I'd like to hear from you experts on the plausibility of doing this swap.

My "old beater" farm truck is a '92 Chevy C1500 (2wd) W/T.
Drivetrain consists of a TBI 4.3L V6, NP4500 (yes, that's right, a 4500 in a 1500!), and standard corporate 1500 rear-end.

Has anyone heard of something like this being done before?
What would be involved in such a swap?

Thank you.

 

Don't have room for the 6 banger?

I heard that the NP4500's have different input shafts for different applications.

The 4.3L V6 TBI with EFI is a good engine. I have one in my 92 S-10 blazer with almost 200k miles and it still doesn't use any oil. Runs good.

Edwin

 

Besides fitting the engine in the bay, you will have to to suspension mods to handle the extra pounds. The 4.3 is a feather compared to the CTD. The corperate rear end my have to have upgrades to handle the torque. The fuel tank and lines will have to be modified. Hmmm, will the CTD even fit without cutting the fire wall? Is it possible? Yes. Is it cost effective? No. But if you really want to do the install you can make it happen. Speed costs, how fast you wanna go?

 

Shure it can be done, And there would be no problem fitting it in. There is more than enough room for a 6bt. You would have to put a diff rearend in it. Also you would have to put stiffer springs up front. Its really not that tough of a Job to do, If you have more ?'s let me know.

 

I think the 4BT is around 700lbs, about as heavy as a big block with iron heads. So you'll need to upgrade the front springs, maybe even the suspension if components cant handle the weight. I'd research the front end parts with the parts of a 2500 or 3500 big block or diesel chevy and see whats the difference. Also the 4BT was used in bread box vans, they usually were bolted to a th400 trans, but Im not sure if they had an adapter or not.

Anyway keep us posted if you follow through with it, Im sure it would get between 25-30mpg.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies!

Yes, the '92 TBI 4.3L is most certainly a good engine, but for the dieselholic, as you can probably understand, it's hard to see it for more than what it is: A naturally-aspirated, uninspiring, inefficient, gasoline engine.

It's a rough comparison, but what I'm looking to accomplish here would be something like having a older VW TDI, but in a pickup package with an eight-foot bed. By all means, not the fastest thing around, but a blast to drive (for us addicted to Diesels), in a compact, fuel-efficient package that'll have great usable power.

12vChevy,

What are you going to be doing this summer?

I could drive up from Kentucky...

Where can you purchase a 4B from? What's a ballpark cost?
What else are we looking at?
Hmm...you don't think the ten-bolt rear-end could handle stock 4B levels of input? I'm thinking half-way conservative driving and proper lubricant selection could enable it to last, but I've been wrong before...
The 4B is standalone, correct, as in no external computers?

I'm half way mechanical inclined, but I've never tackled such a project as a gas to diesel engine swap, so I've got a great deal to learn...

Time to do some research...

 

What trannie would you like to use?
Also where in KY are you from.

 

I'm a manual transmission fan, so I'd stick with the NP4500 if at all possible.

According to the research I've done so far, stock power output of the box van (Frito Lay, etc, etc...) 4BT is around 105hp and 290lb-ft @ 1700.

Enough for me...

I'm currently in Louisville at school.

 

Here's the only picture I have of the truck:
Picture

 

Probably sourcing a 4bt out of a Frito-lay truck would be your cheapest option. You could pruchase the truck, pull out the engine and sell/junk the rest (or install the V-6 in there and sell it that way, just a thought.

The 1500 w/t proabably has some of the lightest frame and suspension components on it, so you may have to think about heavier ball joins, springs, and possibly upgraded brakes. I would keep your thinking to the 4bt only given this fact. Sounds like neat project--I think there is a site listed here somewhere that is a shop in Montana which swaps these engines into Jeeps, perhaps someone knows the site name for you??

Good luck with this idea!

 

Try www.fordcummins.com. They started by putting 6bt5.9's in Fords, but I think they are branching out a bit. They have some adapters for sale, I believe, too. I know the NV4500 in our Dodge CTD's has a much larger input shaft than the NVG4500 behind a 6.5 Chev diesel, and I think the case is different as well. Your 4.3 would likely have the smaller shaft.

 

i've been thinking of this same thing,i have a 92 also,but mine is an ext cab with a 6.5 and the nv4500,i figure weight would be the same for me,and some of the frito vans did come with manual trans,wether they used the nv4500 or not i don't know,they do use an adapter plate on the back,and i found a place i can get a manual flywheel if needed,i just need to find a frito van and i'll be ready to go to town.

 

Since the 4bt weighs in about the same as a big block,and there are lots of big block half tons I think you could get by with changing the springs in the front as long as everything is in good shape,then get a rearend from a c20 pickup or single rear wheel c30.It will all bolt up,you will just have to shorten the drive shaft some.Be a good time to grab the heavier rear springs as well,From the donor truck, and you should be able to pull the rotors from a c20 and bolt them in place of the 6 bolt ones so you have the same wheels all around.Im not sure they bolt up on a 2wd ,i know they do a 4wd.Check around for a upull junk yard to save some money.

 

Thanks Dufrain.

I'm hoping that it won't have to be that involved of a project though...

As aforementioned, stock output of the 4BT in non-aftercooled Chevy/GM step van applications is 105hp and 290lb-ft. I believe both the transmission (NVG4500) and rear-end in my 1500 can handle these levels of power with grenading given you don't have the go-peddle to the floor all the time...

If I do it myself (with some free help from others), I'm thinking I can get it done for $2,000 (hopeful estimate), given that I can find a solid 4BT from a GM application...

 

Well if the shafts are the same in your gm transmission as it is in my transmission,mine is a nv4500 it will take the 4 cylinder for sure.The rear end isnt much in a newer half ton,and they usually put the lightest one in a six cylinder truck,maybe even a 10 bolt.They arent very tough.A dana 60 or 14 bolt gm rearend will bolt right in there and they are not too hard to find for 100 or so especially if you find a good upull.Be a good time to look for a posi or powerlock equipped axle.I guess you wouldnt need it if you never haul or tow,but the stuff would be cheap,easy to change and alot tougher.You will probably want to crank up the power of the 4bt anyway.One more thing if you ever do end up changing the rearend I would make sure you dont get 4.10 gears,try to get the 3.73 or 3.55.