Thread: 6x6 V8

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.

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 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.

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 . A third is a 6.2 lsx hsv and an extra fuel tank , 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?

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.

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

Originally Posted by 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

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.

Originally Posted by 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

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