all the onions.