The project has begun!

[NH2112]

I have my Volvo TD60 sitting on the shop floor, all pressure-washed nice and clean, with a new 51791 oil filter and 14 (yep, count 'em, 14) quarts of oil in the pan. Got an oil pressure gauge hooked to the port on the filter base so I'll know if I have to shut it down, and now all I need is 12V, a couple #8 male JIC to 1/4" NPT male adapters, a couple 1/4" NPT couplers, 2 1/4" NPT male to 3/8" barbed fittings, an inline fuel filter, some 3/8" hose, and a couple gallons of diesel to drop it in and I'll have her fired up to hear how she sounds. Oh yeah, I have to take the duct tape off the turbo inlet LOL. Now the only decision I have to make is: Do I lift it in the air with the hoist and let it run hanging there (with safety chains going to a couple forklifts), or do I quickly rig up an engine stand out of wood or steel?

Anyone got an NVG4500 (2WD or 4WD) and an NP205 (married or divorced) they want to sell cheap? LOL

[84 Convert]

Congrats!!
Sounds like my kind of project! I see NP205's in a local paper fairly frequently for ~$150-$250. I have NO idea what shipping cross-country would cost. As for the NV4500 I have the same question!! What kind of power is that motor rated for? Lookin' for good swap ideas for my beasties.

Gregg

[NH2112]

I don't have much in the way of specs on this engine, other than it's of 334CID and rated at 174HP @ 2800rpm. The sucker is HEAVY - around 1200lbs if I'm right - and it's probably going to require a bit of doghousing of the firewall. It's backwards from most engines I've seen - the intake is on the passenger side, with the exhaust & turbo on the driver's side and a crossover tube running behind the rear valve cover, connecting the manifold heater to the intake manifold itself. This crossover tube is the main reason I think a doghouse will be needed - either that, or cut & TIG weld it so it runs over the rear valve cover.

I got it with an AT545 tranny bolted to it, through a SAE 2 to SAE 3 bellhousing adapter. My plan is to lose the #2 bell and have a friend turn down the flywheel to standard GM diameter and I'll put a ring gear on it. We'll mock up an adapter or 3 out of plywood, get all the dimensions and measurements right, then have it machined out of aluminum or steel and mount the GM tranny to it.

Tonight I hooked some rubber hoses to the fuel lines, put an inline filter in the inlet, primed the system, hooked up a battery with some jumper cables, and cranked it over. The result? 20psi oil pressure on the gauge, fuel weeping from the return rail fittings, and a tired Bosch starter not making enough RPM to fire. I'll have to see if any of the starters used on our bigger forklifts match up or get this one rebuilt, but what I saw tonight told me a lot. Next thing is to get a good starter and then get the turbo rebuilt, all the while keeping my eyes open for a drivetrain (OH, how I want an NVG 5600 LOL)

[NH2112]

I took the starter apart after work today and it looked almost brand new inside - no wear at all on the commutator bars and no junk between them, no carbon dust from the brushes, everything was nice and bright and clean. But, something was keeping it from cranking the engine over fast enough to start last night, and upon further inspection I found that 2 of the brushes were binding in the brushholders, due to the plastic insulation over the leads bunching up and not allowing the leads to move through their guides. That's something I'll have to think on, because it looks like the brushes and the field magnets are a unit. So I polished up the commutator bars with 400 grit, and except for some very minor pitting they're mirror-bright. Tomorrow I'm going to the shop to get 8 hours or so of OT and do some tinkering after, so maybe I'll be able to figure out a solution and get that puppy barking!

[turbokid]

Congratulations on getting that thing going! Hope you can find out why the low oil pressure. Why don't you want to use the allison? :D
I love the way mine shifts and pulls with 3.21's in the rear. 1st gear lower than a TH400 with 4.10's, and 4th gear 2450 rpm @ 75 mph.
I've got almost 6,000 fun miles on my repower so far. :D Hope you can get that thing in their! :cool:

BTW: my exhaust manifold and turbo is also on the drivers side, intake on the passenger side, although my pipe runs around the front through the intercooler instead of around the back... smile.gif

[ 11-23-2002: Message edited by: turbokid ]</p>

[NH2112]

Turbokid,

I never got the engine started because the starter just wouldn't turn it fast enough to fire - the 20psi oil pressure was just from cranking it over, measured directly at the oil filter.

I'd like to intercool this thing, but it looks like it'd be a plumbing nightmare to rig one up. Of course, since this is my first swap of this magnitude I may be overlooking different options. My reason for this swap was actually to have something different - I doubt there are too many TD60-powered Chevy trucks in the USA! Power is definitely a good thing, and I'd love to be able to freight her right down and still blow past Cummins or PSDs on hills, but I'm sure it'll do everything I want at stock levels or slightly above. Fuel rate is 75mm3/stroke, and my friend Al told me about a friend of his who has a loader powered by a TD60 who's running it at about 100mm3/stroke and getting around 300hp out of it. So, the potential is definitely there!

(edit) Got pics in my picturetrail account.

[ 11-24-2002: Message edited by: NH2112 ]</p>

[turbokid]

Ahhh, I get it... I guess I was a little tired last night :D In that case, 20 psi just when cranking is pretty good IMHO.

Yeah, the intercooling portion of my project was definitely a big portion of the time (and some frustration). Right now I have 2" tubes leading to and from my intercooler, which is homemade and takes the place of the grill... I hope to upgrade here pretty quick to 3" and a regular intercooler... The turbo compressor housing is a little small, the turbine side is the same as the dodge... I'm planning on swapping that here pretty quick... Right now max boost is 10 (measured after intercooler) and 0-60 is 13 seconds, 1/4 mile time abt 19 seconds, with a weight of 6970 lbs- works out to almost exactly 200 hp using a "poor man's dyno".
The different part is definitely fun- I get some funny looks and questions...
The stock fuel rate for my engine at 150hp@3200 20BTDC was 52.7mm/ stroke. That's for naturally aspirated. My timing is set at about 16*- and I have my fuel turned up... :D
Sorry for rambling...

Have fun! If you ever need any tips about swapping an engine into a chevy, I have experience.. :rolleyes: smile.gif

[84 Convert]

Hey turbokid , what kind of an adapter did you use between the Allison and the NP208? NH2112, where does one find a TD60? Go ahead call me a copy cat! I'm quite interested in any viable engines for swapping. (ones that will fit in the pre-'88 body trucks) Personally, I don't think that the 6.2,6.5 engines have the beef in the bottom end to stand up to the kind of power I'm getting addicted to. The cummins is too cliche, and I am not very interested in the powerstroke. I guess if I became a heavy epuipment tech I'd find all kinds of interesting options.

Looking forward to updates! Good luck!
Gregg

[NH2112]

Gregg,

I just lucked into mine by word of mouth. It came out of an 83 Volvo F6-series truck that was sitting at a construction company, being used for storage space. The friend who told me about the engine also told me about some others that would make good swaps - Isuzu (like Turbokid), Renault (used in smaller Macks), and Perkins 1000-series.

[turbokid]

84 convert- go to http://www.picturetrail.com/turbokid1
and click on "Isuzu Repower" then click on the first picture titled "Adapter". There is an explanation there. :cool: I just added that pic and explanation tonight, thought it was already on there. If you have any questions feel free to ask here or e-mail me at t1880jrd@msn.com

[NH2112]

I did some more farting around after work tonight - I have NEVER seen a valvetrain as clean as this one! I have pics of it on my site, plus some that I took over the weekend when I was getting #s off the accessories.

[84 Convert]

Inquiring minds want to know... Any progress?

Gregg

[NH2112]

Well, the project is still definitely a go! But, I have to work outdoors so there won't be anything done till springtime. I still need to get a driveline and have an adapter made. My ideal driveline will be an NVG5600 with NP205 behing it, but I'm not holding my breath for that tranny! Most likely I'll end up running a 2WD NVG4500 w/divorced NP205 (2WD are cheaper and easier to find.) A Spicer or Clark 5-peed is a possibility as well. So, right now I'm in "parts acquisition and thinking it through mode."