Engine Replacement...Diesel

[68Bronco]

I just dropped the Advance Adapters NV3550 in my 68...very pleased with the fit and performance. Even drove from San Diego up to Paso Robles to pick it up and take a tour of the floor. But I digress. I took the Bronco to get it professionally tuned; the guys indicated that the ole 289 was pretty tired. I'm looking to replace the engine with something more fuel efficient since I put some miles on it when I head out to the desert. Thinking of a diesel but don't want to shove a 4BT. Anybody do any research on a Mercedes diesel? The cars are plentiful....and cheap...and I'm hoping a turbo charged 5 cylinder will fit under the hood.

 

[mustangmarty]

NPR truck diesel engine. good torque. quieter. should fit. I don't know if it would bolt to the NV350, it would mate with a 700r4 though, FWIW.

 

[pblackb592]

will any of that bolt to your 3550?

 

[Broncobowsher]

will any of that bolt to your 3550?

With the right adapter(s) it can be done for the 4bt. Mercedes would be custom.

Right now I am trying to research using a VW diesel, the V10. It would be custom as well, if even feasable (probably not).

 

[68Bronco]

Will the 4BT bolt up to the 3550? I was told it would definitely bolt up to the NV3500...

 

[Broncobowsher]

3550 is the removable bellhousing
3500 is the intergrial bellhousing, if I remember right.

By using adapters you should have no problem putting the removable bellhousing behind the diesel. Can't see an easy way to mate a intergrial bellhousing.

 

[COBlu77]

I hate to open this can of worms, but I helped Miley with the final stages of his 4BT/NV4500/Atlas conversion and you'd have to drive many many miles to recoup the cost savings if ever. You should only do it for the challenge and fun.

It had the most impressive torque of anything I'd ever driven, but I doubt the NV3550 would last long. What Miley quickly discovered was that the rest of the Bronco wasn't up to the extra torque and weight. Something was going to break everytime he drove it. He pretzelled the drive shaft the first time he goosed it. It had so much torque steer it would put you in the next lane every time he would shift. Offroad it was very heavy and tippy. He said he would never do another 4BT in a short wheel base vehicle, but if he did he'd use a TH400 auto, that generally came behind them stock, to help buffer all the torque.

He also went to great time and expense to get the fuel and turbo just right, that was way beyond the average engine swap. I never thought you could say this, but it had too much power and torque for a Bronco chassis. We theorized it needed full width Dana 60's, a massive traction bar, and a 4 link suspension with custom made springs.

Stick with a stroked 302 or better yet a 351W.

 

[grant_71]

I hate to open this can of worms, but I helped Miley with the final stages of his 4BT/NV4500/Atlas conversion and you'd have to drive many many miles to recoup the cost savings if ever. You should only do it for the challenge and fun.

It had the most impressive torque of anything I'd ever driven, but I doubt the NV3550 would last long. What Miley quickly discovered was that the rest of the Bronco wasn't up to the extra torque and weight. Something was going to break everytime he drove it. He pretzelled the drive shaft the first time he goosed it. It had so much torque steer it would put you in the next lane every time he would shift. Offroad it was very heavy and tippy. He said he would never do another 4BT in a short wheel base vehicle, but if he did he'd use a TH400 auto, that generally came behind them stock, to help buffer all the torque.

He also went to great time and expense to get the fuel and turbo just right, that was way beyond the average engine swap. I never thought you could say this, but it had too much power and torque for a Bronco chassis. We theorized it needed full width Dana 60's, a massive traction bar, and a 4 link suspension with custom made springs.

Stick with a stroked 302 or better yet a 351W.

Well there is your shopping list!!!!

 

[68Bronco]

OK...good call on the 4BT. If I can get the specs on a Mercedes I may just go ahead and do it; I like the challenge of rebuilding the 5-banger and building an adaptor for the transmission.

 

[nvrstuk]

Mercedes

IMO, you do not want to rebuild the Mercedes. Last one I did cost over 4K in parts. Buy someone else's brand new crate engine out of a used Mercedes and save several grand. Spend $$ on tuning the fuel/air delivery (it'll be EZ to do).

Besides, if you buy an entire car used for 2-3K, you can then sell the car for a few bucks for parts. The used engine with 50-100K miles will run for another 100,000 miles EZ. (unlike a used 5.0). Go used with the diesel, not a gaspot-my .02

 

[treetopflyer]

Diesel swap?...head here for lots of good gouge. www.4btswaps.com
help's you research tranny options and engine set-ups. Good bunch of guys trying to do small displacement diesel swaps. BUT PLEASE, register first and read the stickys, you'll learn a ton and the reduntant questions will be avoided. These guy's really want to help you out if YOU show some effort.

 

[68Bronco]

OK, just bought the OM617 to stuff in the Bronco...about the same weight as the 289...fewer wires too!

 

[Traveler]

Wife and I have a 2.4L bmw diesel with the ZF 4sp auto we have slated for an EB. Should be fun.
The BMWs are extremely quiet. They came in the Mark VII lincoln, the 324 and 524 BMWs and the vixen motorhomes.

 

[kscarter]

I did a 4bt swap last year in my sons Dodge Ram 1500 and now have an Isuzu 4bd2t to swap in my Bronco. I will most likely go with an NV3550 transmission. We put a NV4500 in the Ram but I'm not too crazy with the shifting.