1969 4BD1T Diesel & NV4500 conversion on 33's

big a · Nov 19, 2013

Nice work Mr. The Welder! I really love this website! Seeing people take something that's falling apart and rebuilding it to put it back on the road is awesome!!!! That rear bumper looks great too!!!! I'm finally to rust repair on my Bronco, but fortunately my frame is in great condition. From the seats back I just have a little surface rust, but from the pans forward, well, typical rust! I'm learning as I go and it's great to read thru your thread and watch you tackle the obstacles without hesitation!!! Plus, its a diesel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As to your pan, I realize you are using a different engine, but on the cummins I just notched the oil pan. It's easy on the cummins because there is room around pick up tube near the front of the sump and the dipstick goes in a the rear of the sump.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=314900&d=1380150387

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=314899&d=1380150387

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=314898&d=1380150387

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=314897&d=1380150387

I'm looking forward to following your build!

big a · Nov 19, 2013

I forgot to mention that I also offset the engine 1" off of center towards the passenger side just like the factory engine. That helped a bunch as well.

WheelHorse · Nov 19, 2013

Man, you're living up to your screen name that's for darn sure.

Great work!

BradtheWelder · Nov 19, 2013

big a said:
Nice work Mr. The Welder! I really love this website! Seeing people take something that's falling apart and rebuilding it to put it back on the road is awesome!!!! That rear bumper looks great too!!!! I'm finally to rust repair on my Bronco, but fortunately my frame is in great condition. From the seats back I just have a little surface rust, but from the pans forward, well, typical rust! I'm learning as I go and it's great to read thru your thread and watch you tackle the obstacles without hesitation!!! Plus, its a diesel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As to your pan, I realize you are using a different engine, but on the cummins I just notched the oil pan. It's easy on the cummins because there is room around pick up tube near the front of the sump and the dipstick goes in a the rear of the sump.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=314900&d=1380150387

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=314899&d=1380150387

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=314898&d=1380150387

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=314897&d=1380150387

I'm looking forward to following your build!

big a said:
I forgot to mention that I also offset the engine 1" off of center towards the passenger side just like the factory engine. That helped a bunch as well.

Thanks for the pics. Tonight I will take off the oil pan and see what I can do.

WheelHorse said:
Man, you're living up to your screen name that's for darn sure.

Great work!

I ain't scared of cutting and modifying anything really. This Bronco will be so much different than what it was. This next year should be cool

big a · Nov 19, 2013

BradtheWelder said:
Thanks for the pics. Tonight I will take off the oil pan and see what I can do.

I ain't scared of cutting and modifying anything really. This Bronco will be so much different than what it was. This next year should be cool

That's funny!!! I started my project with the same attitude!!! I'm just gonna dig and and learn as I go! I'm not a fabricator, so my learning curve has been a little higher, but I'm making progress and enjoying every minute of it as I go! I just can't wait to drive mine, but I'm a long long long way off.

doradoguy · Nov 19, 2013

I have a fancy pan on my 302 and ran into the same problem. My buddy was telling once I put the lift on I won't have a problem. I was lucky enough to be able to cut the front corner of the pan and weld up. You might look to see if they make a rear pick up and fab your own pan. It would suck having to go with custom axles. Now if you break one on the trail you would be screwed. BTW eefffing awesome work.

BradtheWelder · Nov 19, 2013

So took off the oil pan to figure out if there is a way to modify the oil pan to avoid the custom front axle. I don't think I can. This engine has kinda a crazy oil pickup and is 6" from the back of the pan which is about where the hump is on the back of the differential. I don't want to have a huge lift on this truck as I am trying to make it a daily driver. Here the pics I took when I got the pan off.

big a · Nov 19, 2013

Wow, that is a unique looking pick-up! Man, that's a bummer!!! Is this engine used in other applications??? For instance, the cummins comes in front, center and rear sump configurations depending on the application. Maybe your engine does as well and u can find a different pick-up.

big a · Nov 21, 2013

Just out of curiosity, why did you choose the isuzu diesel? I wavered back and forth before deciding on the 4bt.

BradtheWelder · Nov 21, 2013

1.Was the availability. I couldn't find a 4bt for less than $2k. I found the chassis of a NPR with the whole drivetrain for $1k. Scrapped the rest for around $500. Thats real good deal in my book. Ive read you can get parts for these engines at any GM dealer as well, way more common than a Cummins dealer.

2. From what I read is the Isuzu is quieter and smoother than the Cummins according to the guys on 4BT swaps. I did have the guy start up the engine I have and it did seem quieter than my friends '91 6bt. Not sure if that is a fair comparison though.

But all in all I would have gone either way if the right deal came along. This front differential problem though sucks. Things always have problems with engine swaps though. I feel like when I change this front axle though I will have less troubles in the rest of this project, but time will tell though.

big a · Nov 21, 2013

Yeah it was a toss up for me. I try my best to not have to hit up the Cummins stealership. You can pick pretty much any year 12v 6bt for parts from the part store. But, availability was my reasoning as well. I came across this engine that was locked up for $900. There was no water in the oil and I knew it had sat for a few yrs, so I took a chance. I sold the gm adapter stuff off of the back for $450. After rebuilding the engine I was only out $1400 incl the engine price and flipped it for $3500. I'm amazed at how much people will pay for this engine. Anyway, I came across a great deal on a brand new reviva rebuilt and dyno'd zero mile engine for $3900, so in the end I'm only out $1800 on a new rebuilt engine. I was fortunate it all worked out that way!

I agree that the isuzu is much quieter. I assume it may be a bit more streetable as it has a larger usable rpm range than the 4bt, but I don't have much experience with them.

Either way, awesome choice as you'll be rollin' coal!!!! So in the end, it's still a diesel!!!

Well, looking at how you've overcome so many other obstacles, I'm very sure you will find a great solution to your oil pan interference!!!

BradtheWelder · Nov 26, 2013

I started getting the axle out last week and it seemed like I had problem after problem. Bolts were seized on the radius arms. Not too surprising but didn't have any oxygen for torch. I got the oxygen filled and then regulator went bad on the acetylene tank. WTF!

Then I got that working again and found out the lower coil buckets on the drivers side were bent over the bolt heads and couldn't get a socket on them. blender That's when I really got pissed off and cut the radius arm off. Took the weekend off and tried to cool down. Today did a little cleaning, moved the front axle on my work bench and started disassembling the axle until I realized I don't have the right size spindle nut socket. My plan so far is to move the differential over all I can to the. Drivers side wedges. Approximately 4" or so. Then cutting the axle in the middle and splicing a tube in the keep the stock width. Maybe making a fixture of some kind to keep the axle straight. I got some ideas on how I'm gonna do it but still not 100% sure still.

Also here the hood I traded a guy on Craigslist, pretty nice.

big a · Nov 27, 2013

That stinks! I think anyone whose ever turned a wrench has experienced days like that

Nice score on the hood! I love craigslist!!!!!! It's all barter and sell! It's great!!!

BradtheWelder · Dec 2, 2013

Worked on getting the front axle tore down. Got most of the way done. Need to make a case spreader to get the carrier out of the housing. Also ran into a problem when I went to take the bolt that holds the "block" that keeps the brake caliper in place. It isn't possible to get it out with a socket, kinda confused how somebody even got it in. Only one of the lock out hubs bolts needed drilled out which wasn't too bad.

BradtheWelder · Dec 3, 2013

Ok so here it is in a nutshell. Going to cut a few pieces of plate with V notches that the tube will sit against. When thats all done I will take the axle off the fixture and cut in the center of it. Then hopefully a friend of mine will machine a new piece of tube in the center and will press into the old axle tube. I think this pic illustrates what I am thinking of doing.

big a · Dec 3, 2013

Nice! With it sleeved, it'll b plenty strong!!! Looking forward to seeing the finished axle housing!

BradtheWelder · Dec 3, 2013

So my night started with a 7/8" bolt and cutting off the threads and head.

Drilled a couple of 1/4" plates and welded on the some small thick wall tube. I thought all was good until I went to start cranking down the nuts. Then this started happening.

I didn't expect that to happen. The bolt I cut down to use was a little sloppy so I put a little weld on it and ground it down to get it to be a extremely tight fit. Then it worked.

A buddy of mine had some tubing lying around from some other job and gave me a chunk of it. It's 2.75" OD and 1.75 ID and it will be getting machined down to a press fit inside the existing axle tube. Tomorrow I will be making the fixture for the axle so when I get it back together I can make sure it's straight and the same width as the stock axle would be.

BradtheWelder · Dec 4, 2013

Well I cut it. No turning back now! Tonight started out with cutting a piece of 1/4" thick 42" long and drilled 6 small holes for the decking screws holding it down to the workbench. Then cut the 2 end pieces to hold up the two ends of the axle by the knuckle. Then cut a couple more pieces. To ensure they are sitting against the axle tube they were cut 1/16" short and held up to the tube and tacked in. To make sure the knuckles are at the right angle I put in a couple of stops against the wedges. Also put some 3/8" rod to make sure the plates holding up the axle tubes dont move. Pretty happy with the fixture and it should work. Cut the axle in half after that. Tomorrow I'll give the new chunk of tube to my buddy to turn down the inside the exsisting axle tube. Hopefully I will have this axle back together this weekend, without axle shafts of course.

broncobsession · Dec 4, 2013

Your skills are pretty ridiculous. Looking good!

big a · Dec 5, 2013

Looking good!!!!!

1969 4BD1T Diesel & NV4500 conversion on 33's

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