Southern Pride

My dad bought me a '78 deuce and a half as a gift a couple months ago. i got to see and drive the heck outta it when i was home on leave last month. its immaculate, and runs like a top. what size and make of diesel engine is in it?? i looked on the engine, and at the time, all i could see was an engine tag that said hercules on it. i didnt do a whole lot of searching cause i couldnt wait to drive it. anyhoo, just curious, and does anyone know how if possible to "turn it up" like the 12 valves, if this is even possible?
thanks

Fronty Owner

Contenental LD465 or LDT465 most likely

turbodiesel101

its an LDT-465 1d or 1c about 120hp and will run on anything gas diesel just about anykind of oil jetfuel kero. is it a turbo? if so c or d. one makes better high end power the other better low end. if the engine tag says 1c or 1d on it thats a way to tell but not official. if it whistles alot then its a c. you can turn the pump up some but be careful and get a pyro. turn it up less then a quarter of a turn at a time. they are very hard to kill, have seen one limp home with a cylinder that blew apart. they are rated to pull 10k but have been in one pullin 90k they will do what ever you want just not fast. NOTE NEVER keep your thumbs in the steering wheel unless your lucky enough to have air assist steering. if you grab a rut or loose a tortion bar you will not have working thumbs anymore.

blackdiesel

we bought a 72 deuce with the muli fuel and let me tell you son that things a hoss. we have a gravel bed that we're going to put on it but at the moment it still has the troop hauler bed and i'm using it to haul logs. ya better be careful and not over load it with long logs, cause the front end will come off the ground ask me how i know.

all kidding aside, it has the air shift front axle (very nice!) and once locked in this machine will go anywhere.

top speed is 56 mph and gets 10-12 mpg doing it. we run ours on mostly used motor oil, atf, 90wt, old nasty gas, used cooking oil, and with a little bit of diesel to delute it so it will flow through the lines. we need to keep it running 24/7 to burn and get rid of all this oil and junk! hahaha

Southern Pride

thanks guys, it does have a turbo. the only part that sucks, is that its in texas, and im in nc. i prob wont be able to get back to it until next august when i get out of the marine corps, or maybe before that on leave or something. does anyone know why or how they are able to run on multi fuel??

turbodiesel101

there is a fuel density compensator under the hood that adjusts fuel and airmixture. even if its bypassed they will still be able to run a lot of stuff just the design of the engine. and best of all there is not one computer or chip on the truck.

SoTexRattler

AMEN!

The neat thing nowdays there are some really excellent DC-to-DC converter modules that will regulate the 24-28volts down to 12volts for your accessories like radio/stereo/laptop/CB/2-way/celphone charger etc...
That way you don't have to "tap" one battery for 12volts

The 24volt light bulbs get sorta pricey though... Especially those waterproof sealed beam headlights... $42 each in 1980 dollars!!! There has to be a much cheaper source for that Mil stuff in the internet age...

Abt 28 yrs ago I was in a small town VFD and they wound up with a pristine looking DRMO surplus ~1970 vintage MultiFuel Deuce-and-a-Half with a 5th wheel turntable for pulling a water tank.. The turbo was frozen up but that was the only thing wrong with it. Easy to fix. It ran pretty well even without the turbo spinning...
Before I could go get a free replacement turbo from another VFD, some of the @#$% morons took the thing through the brush with a tank behind it thinking they could drive it like a bulldozer to push trees over etc. They ripped every wire,cable, brake line, air hose and both steering axle knuckle rubber seals off the underside... I left the VFD not long after that.. It was parked outside for years for lack of money for repairs.. Eventually they pulled the 5thwheel turntable off and put a tank on it and turned it into a beater of a brush truck...

dieselJon

We have one at the Fire department for a brush truck. It is a dog to get going but in low gear, it knocks over 6" saplings like nothing!!! Has a turbo but you cant hear it. My bro proved me wrong on that one

It has air power steering, air shift 4x4 locks, another lever to lock or unlock the diffs, air ride seats (FD upgrade ) and the jealousy of all the other department around us!

Southern Pride

Sooooo, is continental the company that makes the engine, or is it someone else? just curious. before i get out, im gonna make a trip to bragg and check out about getting a trailer for it, and spate tires, winch, and what ever spare parts i could get if possible.