macexpress
Observer
Oh sorry, I completely overlooked that yours is the 4bt. I have a 05 mt45 that has a 5.9, so I just get it stuck in my head that everything that looks similar must have the same motor
Cummins Canoe (A Stepvan Story)
- Thread starter PlethoraOfGuns
- Start date
PlethoraOfGuns
Adventurer
It's all good. The MT45 is a bigger chassis. Can easily fit a 6bt in that rig. Lucky you! But yes, same engine, just with 2 less cylinders.
PlethoraOfGuns
Adventurer
The gods have spoken!
This sweet deal popped up and I couldn't let it slide. Cummins 4bt out of a Ford step van. A little cleaning, flip the oil pan around, new seals, fluids, and we're going to drop her in! That other engine we have is a lemon, I've come to terms with it. I'm giving up on it. This one runs so what do we have to lose?
This sweet deal popped up and I couldn't let it slide. Cummins 4bt out of a Ford step van. A little cleaning, flip the oil pan around, new seals, fluids, and we're going to drop her in! That other engine we have is a lemon, I've come to terms with it. I'm giving up on it. This one runs so what do we have to lose?
PlethoraOfGuns
Adventurer
We got some updates for ya'll! Finally secured time to get this engine in the garage to be prepped for the swap. Been getting around in an old manual Honda Fit while the van has been down. Boy, those are great little cars! Really nice getting 42mpg. Maybe we can flat tow it behind the van?
Anyway, time to get working on this thing. Got it for a good deal. But it's old, who knows how old, but it runs. So we're going to do a quick reseal.
But upon further inspection, I was finding things that I did not like. Many hardware bolts with nut spacers? I have no faith in mechanics. Will be replacing hardware and any old bearing and seal/gasket.
Also there are these messes. Like what shortcut was someone trying to do to cover this leak up? To be fair, in order to replace the gasket behind the timing case, you need pull the camshaft and injection pump. Well, now the engine is pretty much almost fully disassembled. The entire fuel system, exhaust, intake, alternator, hydraulic pump, fan pulley assembly, oil pan, rocker arm assemblies, lifters, camshaft, and a bunch of other stuff is laying everywhere. I did not remove the cylinder head from the block. We're going to assume the head gasket is fine. Also, these oil pumps last forever, and the water pump is literally the easiest thing to change so that is staying in.
Anyway, time to get working on this thing. Got it for a good deal. But it's old, who knows how old, but it runs. So we're going to do a quick reseal.
But upon further inspection, I was finding things that I did not like. Many hardware bolts with nut spacers? I have no faith in mechanics. Will be replacing hardware and any old bearing and seal/gasket.
Also there are these messes. Like what shortcut was someone trying to do to cover this leak up? To be fair, in order to replace the gasket behind the timing case, you need pull the camshaft and injection pump. Well, now the engine is pretty much almost fully disassembled. The entire fuel system, exhaust, intake, alternator, hydraulic pump, fan pulley assembly, oil pan, rocker arm assemblies, lifters, camshaft, and a bunch of other stuff is laying everywhere. I did not remove the cylinder head from the block. We're going to assume the head gasket is fine. Also, these oil pumps last forever, and the water pump is literally the easiest thing to change so that is staying in.
NevadaLover
Forking Icehole
You're into it this far, why not replace the head gasket now for peace of mind?
PlethoraOfGuns
Adventurer
Might as well throw new bearings in it as well. I don't know. This was supposed to be an easy swap, but I keep finding things as I dig deeper. Good thing changing the head gasket later once it's in the van is an afternoon job. But then again, the last head gasket I installed blew up just a few months later. Now I'm questioning my mechanic skills, haha.
Bikersmurf
Expedition Leader
An afternoon job at the side of road while traveling, or how long now? I’m all for not going down the rabbit hole… but every time I see oil on the front of my SBC I wonder if I should have used the last 2 gaskets in the rebuild gasket kit when I replaced the others. I don’t loose any sleep over it… it’s probably from the valve cover gasket that wasn’t quite sitting right:… probably not the head gasket (it only a 50 year old engine with 75k miles).
PlethoraOfGuns
Adventurer
I don't want to fix everything leak. If nothing leaked oil, how will the chassis get lubed? That feature comes stock out of the GM factory!
PlethoraOfGuns
Adventurer
Well, that was fun. We ended up changing everything but the piston rings and bearings, haha. I know, we should have just done the whole thing, that's what is gonna happen to the old broken engine! Ready to throw this thing back in.
Finally got some help to pull this engine out.
Worst part was having to remove the passenger seat with all the hot tub controls in order to get the engine out.
Did I mention how easy it is to do engine swaps in this thing? I do it once per year, so you know I'm getting good at it.
Multiple Cummins engines, oh boy! Swapping parts over from one to the other. Needed to steal the oil pick up tube, intake, and coolant hose fittings off the old engine.
Took three days, lots of cussing, and of course dirty hands, but the "new" engine has many new parts and all new seals and ready to get thrown in!
Finally got some help to pull this engine out.
Worst part was having to remove the passenger seat with all the hot tub controls in order to get the engine out.
Did I mention how easy it is to do engine swaps in this thing? I do it once per year, so you know I'm getting good at it.
Multiple Cummins engines, oh boy! Swapping parts over from one to the other. Needed to steal the oil pick up tube, intake, and coolant hose fittings off the old engine.
Took three days, lots of cussing, and of course dirty hands, but the "new" engine has many new parts and all new seals and ready to get thrown in!
Bikersmurf
Expedition Leader
Purdy, you’ll be out seeing the sights in no time.
Last edited:
PlethoraOfGuns
Adventurer
Things were going well, full of challenges and tribunals. And then it all went horribly wrong again...
Took a bunch of hands to get the hydraulic pump pack on as we never disconnect the lines, but instead remove the pump while it's in the vehicle.
More tragedy stuck. Moving things around, dropped the turbocharger on the ground right before I installed it. the leverage from the oil pipe return seemed to trash center bearing housing. That was an expensive hit. It was pretty much a new unit, not sure what to do about that. Rigged up an old turbocharger I had laying around instead and got it running! Started right up once fuel lines were bled. Drove it around, everything seemed well. Then boom! Smoke was everywhere and the dipstick shot out of the engine. It's been a terrible last few weeks. I have no idea what to do with this piece of junk. I guess I need to try engine #5? Still living in the van, but it's still stranded.
Took a bunch of hands to get the hydraulic pump pack on as we never disconnect the lines, but instead remove the pump while it's in the vehicle.
More tragedy stuck. Moving things around, dropped the turbocharger on the ground right before I installed it. the leverage from the oil pipe return seemed to trash center bearing housing. That was an expensive hit. It was pretty much a new unit, not sure what to do about that. Rigged up an old turbocharger I had laying around instead and got it running! Started right up once fuel lines were bled. Drove it around, everything seemed well. Then boom! Smoke was everywhere and the dipstick shot out of the engine. It's been a terrible last few weeks. I have no idea what to do with this piece of junk. I guess I need to try engine #5? Still living in the van, but it's still stranded.
