6 cylinders?

The Ant

New member
May 24, 2009
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Hi all, I'm a petrol head semi converted to diesel guy here.

I'm not to sure if I should be asking on this site but I'm curious about what possible 6 cylinder diesel engine I could use with out going to large in capacity that I could modify and put it in 3300 pound car? Idont care what country it come from.

I love the Duramax 6600 from I've read about but think it's to large for what I want to do.
 

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
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The Duramax is about the same size as a big block chevy. If you want an inline 6 cylinder, I think the obvious choice is the 6bt based Cummins (the 5.9 diesel used in Dodge Ram pickups and many other applications). If you don't have enough room for either of those, I think your next best bet would be a 4bt Cummins (which is the 4 cylinder version of the previous mentioned engine).
 

Big Block 88

Multiple choice muscle
Nov 3, 2008
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I would go with that 3.0 Mercedes diesel Chrysler is useing, wont be cheap but man they are clean and powerful. The 4 bt is a decent little motor just loud as hell, and pretty crude. Also Isuzu made some smaller diesel engines in the 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder, some for the Pup's and some where in small delivery trucks.
 

duratothemax

<--- slippery roads
Aug 28, 2006
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forget using a 4bt. They barely weigh less than the duramax, have obscene NVH issues, and are only like 105hp stock. Yeah ok fine so they can be turned up, but you can only get so much hp out of 3.9 liters of displacment, and weighing the 700 someodd pounds that they do, wheres the good power to weight ratio that you want in a smaller vehicle????

I dont get what the big hooplah is about them and why everyone wants to swap them into everything. Yeah theyre "neat" and will last a million miles, but if I were doing a diesel swap it would be a 5.9 cummins or duramax, or nothing at all..

ben
 

The Ant

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May 24, 2009
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I would go with that 3.0 Mercedes diesel Chrysler is useing, wont be cheap but man they are clean and powerful. The 4 bt is a decent little motor just loud as hell, and pretty crude. Also Isuzu made some smaller diesel engines in the 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder, some for the Pup's and some where in small delivery trucks.

Is that the Bluetech V6 your meaning? Sounds good and was on the Wards List but I prefer and inline. Was thinking about the BMW 3 litre but would be a shame to strip it to work the hell out of it.

If I got the Cummins B 6 cylinder engine, after Googling the 2004 model seems to be the minimum year to start of with. I wonder who would be best to do head work to it and what sort of rpm, horsepower and torque could I expect out of it with out changing the pistons, rods and crank?

Also, what sort of rpm, horsepower and torque could I expect out of it If I DID change the pistons, rods and crank?
 
Last edited:

mytmousemalibu

Cut your ride, sissy!
Apr 12, 2008
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The Mercedes inlines from a Dodge Sprinter/Freightliner might be a good choice. Find a wrecked one. Mercedes has a good number of smaller lighter inline diesels that might be more suited to your needs.

What are you wanting to convert?

Are you here in the states?

:hug:Oh and Welcome!
 

Mike L.

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Aug 12, 2006
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Wonder if the Perkins diesel can still be had. I saw a lot of conversions years ago in Dodge vans around the airport installed in the shuttles. They are 6 cyl and rann very well. Do some searching on the Perkins.
 

carcrafter22

< Danger Ranger
Dec 22, 2006
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I like my isuzu 4bd1t diesel, I have added a few parts (pic is to the left of my post) and it lays down approximately 450hp 800tq. The isuzu 4 cylinder is much smoother and quieter than the cummins 4bt, I have a buddy that has a stock 4bt in his jeep and have seen them idle right next to each other, its a night and day difference.

The isuzu weighs 785#'s complete and moves my 3860# truck with ease, too bad the 60+ psi of boost keeps blowing trannys, time for the 4l85e I talked to mike about.
 

WolfLMM

Making Chips
Nov 21, 2006
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Is that the Bluetech V6 your meaning? Sounds good and was on the Wards List but I prefer and inline. Was thinking about the BMW 3 litre but would be a shame to strip it to work the hell out of it.

If I got the Cummins B 6 cylinder engine, after Googling the 2004 model seems to be the minimum year to start of with. I wonder who would be best to do head work to it and what sort of rpm, horsepower and torque could I expect out of it with out changing the pistons, rods and crank?

Also, what sort of rpm, horsepower and torque could I expect out of it If I DID change the pistons, rods and crank?

Over 1000 hp. And up to 5k rpm. Goin to need some valve train work as well.
 

UNBROKEN

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Mar 30, 2008
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forget using a 4bt. They barely weigh less than the duramax, have obscene NVH issues, and are only like 105hp stock. Yeah ok fine so they can be turned up, but you can only get so much hp out of 3.9 liters of displacment, and weighing the 700 someodd pounds that they do, wheres the good power to weight ratio that you want in a smaller vehicle????

I dont get what the big hooplah is about them and why everyone wants to swap them into everything. Yeah theyre "neat" and will last a million miles, but if I were doing a diesel swap it would be a 5.9 cummins or duramax, or nothing at all..

ben
700+ HP out of a 4bt is easy.
 

The Ant

New member
May 24, 2009
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Over 1000 hp. And up to 5k rpm. Goin to need some valve train work as well.

Thanks Wolflly, is that 1000 hp with standard crank rods and pistons but with a modified head?

If I'm going to modify the head, should I begin with a 24 valve motor 5.9 Cummins or as the head is being worked could I get away with and still have the same effect if I used the 12 valve motor? Also to make things easier I was thinking about using an early model motor to have less plumbing and electronics, or should I buy the more modern engine and stuff around with all the plumbing etc?
 

Big Block 88

Multiple choice muscle
Nov 3, 2008
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I know in my cummins wap for my 88 1 ton I will be going with an earlier 12V less electronics, and much easier to work on. You can get big numbers out of either 24V or 12V.