diesel

[ronzello]

Ok, I think putting a diesel in 715 would be neet but I dont know alot about it. Is it possible to put one in and keep the Trans and T-case factory? How much dollars are we talking? I hear there is a company that does this but not sure who. Any info on this would be great! Thanks I'm new at this.....

[k8icu]

Well I'm not an expert, but I'll get it started.

Many members here have put in a Cummins 4BT diesel motor. Others have put in a 6.2 liter or 6.5 liter Chevy/GM diesel motor. I've even heard tell that a ford Powerstroke has been put in from time to time. Then there have been a few who have shoehorned in things like a Cummins 6BT, Isuzu, and others.

MARS makes a conversion kit for the Herculies diesel motor, but I don't know how much the motor and kit cost. Their website is http://www.kiva.net/~mars/index.html , but it has been under construction for a long time now, but it gives the phone number and you could call and see about the kit.

As for transmission etc. If your going to keep the stock trans you will most likely need an adaptor plate of some kind to join the motor and trans together. Many people feel that for the money that they are investing in the motor they might as well replace the transmission by using the one already attached to the motor and upgrading to the NP 205 or similar transfercase for better roadablity.

Cost will vary. I mean if you could somehow find a motor and trans for say free then your cost is going to nothing compaired to the guy who buys a new in the crate motor and trans from the manufacture. So it's hard to say it's going to cost you X dollars.

I hope this helps.

[tacoma]

The absolute easiest diesel swap is the 6.2/6.5, with a Chevy transmission. The extra expense to keep the old transmission is worth considering. The 6.2/6.5 hold up in these trucks ok, and fit just fine.

After that, the Cummins 4bt/TH475 (bread truck drivetrain) is the next easiest, in my opinion, but it is pricey in comparison.

There are little bits of fabbing needed, but nothing that's very difficult.

[gimpyrobb]

I was VERY impressed with oilcan's 6.2/465 swap. Nice to drive, still felt military.

[ColHart]

I am swapping to a 6.2 from a CUCV with only 17,000 AirForce miles. The whole truck cost me $600.00. It had a high dollar dana 60 and 14 bolt rear that the M517 is also getting. I actually bought the truck for the axles. It was a bonus to get the engine, TH400 and 208 included. Obviously a great find, my point is, it may be worth looking and waiting for the right thing.

It may be easy to some, but I am finding all kinds of challenges. That is the fun of learning and doing. You may be in the same boat I was. And if you go the same route I am, I and many others can help you with what we have learned the hard way.

[ColHart]

I noticed my dislexia showed it's ugly face... M517!?!

[boghog]

Another thing to look at is most diesels are lower reving engines, so an axle ratio change should be done. I have noticed that the ratio thats been the most popular has been 4.56 to1 ratio, both in the cucv axles or converting the stock axles.
I also share the interest in swapping a diesel into the M-715. I have a 7.3 test engine, with low hours, have collected a zf-5 speed with BW t-case, new 7.3 radiator, innercooler, hoses and tubes for cooler, and every thing else that might be needed to run with or without an innercooler. After collecting all these items, they sit in storage in my garage. while I build the truck with a AMC 360 drivetrain. I became worried that the noise from the 7.3 in a canvas top truck would drive me crazy. I have owned a diesel truck, and found that I loved it. What I also found is that if I wanted to drive around slow and with the windows down on a nice day I hated it. It was a good thing that most of the time I had the truck, it was driven on the x-way with windows up, even then my better- half disliked it. She always complained that she had to almost yell to talk to me. (I think I didnt hear her because I had become somewhat tone deaf to a certain tone while I happily listened to the turbo wind up). lol.
The sad thing is I look at this diesel everyday, it gnaws at me to put it in the truck. Sometimes I think that if I buy a truck load of that stuff dyno-mat or something like it and line the engine bay, and the inside of the truck floor and firewall it would be ok. I know the power and fuel milage would be nice.
Good luck on your swap if you decide to go that way. It will take some time and patience. Think hard on if you are up to it, in both time and your Fab skills, because there will be most likely quite a bit of fabbing to do. Im sure some of the other guys here will chime in on that.

[BCOWANWHEELS]

i,ve got the complete kit, engines anything your heart dreams of for this prices vary depending what all you want. doin a m715 right now with stock trans.
bob

[joesco715]

I have a 68 M715 that has a turbo, intercooled 4cyl Hercules Diesel. The previous owner had the repower and 4.56 gearing prof-done by M-Series Repower out of NC. It was done about six years ago, but the engine only has about 6k miles on it. It has incredible power, very quite and on my last long run I got 23mpg. I think the engine really likes the Amsoil heavy-duty diesel product.

I had to do significant repairs to the front-end due to a winch mishap by the previous owner's employees. Just about ready for a repaint. I will create a new post with some pics.

[Snuffy]

Ronzello,

Also ramping up to a diesel... Going with a 6.9L IH. Cost is a factor, but this is MY vehicle - til' death do us part. Going as mechanical as possible on the engine. I've researched this a fair amount, and for the money, a reman 6.9 or a 6.2/6.5 is as cheap as they come. (Sorry, guys - I don't have the space, the know-how, or the help to rebuild a diesel.) The 4-cyl Cummings is about the same cost (if not higher) than the 8-cyl 6.9.

You'll have to decide what you want you want to do with the truck to make a decision about the trans and x-fer case. For me, the drivetrain being kicked up a couple of decades is the way to go. I want to be able to travel a fair distance at highway speeds. Whatever engine you decide on, you will likely need a bellhousing/adapter plate.

Bog -The problem with the Powerstoke is generally the intercooler from what I have read in posts on the previous 'Zones.' It will not fit under the hood was the word. I think someone considered putting it in the bed of the truck. If you can run it sans intercooler - Slap it in and build a hard top! BTW, driving around slow with the windows down.... you hunting from the truck again???

Engine noise is going to be somewhat of a problem, but I intend on putting a fair amount of (noise) insulation under the hood and I'm going to Line-X the inside of the cab and fender wells. Also, (working on the doors at the moment) going to get some insulation for the interior of the doors. I'll be using the hood insulation from a F-350 diesel that has been wrecked - not from my daily driver!!

NOTE on Line-X: Apply it straight to clean metal. There are also 2 types: the average Joe bedliner type and and industrial (that withstands temps to, I believe, 325 degrees).

Snuffy

Still gathering parts, but I'm gaining on it!