Diesel Run On And On...
Q.I saw in Rod & Custom that one of your readers is considering building a diesel-powered rod. As a very longtime diesel mechanic I'd suggest he consider the smaller brother of the mighty Jimmy 318, the 8V53.
This engine is fairly light as diesels go, at about 1,000 pounds, and can be made lighter using an aluminum bellhousing and stamped steel oil pan. It has a very high output, up to 300hp in stock form. Marine versions were rated up to 360hp and they rev up lightning fast. Being as it is no longer in production, it can be purchased relatively inexpensively.
There are other positive attributes the 8V53 brings to the table. The fuel system uses unit injectors, thus eliminating the high-pressure pump found on all of the engines suggested in your reply. Also, the Detroit Diesels are so very popular that parts prices are reasonable, and the expertise required to tune them is readily accessible. They take only a handful of special tools to tune and maintain. They were used in so many different applications that an amazing amount of accessories are available for them including dry sump kits.
With that Roots blower sitting on top of the engine, they also bring the cool factor to the table right off the bat. Your reader can peruse websites like DieselEngineTrader.com or RockandDirt.com for a good used mill. A quick check on Diesel Engine Trader turned up several including a remanufactured high horse marine unit for $5,000 outright.
Dan Varner
Via E-mail
A. Thanks, Dan. That's useful stuff for any diesel lovers and well worth checking out. We also heard from Daniel Kongs who tells us he's fitted an '83 Mercedes five-cylinder turbo diesel to his '54 F100, getting great mileage when mixed with vegetable oil (up to 100 mpg). He's so pleased with the swap he put the same motor in a friend's '50 Ford pickup.
Heavy breathing
Q. In the March issue you profiled a new nostalgic intake for the small-block Chevy by Edelbrock (part #2703) that includes an oil fill tube and breather. I am planning on such an install using an older Edelbrock intake with the tube and a set of Cal Custom finned valve covers on an '80 350 V-8. This engine does not have the provision for the downdraft tube as in earlier '55-60s-era blocks. Since the valve covers are solid with no PCV holes provided, what is the best method for the engine to get fresh air into it, as it will breathe out the oil fill tube, correct? I have a fill tube that has a boss for an inline PCV and uses a twist-on solid cap, which I have thought of using in place of the breather since this would route the oily gases to the carb base for reburn/release through the engine. If I do this, am I going to create a back-pressure problem in the engine without any other breather and eventually start oil leaks?
I hope to make my later engine look nostalgic for my '60 Chevy and another one we are putting together for my grandson's '51 Fleetline and have them both run good with no nasty oil leaks as well. Your suggestions are really appreciated.Bill Hyatt and Brandon Scheck
Via E-mail
A. You are correct in saying that your engine doesn't have the downdraft, or road draft, tube and that it will breathe out of the oil fill tube. You could use that solid cap, but then you won't have a breather and the vacuum would suck everything through the PCV with no provision for "fresh air" to enter the motor. The reason stock engines have the breather on one valve cover and the PCV on the other is to evacuate the whole crankcase as effectively as possible. You could run a breather cap on the oil fill tube and no PCV (it's pretty pointless running a PCV on the tube about 3 inches from a breather cap!), or how about drilling a small hole in the intake side of a valve cover and using a rubber grommet place a PCV there, unobtrusively, though you'll need to fabricate a shield for the inside of the valve cover and ensure both this and the PCV clear the valvetrain. I suspect you're loathe to cut those valve covers, huh? If you check out my motor in the tri-power article on page 70 you'll see I'm going to have the same dilemma!
Back To Front
Q. Looking into some of my back issues of Rod & Custom, I came across an article dated July 2006 by Jim Aust on the Vega steering which got me wondering. I don't think I've ever seen an article or picture of a Vega steering which has been reversed. Is it possible to do, and do you know anyone who has done one? Any info you have will be appreciated, as it is the one thing holding me up from completing my steering problem.
Robert Eskew
Via E-mail
A. We ran a comprehensive steering box review in our March 2008 issue. It transpires that Borgeson offers a reversed Vega box with the input shaft swapped end for end, and Flaming River makes a reversed Corvair box. If the Borgeson box sounds like it'll work in your application, call (860) 482-8283 or go to www.borgeson.com.