6x6 V8

[6x6]

Hello everyone,

I have a Perentie 6x6 normal set up for the moment.

I would like to drop a V8 diesel in it.

Any suggestions , advices , what engine/gear boxes suits best ?
Has anyone ever done one or have one ?

Anyone would know a company or workshop that can be trusted to do this /

Thanks in advance.

6x6

[Bearman]

Hello everyone,

I have a Perentie 6x6 normal set up for the moment.

I would like to drop a V8 diesel in it.

Any suggestions , advices , what engine/gear boxes suits best ?
Has anyone ever done one or have one ?

Anyone would know a company or workshop that can be trusted to do this /

Thanks in advance.

6x6

G'day 6x6 and welcome, what brand of V8 diesel are you looking at. If it's a Chev I would forget about it. I have seen a couple of conversions with the 6.5 motor and neither was a success. Not much extra power and overheating problems. I have thought long and hard over this subject and have decided if I was going to look for more HP I would go for an Isuzu 6BD1T (5.8L) with an Isuzu 5 or 6 speed box mated to the LT95 transfer case that's already in there. You have to keep this transfer case for the 3rd axle drive. This is a much better motor than the Chev V8's. That way you wouldn't have to modify any driveshafts. A fair bit of modification required to do it but at least it is a known reliable drivetrain and an excellent motor in fact the same motor that's already in there with 2 extra pots. That way you could run 3.5 ratio diffs and not be overrevving the motor at 100k. The 6x6 chassis already has extra holes in the chassis brackets for moving the gearbox if need be. I am still running the standard 4BD1T motor but have upped the fuel a little and added a 3" exhaust and it runs much better but still wouldn't run 3.5 diffs efficiently. I just did a trip from Qld to WA and back with a fair load and pulling a loaded PT2 Haulmark trailer one way and it handled it ok. I have seen a couple that have done turbo upgrades and intercoolers etc and will then handle the 3.5 diffs but both have had turbo failures and I wouldn't go that way.

[123rover50]

I have the 6.2 Chev in mine but only because it was easy to put an auto behind.
Both autos couldnt hack it so the Isuzu MSA went in.
If I was doing it again the Isuzu would be the choice as Bearman says.

Keith

[Blknight.aus]

OR....

you could just work the 4bd1 thats in there....

[mick88]

Dave,
what do you suggest to gain improved performance?
Not that I am looking for any more out of mine, just curious.


Cheers, Mick.

[justinc]

Welcome and yes try and stay away from the v8 chev diesel....

[Blknight.aus]

get it all in spec and then play with the fuelling and throttle stops to start with.

then you need a better echaust and turbo.

[powerband]

Hi,
On my 6 x 6 camper, I run the 3.5 diffs & 750 x 16 tyres. The motor & turbo are standard, the exhaust is 3". At 100 ks 2,700 2,800 rpm. It has been used a lot on & offroad. The worst thing is in high range 1st is to high when taking off up a slight hill. I need to slip the clutch too much. Apart from that it is great. Paul.

[Bearman]

Paul, how does your 6x6 handle hills with the 3.5 diffs. As I said earlier in this thread I just did a trip to WA and back with a fair load and even with the standard 4.7 diffs it just handled it ok. I know the 4BD1's are a torquey motor but I doubt that it would have handled 3.5's with the load I was carrying. Don't get me wrong, I would love to change them to get the revs down a bit and I already have all the centres and gears here to do it but still not sure it will handle it. I was thinking 4.1's might be more suitable. Do you ever get up this way (Hay Point, Qld) I would love to go for a spin in yours and experience the difference. Cheers......Brian

[powerband]

Hi Brian, I have done 3 trips to Perth with a fair load. From Grafton up the Gwyder Hwy is the hilliest part of the trip. I can go up in 3rd gear most of the time as it just keeps pulling down to 1800 rpm. Apart from that I sit on 100 ks. If you are down this way you are more than welcome to have a drive.
Paul.

[Bearman]

Hi Brian, I have done 3 trips to Perth with a fair load. From Grafton up the Gwyder Hwy is the hilliest part of the trip. I can go up in 3rd gear most of the time as it just keeps pulling down to 1800 rpm. Apart from that I sit on 100 ks. If you are down this way you are more than welcome to have a drive.
Paul.

Thanks Paul, I might have to put them in and give it a try. Is yours a narrow cab or a perentie. Just wondering what turbo is on yours? Mine has the Garret TB2518 without wastegate and doesn't really develop any boost until about 1600 rpm.

[powerband]

Hi Brian. Narrow cab 1989, HIH turbo standard as far as I know. With camper on 3.8 tons, free wheeling hubs on rear axle. Paul.

[Sitec]

Hello. I agree with all the V8 diesel suggestions below.. I looked into one when I was about to convert my 101 to diesel.. but they're a decidedly average diesel. If you are just after more power, then your 4 pot is good for quite a bit of an increase. If you are doing the conversion for power and sound, then you can't go wrong with a Cummins 5.9 6Bt. Here's an early shot of mine in the 101! Just ask Tombie and Homestar how well it went! ;)

[Jitterbug]

I almost went for a 6bd1t in mine (it had a ford 350 in it when I bought it!) but ended up going the 4bd1t with a borg warner efr turbo, intercooled with 4.1 diffs and 33" tyres. The project was dragging on and all the extra work modifying things to fit the 6 cyl put me off.

It is still happier sitting at 90 than 100 but then it is also rolling around at about 4.4t with full built in camper body. I have had it up to about 115kph but you are giving it some revs at that.

An isuzu 5 or 6 speed is on my wish list.

[frantic]

A few options are , cummins from a dodge , which is very modifiable, or the modern v8 6.5 duramax , not the old Chevy, with the Allison auto transmission, but that's bloody expensive, I've heard $40-50k on patrols :eek: . A third is a 6.2 lsx hsv and an extra fuel tank :twisted:, there is a kit to hook the 6spd auto up to the lt230 , not sure about differences with the 95 adf perentite case? That's less than 1/2 the duramax cost!
A possible future one could be the 5.0v8 td from the new Nissan Titan in the USA?

[Blknight.aus]

also on the table is fitting the 4.11 in the diffs over the 3.54.s

should be some of them starting to come available.

[Benda64]

Hi Brian,
I had a look at my LT95 to do the mod you suggest above would mean cutting the transfer case from the existing 4 speed box and marrying it to the other 5 or 6 speed box? I've set my 6x6 up as a tourer and permanently have a lot of weight on the back now, climbing the hill out of Lithgow to Sydney a few months back I had to be in second and was crawling so I've been thinking about a V8 diesel conversion, how are your Detroit lockers working out? any problems?
Brad

[Bearman]

Hi Brian,
I had a look at my LT95 to do the mod you suggest above would mean cutting the transfer case from the existing 4 speed box and marrying it to the other 5 or 6 speed box? I've set my 6x6 up as a tourer and permanently have a lot of weight on the back now, climbing the hill out of Lithgow to Sydney a few months back I had to be in second and was crawling so I've been thinking about a V8 diesel conversion, how are your Detroit lockers working out? any problems?
Brad

Hi Brad, Correct there about having to cut the transfer off the LT95 and then you need to mate it somehow shaft wise. Not sure if anyone has done this yet. The ones I have seen have used the LT230 with the MSA gearboxes. I ended up removing the detroit from the intermediate axle and leaving the one in the rear with the freewheeling hubs. That way it is only used offroad when I lock the rear axle in. I wasn't real happy about the way it clunked occasionally when unlocking on corners on the bitumen.

[123rover50]

Hi Brian,
I had a look at my LT95 to do the mod you suggest above would mean cutting the transfer case from the existing 4 speed box and marrying it to the other 5 or 6 speed box? I've set my 6x6 up as a tourer and permanently have a lot of weight on the back now, climbing the hill out of Lithgow to Sydney a few months back I had to be in second and was crawling so I've been thinking about a V8 diesel conversion, how are your Detroit lockers working out? any problems?
Brad

I did this some years back with advise from Sheldon.
It was fairly easy to do.
The 1st gear of the MSA is really handy and my 6x6 weighs 5 tonne I guess.
I have the 6.2 Chev v8 in it, So far so good.

Keith

[123rover50]

Here is a link to another thread. It has more photos.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/military-land-rovers/242852-isuzu-msa-gearbox-into-6x6.html

Keith

[Homestar]

Hello. I agree with all the V8 diesel suggestions below.. I looked into one when I was about to convert my 101 to diesel.. but they're a decidedly average diesel. If you are just after more power, then your 4 pot is good for quite a bit of an increase. If you are doing the conversion for power and sound, then you can't go wrong with a Cummins 5.9 6Bt. Here's an early shot of mine in the 101! Just ask Tombie and Homestar how well it went! ;)

I can absolutely attest to how hard this thing goes - and how fast this 101 is with the 6Bt in it - it just wasn't natural! :D

But bloody amazing....

[Benda64]

Hi Brad, Correct there about having to cut the transfer off the LT95 and then you need to mate it somehow shaft wise. Not sure if anyone has done this yet. The ones I have seen have used the LT230 with the MSA gearboxes. I ended up removing the detroit from the intermediate axle and leaving the one in the rear with the freewheeling hubs. That way it is only used offroad when I lock the rear axle in. I wasn't real happy about the way it clunked occasionally when unlocking on corners on the bitumen.
Thanks Brian, I like the idea of the detroits no air lines etc, if I could afford it I would go for E-lockers but they are pricey, so probably air lockers, long term project.

[350RRC]

Hi Brad, Correct there about having to cut the transfer off the LT95 and then you need to mate it somehow shaft wise. Not sure if anyone has done this yet. ...............

Hi Brian,

If the 'question' is about just about cutting off the LT95 TC then yes Ritters did heaps of these in the early 80's to marry them up to Ford C4 or C9's using a custom adaptor housing and custom bellhousing. Beautifully engineered.

From memory the 'cutting' appeared to have been done on a lathe, based on the front surface markings.

The auto output shaft was cut and an adaptor 'spud' shaft was welded on to mate with the LT95 TC input.

When I was putting this combo together with a 350 I spoke to a guy called Noel at Ritters about a couple of things. He was there in the 80's when all this happening and knows all, maybe still there.

I have some installed pics that could be pm'd.

cheers, DL

[Bearman]

Thanks Brian, I like the idea of the detroits no air lines etc, if I could afford it I would go for E-lockers but they are pricey, so probably air lockers, long term project.

Here's a 4.7 ARB locker on Gumtree to suit a Salisbury, No compressor etc but cheap at that price
Land Rover (4X4) | Engine, Engine Parts & Transmission | Gumtree Australia Subiaco Area - Subiaco | 1134689182 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/subiaco/engine-engine-parts-transmission/land-rover-4x4-/1134689182)

[Bearman]

Hi Brian,

If the 'question' is about just about cutting off the LT95 TC then yes Ritters did heaps of these in the early 80's to marry them up to Ford C4 or C9's using a custom adaptor housing and custom bellhousing. Beautifully engineered.

From memory the 'cutting' appeared to have been done on a lathe, based on the front surface markings.

The auto output shaft was cut and an adaptor 'spud' shaft was welded on to mate with the LT95 TC input.

When I was putting this combo together with a 350 I spoke to a guy called Noel at Ritters about a couple of things. He was there in the 80's when all this happening and knows all, maybe still there.

I have some installed pics that could be pm'd.

cheers, DL
Thanks, Appreciate if you could PM them to me. I built a 351 Clevo/C4 combo in a S3 back in the late 80's and used a Marks adaptor with a modified C4 mainshaft and spud shaft. Wonder if it would be worth contacting Ritters to see if they do a MSA to Lt95 adaptor.

[350RRC]

I really doubt Ritters would do the MSA thing.

The auto (and air con) conversions were aimed squarely at the Saudi market because they were not stock LR options at the time. This Ritters initiative success there probably led to LR's future direction of the RR as a luxo barge.

Will send pics in the next day or so.

cheers, DL

[Benda64]

Here's a 4.7 ARB locker on Gumtree to suit a Salisbury, No compressor etc but cheap at that price
Land Rover (4X4) | Engine, Engine Parts & Transmission | Gumtree Australia Subiaco Area - Subiaco | 1134689182 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/subiaco/engine-engine-parts-transmission/land-rover-4x4-/1134689182)

Thanks Brian made an offer see what happens

[123rover50]

Thanks, Appreciate if you could PM them to me. I built a 351 Clevo/C4 combo in a S3 back in the late 80's and used a Marks adaptor with a modified C4 mainshaft and spud shaft. Wonder if it would be worth contacting Ritters to see if they do a MSA to Lt95 adaptor.

Did you ask Sheldon?
He did the development on mine.

[Bearman]

No, I haven't done any more about it Keith, decided to stick with the LT95 setup for the moment seeing as I have plenty and love fiddling with them. Presently looking at changing the diff ratios to 3.54 and if it needs more boost than the standard turbo puts out I may go with a KLR kit. I think that's the easiest way to go for less revs.

[123rover50]

Good Oh.
You mentioned once that the axles with diffs with the round flanges may be LSD.
I have one with round and one square I bought from the auctions back then.
Is there any way to tell without pulling the centre if it is a LSD or not?

Keith

[Bearman]

A few of the 6X6 front diff centres did have trutracs in them. I think they would have come from LRPV's. I have only seen a couple of them and they both had the round pinion drive flanges with fine splines. They used 3.5 trutracs and added a crownwheel spacer to compensate for the smaller diameter 4.7 pinion. Apart from pulling it out the only other way you can tell is by rotating a hub and see which way the other hub turns. In a normal open diff the other hub will rotate the opposite direction - in a trutrac or limited slip it will turn the same direction as the hub you turn.