what ford should have done!

[snowman89]

I want to do a swap that ford should have done in the first place when they needed a diesel engine. I'm looking for a cat engine small enough to put in my 85 ford f-250 standard cab longbed. now for an engine as heavy as the cats i plan to swap a solid axle underneath my pickup to support the weight of the new engine. i also plan to do a lot of modifying to the engine mounts to accomadate for the inline engine. also i have thought about the tranny, but i will need some help with that problem. i would appreciate any help locating an engine and any advice you can give me i will keep everyone posted on the swap weekly. (assuming i find an engine of course)

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

IMHO Ford pickups have done pretty well the past 26 years with an IH/Navistar power plant.

With some major fab work, others have shoe horned in 3208's.

 

[The Warden]

Here are a few pictures of a '70 F-350 that has a Cat 3208 stuffed in. Not sure if it will help you any, but it's all I have...at least it's evidence that it can be done This truck belongs to Dave Haven, off the other site...IIRC he said that his dad built it.

 

[snowman89]

i'd like to put in a inline cat though like a 3116 or even a four cylinder cat

 

[hesutton]

A guy by the name of Dave Haven on another (lesser ) site has a F350 with a Cat 3208 in it.


ON EDIT: Warden beat me to it!

Heath

 

[dyoung14]

whats rong with the idi's you traitor lol

 

[typ4]

My buddy has a cat 4 cyl that is fresh he is looking to get rid of.

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

The 3116 is comparable to the IDI's in hp but not torque, and IIRC about 3" longer than a 12 valve Cummins. Would definitly be some firewall massaging.

 

[Diesel_brad]

the 3116 and the 3216 are a garbage cat engine, Find something else

 

[6.9poweredscout]

the IH powerplant is the ONLY way to go. i wouldn't own a ford if it had a ***** Cat motor in it..... get it? i mean IH has only been building trucks for over 100 years and all....

-Jon

 

[65sixbanger]

We have a 3208 cat in our '86 F-8000, so i dont know if you would be able to make that fit in a smaller truck

 

[Diesel JD]

I think the 3208 was a lot of work. Unfortunately Dave inherited that truck from his uncle so we can't ask the guy who did it ): but I think about that beast everytime an engine swap thread comes up. I don't know how good the 3208 was but I know it was popular in the marine industry and that it's one reason dry sleeves became popular because people loved this engine and didn't want to toss it at the end of its useful life. The marine environment is very punishing but keeping the motor cool is less of an issue.

 

[tractorman86]

they where kind of a dog in trucks but who knows in a 3/4 or 1 ton it might not be bad. they are definately a slow reving engine, i know most of them you will find are only like 200-230hp but i am not sure on the torque #s

 

[Diesel_brad]

we had a turboed 3208 in a L8000 single axle grain truck w an allison auto. That truck RAN. i was amazed the power it put out. But to shoehorn something that big in a pickup is way more effort than it is worth. There is a guy that goes to Englishtown every year a a 3208 powered 70's f150, That cooks down the track but the doghouse takes up half the cab

 

[tractorman86]

i donno it is either IH or the big c for me. ha ha that rhimed and i didn't mean to