96 Bronco 4bt Cummins

Impact · Oct 8, 2019

So I finally decided to commit and do the swap. This is my story.
Updated: 20230206

Wot 'n tarnation?

Yes it's long, no one likes scrolling through walls of text, and I'm sorry. But hear me out-

I want to make all my build information as transparent, organized, and centralized as possible. It was way too damn hard to find what I've put together from research in the many corners of the internet, phone calls to vendors, and visits to fabrication shops for how many times this kind of swap has been done. So I'm trying to frontload the pain and make it as easy as possible for anyone in the future that may want to do this swap, and may be coming from a small knowledgebase like me.

I enlisted the help of a local fabrication shop who specializes in high-end, hotrod, project, and restoration builds.

Build Goals:

Must be daily driveable.
Must be reliable.
Must have the same or better power as the 351w.
Improved MPG if possible.
~~Complete the job with a $15k budget.~~
- I don't want to have to do anything but regular maintenance for several years, so the budget was loose to ensure quality parts and work.
~~Minimal downtime - it's my daily after all.~~
- Despite all the planning and research, this swap took a year, because nothing goes to plan.
Sate my desire for a new truck.
Stick with bolt ons as much as possible.
- I'm not a welder, fabricator, or machinist. I'd like to be able to work on it myself going forward.

The Plan:

The technical stuff, the research, and all the stuff I intend to touch, modify, replace, or need to check for in the course of this build. Being that I want this to be a new upgrade rather than patching and fixing something existing, I'm okay with a larger budget on this.

Engine:

I knew I wanted a 4bt that was going to be able to produce around 200hp since the 351w is supposed to put out around 210hp @ 3,600 and 325lb-ft @ 2,600 rpm [link]. I was a lot less concerned about the correlating torque numbers on the 4bt since diesels in general produce a lot more torque at lower rpms.

I contacted the Big Bear Engine Company in Colorado [link] quite a bit for information on 4bt's. Turns out there are a ton of them out there, mostly for machinery like woodchippers or generators, but sometimes for bread trucks, and they all vary quite a bit in power output depending on the application. The best way to eyeball a 4bt for what kind of power it will produce is by the Critical Parts List (CPL) number. Also, if you are able to get the engine's serial number, call your local Cummins shop and they should be able to decode it for you and provide a configuration sheet. This will give you an idea of exactly what your 4bt is composed of including the fuel pump and turbo type.

It looks like a vast majority of 4bt's out there are in the 105-130hp range. More research told me that is largely dependent on the kind of cooling, aspiration (turbo or non-turbo), and fuel pump in use. There are some running a little hotter, but they're really hard to find, moreso than the one I got, and more expensive. I was looking to spend $4k max on a low mileage 4bt. And I found it... on Craigslist. It was super shady but worked out in the end.

In order to make 200hp, which I figure should get me around 500lb-ft tq, I'd need to upgrade and tweak certain parts. Research told me the best fuel pump for upgrade-ability was a ppump; more specifically, a P7100 pump (made by Bosch), rather than a VE rotary pump, which is more limited in how much fuel can be pushed through it. Extremely few 4bt's received a ppump, I found. I'd also want a 4bt with an HX30 (made by Borg Warner), an HE221, or TD04HL-19T turbo. I watched a couple of videos of people having trouble getting an HX35, which came on the 6 cylinder 12 valve 6bt's, to spool up with bolt ons, so I wasn't going that route. Finally, to make the power I wanted (which is well within this configuration's abilities) I'd have to make a few mostly bolt-on upgrades according to the 4btswaps forum [link]. Those are:

HX30 turbo
Wastegate set to ~22psi
Intercooler installed
A PPump flowing 130cc, or 1000 shots
3200+rpm governer spring

I used some CPL decoders and none seemed to give any meaningful information on CPL's unless they were in the 0-1000 range, and the engines in that range didn't come with the turbo or fuel pump I wanted. After searching online in a lot of places and correlating tidbits of information, I found out that a 4bt CPL#1839 came with an HX30 turbo, a P7100 pump, and produced 130hp stock. That's the one I looked for. It took me a couple of months, but eventually one popped up a couple of states away. I made an offer and picked it up that same weekend for $3,500. Ran when pulled and has ~37k miles.

Code:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|                                   ReCon Engine Information                                  |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Part Number    -   DR1683RX                       |Build Date                -   01-NOV-2004 |
|Description    -   ENG 4BTA 3.9 B 130@2300 P7100  |Fuel Pump Type            -   P7100       |
|Family         -   4b                             |Fuel Type                 -   DIESEL      |
|Liters         -   3.9l                           |Fuel Solenoid Voltage     -   12V         |
|Application    -   AUTOMOTIVE                     |Fuel Pump Governer Type   -   RQVK        |
|CPL            -   1839                           |Turbo Location            -   LMRO        |
|Aspiration     -   JACKET WATER AFTER C           |Oil Pan                   -   REAR        |
|Configuration  -   D383022BX02                    |Air Compressor            -   N/A         |
|Rated HP@RPM   -   130@2300 RPM                   |Vibration Damper          -   N/A         |
|Peak Torque    -   327@1700                       |PTO Location              -   N/A         |
|Torque Rise    -   35.29%                         |Paint Color               -   BEIGE       |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transmission:

I decided to stick with my E4OD and upgrade it with 4R100 steel internals to handle the increase in power. This will also require an aftermarket transmission controller. DCS has used and recommends the [US Shift Quick 4 Transmission Control System].

From all of the reading I've done, if you don't plan to increase the power of a 4bt, you can get away with using the stock e4od transmission in this bronco. It is good for an absolute max of around 500lb-ft of torque [link] [link]. Mine has 250k miles on it without a rebuild and, though I haven't abused it, I am trying to increase the power on the 4bt from 130hp to 200hp (~500lb-ft). So, because it's probably tired and needs a little love, I researched if I should get a new transmission or stick with mine and rebuild it.

The ZF5 would have been nice and I seriously thought about it. That is the manual transmission offered for the 92-98 manual ford trucks. I love manual vehicles and the idea of having a vehicle that can run mechanically without electronics is very attractive to me. However, I live in the DC, Maryland, Virginia (DMV) area and traffic is a bitch. I have a motorcycle and a manual car, and I don't like feeling like my leg is going to fall off. So I decided to stick with an auto (because daily). But is there an automatic transmission that's mechanical?

The E4OD transmission is allegedly mechanically controlled from the 1-3rd gears, and overdrive is electronically controlled [link]. That was a pretty big selling point for me, and since I already have an E4OD, I may as well stick with it. A common upgrade to the E4OD's is to have the aluminum internals replaced with the 4R100's steel internals. That upgrade will make the torque tolerance a lot better at around 1,000lb-ft and is a simple upgrade in that the two transmissions are virtually the same [link]. The E4OD was offered in the 92-98 automatic Ford trucks, and the 4R100 was offered in the 99-2003 ford diesel trucks. I will need an aftermarket Transmission Control Module (TCM), though, as the factory one can't be re-flashed or modified to accommodate the swap reliably or simply [link].

Some additional very useful information in my calculations were these [E4OD Transmission Specs] and these [E4OD Torque Specs].

The gentleman working to upgrade the E4OD let me know it'd be a good idea to grab a [Mag-Hytec] pan for a little better cooling and increased fluid capacity in addition to still running my factory transmission cooler. I figure more cooling is better, so I'll go that route. It'll increase the fluid capacity from the factory 17-18qts to ~22-24qts. Bonus, this also adds a better place to put the transmission temperature sensor. Since the E4OD didn't come with a temp sensor from the factory, a common place to put one is in the pressure test port on these transmissions. With the Mag-Hytec pan, it comes with a port tapped into it already. He also used a Transgo kit to do the rebuild and left the following notes of what was done on the invoice:

REBUILD TRANSMISSION. UPGRADES INCLUDE, STEEL OD PLANET, 6 PINION STEEL FRONT AND REAR PLANETS, TRANSGO TUGGER SHIFT KIT, LOW REVERSE CLUTCHES, STEELS, LOW HOUSING AND COMPLETE SPRAG, 1 PIECE CASE BUSHING, STEEL ACCUMULATOR VALVES AND DUAL CLUTCH TORQUE CONVERTER. ALL CLUTCHES, STEELS BEARINGS BUSHINGS, SPRAGS, SEALS ARE REPLACED ALSO.

Driveshaft, Axles, Suspension:

I will be using the stock axles, driveshaft, and suspension.

I used [The Grimm Jeeper] to get an idea of how hard the 4bt will be working to move the Bronco. If I plug in the numbers (Ford E4OD transmission, Borg Warner 1356 transfer case, 3.55 axle gear ratio, and 32" tires) it tells me my RPMs will be 1853@70mph, which is a good cruising speed to me. Based on this, I decided not to do any re-gearing just yet. That'll be another later build along with suspension. Based on the power output of the 351w, I don't think the gearing or driveshafts will need upgrading just yet.

Intake System:

Intake is one of the systems I figured would need a lot of customization. The shop and I agreed to try out some titanium (because why not?) charge pipes to and from the banks intercooler and aluminum for the intake. The intercooler is specifically for the 96 7.3l Powerstroke since I have the core support and radiator for the same.

I used a universal filter that fit on the end of the 2.5" intake piping and angled it to be right behind the radiator.

Fuel System:

In the interest of longevity, and since the tank would have to be dropped anyhow to get the fuel pump out at the very least, I decided to go with a replacement plastic tank from Bronco Graveyard. They gave me contact info for the manufacturer and I verified with them that the tank would be good for diesel fuel. They confirmed it would be as it's the same plastic they use in their diesel applications. I know this tank won't be as rigid, but it also won't rust. And to help with the rigidity factor, I contacted Desolate Motorsports for their aluminum skid plate. It has a little bit better coverage and also won't rust.

The sending unit I hadn't planned to replace, but it was misplaced so I got one anyhow. Fortunately those can be acquired from Bronco Graveyard without fuel pumps attached. The shop will add the in-tank pickup lines and a fuel sock to complete the application.

I did not upgrade the mechanical lift pump since I'm not drastically improving fuel flow. I decided against larger injectors, but did upgrade the fuel delivery valves in the interest of a little bit more power without sacrificing my fuel economy. I'm also leaning towards keeping things more mechanical than having a bunch of electrical systems.

I'm also went with an AFC live tuning system from Power Driven Diesel since I commute a lot and go from sea level to higher elevation semi-frequently. This allows me to adjust fuel/air on the fly from in the cab and adjust smoke output to a degree as well.

Someone mentioned I might consider a fuel/air separator. I figure this can be a future upgrade, but the engine didn't previously run with it and I don't think it would need it now. This build is emptying my pocketbook quickly, so it'll be a future me problem. If I do, I was looking at something like [this] Airdog 150 separator.

Gauges and Dash Cluster:

I want to be able to utilize my factory dash cluster as much as possible. To monitor some of the important things, I'll also need to add some in a clean fashion. I'm not big on electronic displays that require a toggle to see different sensors and their measurements, and being that it's an older truck I want to keep it sort of era-correct.

I used the factory sending unit so the fuel senses correctly. To keep my tachometer working, I used the tachometer kit that Diesel Conversion Specialists offers for the 4bt. The engine will only rev to 3k as I had a 3k governor spring assembly installed. Because of this and the alleged modularity of the OBS dash cluster, I played around with the idea of getting the OBS Powerstroke tachometer, but it was going to require more work than plug and play, so I'll just stick with the Bronco's. I'll continue to use the dummy gauge in the factory gauge cluster for engine temperature as well. I did get the plastic cover over the fuel gauge from a Powerstroke of the same era and put it on my Bronco cluster so it says "Diesel Only".

I initially got the medium mocha 3 gauge pod from GlowShift, then decided I wanted one more gauge, returned it, and got the 4 gauge pod. They only offer the 4 gauge in black. After some research, I found someone [here] talking about SEM's Medium Prairie Tan matching up pretty closely. Using some vinyl adhesion promoter and that paint, the pod looks almost identical to my interior. I'm sure the variation is just due to age and UV exposure over time. The gauges going in this pod are oil pressure, boost, transmission temperature, and exhaust gas temperature (EGT). The gauges I got from GlowShift are black and backlit green to try to match the factory dash lighting.

Power Steering System:

Fortunately, the engine came with a power steering pump. However, it wouldn't work if I added a mechanical vacuum pump. The reservoir neck to fill the pump with fluid would point more directly upward, which wouldn't be accessible or usable due to the p7100 being mounted above it and blocking it. A lot of research revealed using an old 90's GM Astro van power steering pump reservoir over the top of a dodge power steering pump. The reservoir fill neck angles out almost 45 degrees and wouldn't get in the way. That would take a little bit of junkyard diving work.

I went with a PSC power steering solution for the 6bt's as shown in my parts list. It uses a remote reservoir, so that got mounted elsewhere near the brake booster. The power steering pump clears the fuel pump and works fantastic, much better than the old Ford one. I did have to order an extra oil line and fitting to get oil from the block to the pump, also in the parts list.

Vacuum Pump System:

Vacuum is needed to operate both the AC switches and the brakes, making them power brakes. Because of that, vacuum is required in this swap. There were two options for creating vacuum, either install an electrically operated or a mechanically operated vacuum pump.

An electric vacuum pump will need lines run to the battery to operate it. I didn't research this too much, but I imagine they are probably always on unless more wiring is done to integrate the circuit with the brake or a switch to activate it when needed. I read a post about someone who did integrate the circuit with the brake, but if you want AC that probably isn't very advantageous. In the Bronco, the AC controls are vacuum operated.

I'm going with a mechanical vacuum pump. My 4bt didn't come with one, so I had to figure out how to add one that would operate with the power steering as well. Turns out the 6bt vacuum pump timing-gear-driven and fits under the fuel pump where the power steering pump was. The power steering pump mounts to the end of the vacuum pump and is also gear driven.

Exhaust:

The shop and I decided 3 inch stainless exhaust would work out the best. I went with a four inch tip for it as well. The 3 inch exhaust was hard to clear between the transmission and firewall, over the rear axle, and along the side of the fuel tank. The shop is awesome and made it all work out, though. The outlet isn't quite 3 inches on the HX30w we found out, and the my turbo didn't come with a needed downpipe flange vband kit I sourced from CustomFabShop.com. That granted a 3" downpipe outlet.

Cooling:

Even though I didn't need to, I decided to go with a big cooling refit. I wanted the cooling of a Powerstroke diesel of the same era. So I swapped out the radiator support from the Bronco with an F350's of the same year. Because of this, I used a Mishimoto aluminum 7.3l radiator, a Mishimoto aluminum 7.3l transmission cooler, a 7.3l Banks Intercooler, custom FF Dynamics electric fans, and a custom-fabbed fan shroud by the shop. This did require lengthening the hood-release mechanism, but that only involved welding in a little material to elongate it. The hood-release works as factory.

Electrical:

I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of storage and redundancy for electrical, just in case, so I installed the BroncoAir dual-battery solution that uses a solenoid between the batteries to isolate each. A switch in the cab allows me to engage both if needed. This helps in really cold weather if the heater block isn't hooked up. Both batteries provide plenty of cold-crank amps to start the engine.

Interior:

The interior is getting a ton of love. Double din stereo conversion (I love my nav and tech), 40/20/40 reupholstered front seats, all LED interior lights, new vinyl flooring, ceramic tint on all windows, all screw fasteners replaced with galvanized steel screws to stave off rusty screws, and heavy-duty sound deadening.

I used the Double Din conversion kit from OBS Interior and installed an android head unit with Nav. It works with android auto on my phone easily. The front seats I pulled from an F250 of the same era. I like them a lot better than the captain chairs that it had. The flooring I got from Bronco Graveyard. The ceramic tint massively cut down on heat in the summer.

The sound deadening I went hard on. After a lot of research and comparisons, I went with Sound Deadener Showdown's products (no longer in business, RIP) to deaden as much sound in the cab as possible. These things are noisy to begin with. Add a diesel engine and fat exhaust and it's unbearable for any length of time. I applied the 3 tiered system from SDS and some materials from Resonix when I ran out. CLD (constrained layer damper) tiles for resonance in the body panels (only needs ~25% coverage). On top of that went MLV (mass loaded vinyl) for sound blocking. And lastly, wherever I could find cavities that could fit it, I installed Hydrophobic Melamine Foam to further cut down on certain frequencies of noise and help prevent rattling of panels against each other. This system went down on the floors, over the wheel wells, up under the dash, doors, and even on the roof and A/B pillars of the cab. The difference was massive. Measurements are [here]. Find pictures and descriptions of the flooring and sound deadening install starting [here].

Parts List:

Here's a comprehensive list of parts I've ordered along with the price tag at the time I bought them and links to them. Don't forget about taxes, shipping, and have extra room in your budget for last-minute smaller items (guess what I forgot about?). They stack up fast. As my dad says, "Make your budget, then add 20%". This is a little low-balled as there are shop supplies, my own supplies, and some random miscellaneous parts I needed I didn't track that stacked up extra costs by a few hundred bucks.

Item	Notes	Supplier	PN	Price	Link
Engine enamel	Dupli-Color Cummins Beige	Amazon		$14.11	[link]
Engine enamel	Dupli-Color Black	Amazon		$14.11	[link]
Engine primer	Rust-Oleum Gray	Amazon		$7.50	[link]
Gas Tank Skid Plate	Aluminum	Desolate Motorsports	DES-01053	$299.99	[link]
Transmission Control Module		Diesel Conversion Specialists	2159	$750.00	[link]
Adapter Plate		Diesel Conversion Specialists	2040	$769.00	[link]
Flex Plate for 6.0 Starter		Diesel Conversion Specialists	1235	$550.00	[link]
Engine Mounts	w/ isolators	Diesel Conversion Specialists	2081	$350.00	[link]
Oil Press., Water Temp., Adapter	Sensor adapters	Diesel Conversion Specialists	1031	$30.00	[link]
Tee Vacuum Line for Brakes	Incl. w/ conversion kit	Diesel Conversion Specialists			[link]
Tachometer Kit		Diesel Conversion Specialists	2142	$303.00	[link]
AC compressor bracket		Diesel Conversion Specialists	3068	$595.00	[link]
AC Compressor lines		Diesel Conversion Specialists	1027	$131.00	[link]
AC Compressor, Dodge		Diesel Conversion Specialists	1386	$165.00	[link]
Power Steering Coupler		Diesel Conversion Specialists	2351	$25.00	[link]
Lower Water Neck (45 degree angle)		Diesel Conversion Specialists	3102	$110.00	[link]
Upper Water Neck (vertical)		Diesel Conversion Specialists	1029	$80.00	[link]
4BT 8V 3.9L CUMMINS LOWER GASKET SET		Diesel Power Products	DPP-3802375	$133.16	[link]
4BT 8V 3.9L CUMMINS UPPER GASKET SET		Diesel Power Products	DPP-3804896	$91.23	[link]
Triple Gauge Pod & Gauges	Beige, 3 pod, gauges incl.	Glowshift	GS-346T-C7-PKG	$239.96	[link]
Gas tank	Plastic	Jeff's Bronco Graveyard	30216	$145.00	[link]
Sending Unit Seal		Jeff's Bronco Graveyard	30243	$2.00	[link]
Gas tank breather valve		Jeff's Bronco Graveyard	30259	$16.00	[link]
Breather Valve Seal		Jeff's Bronco Graveyard	30259S	$6.00	[link]
~~Rollover Breather Valve?~~	~~Try to reuse old one~~	~~Jeff's Bronco Graveyard~~	~~30260~~	~~$109.00~~	~~[link]~~
Rear Tank Filler Hose		Jeff's Bronco Graveyard	30218	$25.00	[link]
Upper Gas Tank Straps		Jeff's Bronco Graveyard	30272	$19.00	[link]
Lower Gas Tank Straps		Jeff's Bronco Graveyard	30278	$45.00	[link]
Diesel filler neck	92-98 F350	LMC Truck	43-3331	$209.95	[link]
Core Support 92-97 PS	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	43-2868-T	$229.95	[link]
Radiator Insulator Set-LWR	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	43-0934	$11.95	[link]
Reinforcement Support-LH	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	43-2870	$29.95	[link]
Reinforcement Support-RH	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	43-2871	$29.95	[link]
Bolt-Support	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	50-0216	$0.95	[link]
U-Nut-Support	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	40-0888	$0.95	[link]
Rad Core Mounting Kit 18pc	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	43-0963	$89.95	[link]
Bracket-Radiator Core Mount	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	45-1465	$29.95	[link]
Bolt-Mount Bracket	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	40-0591	$1.25	[link]
Nut-Mount Bracket	For 92-98 F350 Core Support	LMC Truck	40-0871	$0.60	[link]
Transmission Rebuild (96-97 PS converter)	4r100 steel internals	Maryland Transmission Specialist		$3,810.74	[link]
Pod, Gauges, Sensors	Came w/GlowShift kit & wiring	Glowshift	GS-346T-C7-PKG	$239.96	[link]
Additional Sensor, different pod, additional gauge	Came w/GlowShift kit & wiring	Glowshift	GS-346T-C7-PKG	$71.29
4bt Cummins Diesel Engine	CPL#1839 p7100 pump	Other		$3,500.00
Dowel Pin Tab w/ Bolt	Killer dowel pin fix	Power Driven Diesel	54001010006	$125.00	[link]
Budget Builder 3K/4K Governor Springs	Added adjustment tool	Power Driven Diesel	60700000001	$150.00	[link]
Adjustable Turbo Boost Elbow		Power Driven Diesel	10920920512	$20.00	[link]
4BT Cummins 055 Fuel Delivery Valves		Power Driven Diesel	62001020001	$130.00	[link]
AFC LIVE in Cab Fuel Tuner		Power Driven Diesel	61001010000	$345.00	[link]
AFC Foot for AFC LIVE Installation	Added on AFC Tuner Page	Power Driven Diesel	61001010008	$40.00	[link]
AFC Max Travel Kit	Added on AFC Tuner Page	Power Driven Diesel	61001010007	$35.00	[link]
Machined 8v Rocker Pedestal	Required for ARP Head Studs	Power Driven Diesel	51816141300-1	$200.00	[link]
Intercooler pipes	Possibly reuse banks pipes	Wit's End		$1,255.00	[link]
Downpipe and exhaust	4 inch exhaust	Wit's End		$1,309.50	[link]
Dual Battery Kit		BroncoAir		$418.00	[link]
Labor		Wit's End		$22,006.42	[link]
Ford 6.0 PS Starter	Mean green starter	Xtreme Diesel Performance	MG6670	$369.95	[link]
Oil Remote Filter Kit	PacBrake	Xtreme Diesel Performance	PBHP10007	$234.13	[link]
Radiator - 96-97 PS	Mishimoto Aluminum	Xtreme Diesel Performance	MIMMRAD-F2D-95	$395.95	[link]
Front Mount Intercooler	Banks	Xtreme Diesel Performance	BP25970	$1,531.75	[link]
PSC PK1490 High Performance Pump Kit	Dodge Ram 2500/3500 4WD	Xtreme Diesel Performance	PSCPK1490	$460.75	[link]
ARP 247-4206 Diesel Head Stud Kit	3.9L Cummins 4BT	Xtreme Diesel Performance	ARP247-4206	$332.31	[link]
Dorman 904-810 Vacuum Pump	Dodge 5.9L Cummins	Xtreme Diesel Performance	DOR904-810	$236.87	[link]
AFE 49-90002 Mach Force XP Exhaust Tip	4" In x 5" Out x 12" L	Xtreme Diesel Performance	AFE49-90002	$66.49	[link]
12V FREEZE PLUG BLOCK HEATER (89-98)		CPP Diesel	3313272	$72.95	[link]
Mishimoto Transmission cooler for 7.3l		Mishimoto	MMTC-F2D-99SL	$349.95	[link]
SEM Medium Prairie Tan Vinyl Paint		AutoPlus Auto Parts
Vinyl Paint Adhesion Promoter		AutoPlus Auto Parts
CLD, MLV, HMF, Butyl Rope, Velcro		Sound Deadener Showdown		$467.12
CLD, Butyl Rope, Velcro		Resonix		$127.89	[link]
Transmission cooler 11"		American Volt		$137.75	[link]
Ceramic tint				$950.00
Mag Hytec Transmission Pan		Mag-Hytec		$371.00	[link]
Electric Radiator Fans		FF Dynamic		$550.00
Turbo cartridge & Fuel pump governor	Rebuild / balance / advanced 14*			$1,604.15
40/20/40 Seats & Reupholstered	Upholstered in Porsche Terracotta			$2,000.00
Off Road Power Steering Reservoir		PSC		$275.00	[link]
Odyssey AGM Batteries x2	950 cca each	Autozone	65-PC1750T	$610.54	[link]
Throttle Position Sensor		TCI	377450	$229.95	[link]

Questions & Answers:

Questions I or others have had and their answers. I'll do my best to keep updated here to help avoid people needing to dig through comments on this thread for answers.

Is swapping the instrument cluster from a 96-97 F350 diesel OBS into a Bronco a straightforward swap?

This is not a straightforward swap. It's likely the PSOM will need to come with the cluster. Also try the OBS or PowerStrokeNation forums for more information (thanks TravisITGuy).

Does anyone know how the glow plug indicator works on the 96-97 F350 diesel OBS instrument cluster?

It appears these years did not have a glow plug indicator, just a wait-to-start (WTS) light.

Also, the 4bt does not have a glow plug. An engine block heater and/or a heater grid is recommended.

The block heater will go into a freeze plug port. You can find a block heater here [link] (thanks curtwow).

The heater grid installs between the intake elbow and the head of the engine. Image for heater grid here [link] (thanks texaswoodswalker893).

What kind of mileage can I expect to get with a swap like this?

I will get a more accurate number through testing once the swap is complete. I have been told with my current drivetrain I can expect to see between 20-25mpg. I've seen a couple of posts say 30mpg and one say 35mpg. I imagine the higher numbers are without performance upgrades like I'm doing, even though what I'm doing I think is very mild.

Should I upgrade the cooling system such as the radiator and fan?

Generally 4BT does not get very hot by design. Since you don't plan to boost 4BT (bigger turbo etc.), stock Bronco or F150 radiator is sufficient enough to cool that engine even in hot climate. The only recommendation would be to get rid of 4BT stock mechanical fan and replace it with el. fan for the case if you tow some heavy trailer uphill in hot climate. Recommended el. fan would be from Ford 500 or similar. Junk yards are full of these very powerful dual fans, but it would not be bolt on. That would be the only thing needed. Bigger radiator is unnecessary overkill [link](thanks @milan65).

Will I need to upgrade the suspension?

That is up to you, but initially, no. The 4bt weighs in at ~750lbs depending on dressings and fluids [link]. The 351w weighs in at ~510lbs with block, heads, and manifolds alone [link] and [link]. If your Bronco has the dual shock and coilover suspension up front already because it had a v8 (I don't know about the i6 model) general consensus seems to be you'll be fine. Additionally, Diesel Conversion Specialists confirmed this under the the "Engine Weight" section on their instruction page here: [link]. Understand your ride will be a little more nose heavy, but no more than if you put a snow plow or a heavy duty bumper on the front of your rig.

Story Time!

Would you like some pictures? And a story too? Here you go!

But seriously, this is a story and not meant to be technical at all. I have crap memory so I figured I'd write down the journey here.

20190727 - Toll Hell

I really hate tolls. Being from the West, I had never experienced them prior to moving East. It's especially expensive when you have a third axle... go figure. Borrowed the trailer from a buddy after work. Three states and several hours later I get to the seller's house just before dark. He's ready to go with a backhoe and four or so other guys to help load this engine on the trailer. Not going to lie, I was concerned carrying that much cash and being confronted with several guys, but they were all incredibly cool and helpful. Weighed down with ~1000lbs of new dead weight, I cruise to a friends place nearby-ish, do dinner, and get home Saturday early in the AM.

20190729 - Up A Creek

Finally get the trailer to (barely) fit in the garage. How the hell do I get this damn thing off the trailer? Time to shuffle things around and clean up this disaster of a man cave.

20190731 - Lost the Battle

Rented an engine lift and had just enough clearance. Turns out trying to get it lifted and maneuvered alone was a chore. Didn't die, though. I discovered much too late that the cherry picker was actually bad. Left leg was bent upward just enough and the boom twisted to the left just enough that when I got it in the air, it started leaning and falling toward that leg. I hopped on the back of the lift like I was doing a box jump at the Crossfit Open, and it was just enough to rock it back and put the three good points-of-contact on the ground. After much shouting and banging on the ceiling, my girlfriend came down and helped me get an old damaged rim under the engine so I could sit it down and not be stuck standing on the lift all night. Precarious, but it was late and I had work. Keeping the lift partially loaded with the weight and a good jiggle-check confirmed it was tomorrow's problem.

20190801 - Won the War

Attempt #2. I get the chain adjusted, shift the weight of the engine more toward the right leg, and voila! Finally get the dang thing off and tucked into the corner directly behind the lift on jackstands. The following day I take the cherry picker back and let the shop I rented it from know how it almost killed me. Y'know, brighten their day a little.

Over the next couple of weeks I start unbolting the transmission since I'm not going to need it. I'm going to clean it up and paint it, I tell myself, before I take it to the shop and ask them to install it. Actual spoiler: I didn't clean it up before taking it to the shop. Two sheared off bolts and several days of soaking the sheared bolts in WD40 later, I decide the shop is better equipped to handle it.

20190926 - Best Laid Plans

Tons of research and lots of communicating with the shop happen. I've made the parts list. I've built too many spreadsheets, compiled too many interwebs links, and obtained copious amounts of information from diesel shops and vendors around the country. I'm good to go... I think. I pull the trigger.

After the shop graciously lets me borrow their known-good lift and I recruit a long-time friend and his truck, the engine (and transmission) goes to the shop.

Impact · Oct 20, 2019

It looks like there is already a lift pump on the 4bt, so that's good. One less thing I'll have to buy. They are looking to do a majority of the work on the Bronco this week so I'm getting the last of the parts ordered today. Then I'll add some more info to my OP.

milan65 · Oct 21, 2019

Hello,

Turbo - you need bigger one then stock HX30. Get super turbo or 44mm. 44mm is the size of turbine.
Stock fuel pump on Bronco that is in your fuel tank now is useless and needs to be removed. The lift pump on 4BT needs to be able to create higher fuel pressure than stock pump. The entire fuel delivery system is very sensitive. Absolutely no leaks. If both lines are not adequate engine starve and will not run good. I had to install fuel sump at the bottom of the tank with check valve in order to make it work. The lift pump could not ‘suck” the fuel from top of the tank. After manually sucking it up the engine eventually started but after shutting it off the fuel dropped back into the tank and could not start again. That’s why the check valve was installed at the tank to hold the fuel in line. Spent several weekends trying to figure it out with all different options.
Aftercooler – It can be added at later stage once you have all other parts working. Water to air is superior option to air to air system with added flexibility to change the water flow and/or speed of fans on radiator to further improve the effectiveness in relation to ambient temperature. For example - if you drive in cold weather there’s no need to have that system to run on 100% compare to say driving in dead heat summer in AZ with ambient temp well over 100F. With air to air system, there’s no maintenance needed, but there’s nothing that can be done to adjust its effectiveness on the fly.
Power steering 6BT combo – yes the reservoir gets in the way of the P pump. Solution is to get external reservoir from GM Astro minivan and replace the reservoir on the pump with the one that is designed for external one. However there are successful write-ups on 4BTSwaps where the filler neck of stock 6BT pump was saw-off and re-welded back on an angle that clears the bottom of the pump. However with external reservoir it can be mounted anywhere (kind of) for better access to fill it up. With reservoir on the pump it will be buried pretty low underneath your accelerator cable and hard to reach.

Let me know if you have more questions. Milan

Impact · Oct 22, 2019

"The Plan" (empty for now) and "Storyboard" (not empty, but incomplete) sections added to the OP. Late again.

@milan65 thanks for the tips man! I gotta reread when I'm more awake.

Impact · Oct 23, 2019

Ok, sorry it took a bit. Crazy busy.

I amend my statement, I have an HX30W. I'm not sure if that makes a difference. I don't have enough in the budget for a bigger turbo at the moment, but I'll put it on the list of things to do in the near future.
I'm looking now at lift pumps, and I'm thinking I might go with this [link]. Any thoughts? I'd prefer mechanical over electric, but it doesn't seem like there are any mechanical options out there.
I do like the idea of this. The intercooler is on the way, though, and I'm a bit wary of extra electrical systems. I think this'll be another thing to go on the near future list.
I ended up going with a PSC power steering and remote reservoir kit [link] to avoid the having to cut and turn the fill neck on the can. Hopefully this will help avoid needing to do that.

Update:

Engine, transmission, exhaust, fuel tank, and other underbody stuff has been stripped out. Bronco is going to LineX either today or tomorrow for an undercarriage and frame coating. Hopefully that helps a little with road noise too. If not, I already have a ton of sound deadening stuff ready to go in once I get her back.

If anyone is interested in a newer AC compressor (<1yr old), Power Steering pump (<1yr old), serpentine belt (<5k miles) or anything else, let me know. Local pick up preferred, but we can work something out.

Most of the new parts are on the table, all the old stuff pulled out is on the ground in front of and to the right of the table.

The old and (probably) tired 351w (~250k miles).

curtwow · Oct 23, 2019

Your photos haven't worked for me can anyone else see them?

d_rock · Oct 23, 2019

No can see. Having trouble seeing pics on other threads too

Impact · Oct 23, 2019

That's not super great... I can see all of my pictures on a PC using Brave or Chrome. I haven't tried other browsers.

I did test and cannot see my pictures on a cell phone using brave or chrome, though. Are you using mobile @curtwow?

milan65 · Oct 23, 2019

I amend my statement, I have an HX30W. I'm not sure if that makes a difference. I don't have enough in the budget for a bigger turbo at the moment, but I'll put it on the list of things to do in the near future.
I'm looking now at lift pumps, and I'm thinking I might go with this [link]. Any thoughts? I'd prefer mechanical over electric, but it doesn't seem like there are any mechanical options out there.
I do like the idea of this. The intercooler is on the way, though, and I'm a bit wary of extra electrical systems. I think this'll be another thing to go on the near future list.
I ended up going with a PSC power steering and remote reservoir kit [link] to avoid the having to cut and turn the fill neck on the can. Hopefully this will help avoid needing to do that.

Update:

Hello,

1. Turbo - in order to achieve 200HP + bigger turbo is a must. There's no way around.
2. Lift pump - even though electrical pumps are very attractive solution they are also expensive and their reliability is questionable. Just read some review to see for yourself. Usually they failed in the most unwanted situation leaving the driver stranded. Something that can be avoided by simply stick with mechanical pump. Here's the recommendation for reputable very good mechanical pump (I'm not associated with the seller in any way). I bought this pump from him and works flawlessly.
3. Power steering - The option you selected is very good and will work just fine. However there's far less expensive option available that will be equally good, unless you want to build fancy shiny show car to show it off. As mentioned before, Chevy Astro van reservoir from junk yard is $10. Brand new one from RockAuto is $35. The pump itself from RockAuto between $68-148 incl. core charge. You do not plan to run hydroboost so stock configuration will work just fine. Looks like you already bought PSC set, no need to expand on it.
This is just an observation and nothing else – You are spending a lot of money on items like PSC power steering pump, or the fuel regulator or fuel pump that are either not necessary or there’s less expensive solution that achieve the same or even better results. It’s your budget and your way of doing the swap. It is labor extensive job and the final cost just for the labor could be pretty high, unless you have some special arrangements (with the shop). It would be disappointing to see you have to put the project on hold because you exceeded your budget. This is in no way any criticism. I’m just trying to help.
BTW what’s your plan for gear ratio change?

Let me know if you have any questions. Milan

P.S. as mentioned before – I cannot see any of your pictures on Chrome browser on desktop PC.

Impact · Oct 25, 2019

All right folks, finally migrated the photos I've used on this build to SuperMotors.net and will be using that from now on, so hopefully no more issues.

milan65 said:
1. Turbo - in order to achieve 200HP + bigger turbo is a must. There's no way around.

That's really good to know! It looks like I'll have to stick with the HX30W for now, so we'll see what that can put out. I'm not looking for a performance monster, just something that isn't dragging on the pavement and does well doing mild offroading. Torque is what matters anyway, right? Haha

milan65 said:
Here's the recommendation for reputable very good mechanical pump

Thanks for that recommendation! I've saved the part because I'd like to stick with mechanical, and I think that'll be a future upgrade. I called Power Drive Diesel (I got the fuel upgrades from them) and they advised that the lift pump I have should be fine for what I'm doing and the mild fuel upgrades I'm putting in. I'll try it out and see how it goes, and make sure to test PSI and make sure it's enough.

milan65 said:
Chevy Astro van reservoir from junk yard is $10. Brand new one from RockAuto is $35. The pump itself from RockAuto between $68-148 incl. core charge.

I definitely should have gone this route, and that's what I'll write up in the OP as the recommendation. I didn't know that the Astro pump would work. The few things I could find online about it all said to get a dodge pump and a 96 astro can on it, and I didn't have time to go scrounging around for those things, so I pulled the trigger on that (expensive) kit. I should have gone the astro route. Is the astro pump compatible with the dodge vacuum pump?

milan65 said:
BTW what’s your plan for gear ratio change?

I don't plan to change my gear ratio for now, so just stock (whatever the stock ratio is). I don't have a lift, just 32's. I want to do a lift and axle upgrade in the future, and will change my ratio then. I used the grim jeeper website to calculate my final drive and found that the 4bt should be just fine with my stock driveline (I hope). With the 4bt, my RPMs should be 1853 @ 70mph. I'm putting a 3k governer on, so I think that should be perfect.

curtwow said:
I'm on year four of my build I've driven it for two years now but just take it easy mine spent nearly 12 full months at shop getting swapped.

That is crazy! I'm glad you're still driving it and working on it. A year for the swap would be way longer than I'm willing to put up with hahaha. I'm hoping everything goes as planned. I plan to drive this thing 2400 miles across the country in December. But we all know about plans and first contact with the enemy... we'll see how it goes. I'm doing so much damn research and calling people and picking other people's brains to make sure I can help make this as smooth as possible with the shop.

curtwow said:
Not to say that you shouldn't keep an eye on what's going on there was another 4bt swap that was absolutely disastrous

If you find it, I'd be interested in reading about it!

curtwow said:
It is almost comical to me how similar your motivations were to mine. I had this Bronco with a tired engine and was pricing out new pickups, one day I got to thinking about daily driving the bronco and before you knew it I had purchased a 4bt on ebay. I'm in the car business and the amount of depreciation people take on vehicles is mind boggling. Classics just don't seem to be affected. Even on pickup trucks most people loose between 7 and 10,000 per year. I'm not stating I expect to get every dime back out I put in however it will/ should be much closer then even a couple of years depreciation for a new vehicle and I get more enjoyment out of it than any of the other 25 or so cars I've owned.

If you have any pointers or personal experiences to share, I'm all ears. I like a good story. Yeah I couldn't believe how much places are charging for newer trucks these days. I'd like the tech packed in them but I'd rather make it work in mine. Drive a new one off the lot and lose 20% of the value right there it seems like haha. I'm hoping these upgrades and this Bronco will give me another decade at least.

curtwow · Oct 23, 2019

The pump @milan65 recommended is what is on mine.
I'm on desktop chrome as well.

Impact · Oct 23, 2019

@milan65 & @curtwow, regarding the photos not showing up, I've hosted the first of the photos differently on post #24. Please let me know if you guys can see it? If not, I'll need to use something other than google to host my photos.

milan65 · Oct 23, 2019

Post #24 shows 1st picture only.

Impact · Oct 23, 2019

That's really interesting... I only did one thing different. I don't understand why it would matter. I will change the rest tonight or tomorrow so all the pictures are visible.

It appears google photos doesn't allow embedding pictures anywhere, even if it's a shared album or shared picture, unless the user viewing the picture is authenticated via google. Kind of lame. I think I found a way around that, but I'm also afraid there is some kind of caching happening to allow that one picture to be visible, and that a session will expire and the pictures will be unavailable again.

@milan65 if you notice that picture or the others (once I get them updated soon) disappear after you've been able to see them, can you let me know? I'll for sure have to move all the pictures to probably supermotors or something in that case.

Impact · Oct 24, 2019

All images have been updated in replies and the OP. I will try to update the OP with more information Friday and/or this weekend.

Now that I've finally tracked down the issues with my posts (hopefully), here's a small update:

Engine mounts are stupid heavy.

DCS Conversion kit for mating the 4bt to the e4od is in as well as the new transmission controller. Got some other major parts including power steering pump and reservoir, vacuum pump, block heater, and the core support with all needed mounting hardware. Looks like that'll have to get painted before going in. UPS was nice enough to ignore my note to put it in the driveway and I was surprised to find it blockading my egress.

LineX is going to have to get skipped and done some other time, if at all. The shop that applies it is down a technician for sudden medical reasons and I'm trying to get this back on the road as quickly as possible. So bonus bay picture. That's a lot of space. I'm gonna need it...

4bt is apart and ready for cleaning, paint, and upgrades. Those diesel piston heads sure are a funny shape. The shop fabbed up a quick stand to hold the block.

Something pretty neat, I think this is the first thing I've ever seen stamped "Made In U.S.A".

@milan65 I haven't forgotten about you. There isn't enough time in the day to do college, work, get to the shop, get pictures, research issues, troubleshoot the new forum posting weirdness, and catch up on posts. It'll be the death of me probably.

curtwow · Oct 24, 2019

I'm on year four of my build I've driven it for two years now but just take it easy mine spent nearly 12 full months at shop getting swapped. I enjoy the research part as it appears you do. I wasn't smart enough to post here while doing my search on the engine so some stuff I or my builder had to figure out along the way (like the vacuum pump). If I can offer any advice don't get stressed, enjoy every aspect, and it will all come together.
Not to say that you shouldn't keep an eye on what's going on there was another 4bt swap that was absolutely disastrous I cant' remember his name but it did not end well. I was fortunate enough to have a builder/ machine shop who had done several 6bt's into older vehicles whom I've known most of my life to do mine. There were a couple of things I had to address after he was done but for the most part I got exactly what I expected.
It is almost comical to me how similar your motivations were to mine. I had this Bronco with a tired engine and was pricing out new pickups, one day I got to thinking about daily driving the bronco and before you knew it I had purchased a 4bt on ebay. I'm in the car business and the amount of depreciation people take on vehicles is mind boggling. Classics just don't seem to be affected. Even on pickup trucks most people loose between 7 and 10,000 per year. I'm not stating I expect to get every dime back out I put in however it will/ should be much closer then even a couple of years depreciation for a new vehicle and I get more enjoyment out of it than any of the other 25 or so cars I've owned.

curtwow · Oct 26, 2019

I had my details mixed up on was on a dana 60 swap by a custom shop that things ended disastrous.

SAS decision making, wife isn't helping

Hey guys, Just got back from yet another deployment. Since getting my 96 I've been agonizing over whether to do a SAS or a cut and turn. Well, since I'm sufficiently busy with life and making enough money to pay for labor, and since I've lifted vehicles by myself, I am going to have a shop...

www.fullsizebronco.com

curtwow · Oct 26, 2019

If you have any pointers or personal experiences to share, I'm all ears. I like a good story. Yeah I couldn't believe how much places are charging for newer trucks these days. I'd like the tech packed in them but I'd rather make it work in mine. Drive a new one off the lot and lose 20% of the value right there it seems like haha. I'm hoping these upgrades and this Bronco will give me another decade at least.

Look around there's ways of customizing these things to have all the options/ tech you'd ever want. We've got folks running full king ranch swapped seats (htd and cooled) and console. Double DIN radios with blue-tooth and rear view cameras and much more. I'm sure there's aftermarket radar systems you give you blind spot and collision detection.

That is crazy! I'm glad you're still driving it and working on it. A year for the swap would be way longer than I'm willing to put up with hahaha. I'm hoping everything goes as planned. I plan to drive this thing 2400 miles across the country in December. But we all know about plans and first contact with the enemy... we'll see how it goes. I'm doing so much damn research and calling people and picking other people's brains to make sure I can help make this as smooth as possible with the shop.

Have you made mention of getting the killer dowel pin fixed? Just google 12v cummins and KDP you'll find all the info you want. I messed up and bought a 100 dollar kit your builder should be more than capable of fixing it himself. Before a drive like that make sure you know the condition of all the bearings and joints pay particular attention to steering from the column down. I'd plan on wheel bearings and brakes unless you know the condition of those items already. I'd consider at least changing the fluid on the front axle transfer case and rear axle while the pans are dropped they/or you should be able to check for any signs of fatigue. I'm excited for you and am eager to see how this turns out.

Impact · Oct 26, 2019

curtwow said:
Have you made mention of getting the killer dowel pin fixed? Just google 12v cummins and KDP you'll find all the info you want. I messed up and bought a 100 dollar kit your builder should be more than capable of fixing it himself.

Yeah, I messed up too ?but I do have a KDP kit. I will ask the shop to check the rest of what you recommended as well before I do a trip like that.

I do have another question. I got a new core support from LMC truck for a 96-97 7.3 powerstroke to put in the Bronco. The reading I did is it would be direct bolt in. However, it's here, the shop was getting ready to install it, and it's the exact same support [link]. On their site the same part number is used for Broncos/F150's as F250/F350 diesels. Some of the research I was doing said if I want to use the diesel radiator, I have to get the new core support, so I did. But it looks like they are the same. My question is if anyone has any experience with this? Are they the same for sure or did I get sent the wrong part? I ordered an aluminum Mishimoto 7.3l radiator, and I wanted it to bolt up. Will it still?

Impact · Oct 26, 2019

I've updated the parts list table, looks a lot better now. I'll start putting in links soon, but right now all of the links aren't there.

milan65 · Oct 28, 2019

Generally 4BT does not get very hot by design. Since you don't plan to boost 4BT (bigger turbo etc.), stock Bronco or F150 radiator is sufficient enough to cool that engine even in hot climate. The only recommendation would be to get rid of 4BT stock mechanical fan and replace it with el. fan for the case if you tow some heavy trailer uphill in hot climate. Recommended el. fan would be from Ford 500 or similar. Junk yards are full of these very powerful dual fans, but it would not be bolt on. That would be the only thing needed. Bigger radiator is unnecessary overkill. Milan

Impact · Oct 28, 2019

That's great to know, I will put that in my notes. I don't tow often enough to get an electric fan I think... yet. I'm thinking I might get a little 14' adventure trailer. But that's future plans haha.

Out of curiosity, you folks who also did 4bt swaps, what kind of mileage are you getting?

curtwow · Oct 28, 2019

I like to hear my turbo spool so... I'm getting 15.5-17 I'm also running aftermarket axles and let it idol quite a bit. In my research on a stock drive train you should expect over 20mpg+ easy w/ your OD trans I've heard as high as 30 in a Bronco w/ a 5spd.

Impact · Oct 29, 2019

curtwow said:
I like to hear my turbo spool so...

I think I'm going to be loving that for the first few weeks too. Hopefully not so much that I pretzel a driveshaft, though. Speaking of, do y'all think I might need to get a new one made that is stronger?

I'm definitely hoping to get around 25mpg, ideally. If not, it's not a huge deal but a goal was to get better mpg... which I guess isn't hard when I'm getting 12 on a good day.

Impact · Oct 29, 2019

I have added all of the links and part numbers for things in the Parts List in the OP that I could find. The Parts List won't get updated except to add new parts if I need more.

Update:

Not every day I get to see the Bronco this barren, especially underneath. A lot cleaner than I expected as far as rust goes. There isn't much except on the frame horns on the front, the tow package and hitch, the cross members holding the gas tank, and the rear leaf spring hangers.

Fuel tank cross members and hitch assembly are all rusty, but some stabbing around it showed it's surface. A wire wheel and POR15 will fix that up since it's all apart anyway. Likely get the rear leaf spring hangers too while at it, and put a little hole in the bottom of the hangers to allow drainage.

ARP head studs documentation. Pretty confused because instructions say to mill the pedestals, but they look like they are flat already? Or maybe a step needs to be milled into it? Definitely not just bolt on like I was told.. I'll call ARP and find out.

Impact · Oct 31, 2019

TLDR; So it turns out if you want to put ARP studs on an 8 valve or 12 valve cummins, you have to machine the rocker pedestals. Their instructions they include with the studs give the proper dimensions and whatnot. Well, ain't nobody got time for that, so I got some from Power Driven Diesel.

When I called ARP, I talked to two different technicians. The first one informed me the reason to machine the pedestal is to provide clearance for the valve cover as there are protrusions on the inside of the valve cover that will contact the oversized ARP nut and not allow for a proper seal. This can subsequently cause oil to leak all over the backside of the engine and over the transmission, he told me. He said to grind down the protrusions and I'll be good to go, no needing to machine.

After getting off of the phone, I got to thinking... why would it be out of the back? I have four separate valve covers, not a single one, and they should all leak if that were true. So I figured he was talking about a common rail 4bt, which I don't have. I call them back, got someone else, and after relaying what the last tech told me, some hold time while he talked to another tech, and lots of repeating what he said to make sure I wasn't stupid, he told me I must machine the pedestals as there isn't enough stud for the nut to secure onto if you don't, and that machining has nothing to do with the valve cover. Insert dramatic sigh here.

So I do some research online. I can find precious little, but the little I do find tells me that these two answers are based on two different versions of studs ARP has produced, henceforth known as the "old style" and "new style". The short of it is the old style allows for just grinding down the inside of the valve cover and the newer ones require machining the pedestals due to shorter studs. Here are some resources I used to deduce that: [link][link][link]

To hell with this. Let's call someone who actually has done the install and can tell me. I call PDD, relay the situation, and ask them. Oh yeah, they do this install all the time. You do need to machine the pedestals because there isn't enough stud to seat the nut onto. However, you don't need to drill and tap the block deeper to receive the head studs, as the ARP install documentation says. They never have and have been just fine. What you do have to do is make sure the existing taps are very clean, vacuumed out, no fluid or debris in them before installing the studs. If you don't, they told me, you have a much higher risk of cracking the block. Good to know! Well, if you send PDD cores, they will send you used pedestals, or you can order new ones. I went the new route. So now I'm only waiting on that. Got my Dodge A/C manifold in, just needs to be crimped to the ford lines. Then it's just fluids, filters, and I have all the parts I need (I hope).

Impact · Nov 4, 2019

Good morning folks!

I got my machined rocker pedestals in on Friday. I think (and hope) that's all I need. The shop says this week will be getting the engine back together. I was hoping it'd be finished this week, but maybe not. Hopefully, no later than next week.

Any opinions on putting LineX on the underbody? I read a few things that says LineX is still somewhat water permeable, they don't undercoat cars anymore these days because of the water-trapping problem, and I shouldn't do it, so I think I'm just going to ask to have POR15 on the problem areas. But I keep coming back and thinking "no better time than now since everything is out of it".

milan65 · Nov 4, 2019

ARP - to machine the pedestal as described in the installation manual is all that's needed. As for undercoat - POR15 is one of the best options available. Not knowing any details about the shop (where they do the conversion) you would be fortunate to have them finish everything and drive your truck away in such a short time. Hopefully it will happen as you planned, but if not - don't be surprised. It's labor extensive process and especially for somebody (your shop) who has not done it before, even with all parts on hand it may take some time to have it road worthy. Milan

Impact · Nov 5, 2019

Yeah, I let the shop know I'd like to go the POR15 route. It won't be the entire undercarriage. I'll try to do that in pieces myself as I get time, but while it's apart, the really hard to reach stuff I'm asking to be done. That should save me some money too with not having LineX done.

As for driving it out, I talked to the shop owner last night and he agreed. Optimistically, the engine will be cleaned, painted, and assembled, maybe installed this week. It may be running next week, but no telling if it'll be driveable. Also the transmission shop is ordering parts today, so I'm not sure when that'll be done. I was really hoping this week, but I anticipated it taking longer than I would have liked. Though, it may be longer than Nov 15 which is less optimal, but I'll deal. There still has to be a full custom exhaust, fuel lines, and intake piping needing to be done still, which can't be until the truck is basically back together.

In other news, here's another update! The block has been cleaned, primed, and is getting painted. This is with one coat. It'll be getting 2 or so.

Also, right before I took the Bronco to the shop, I bought a decal I really liked, and decided I'd like to show my motivation and patriotism with it. Turns out it was a bad idea to get it on Etsy. I didn't realize it wasn't what I ordered until I applied one of the two, and it was the wrong color. It looked like the right color on the paper. Go figure, the Etsy shop isn't responding to me for a refund or replacement, and they falsely advertised with the wrong pictures of the decal. Very misleading.

At least I got practice applying the decal, which is super hard to do without bubbles. I'm going to have to find another way to do it. Maybe I need to do the soapy water / alcohol spray combination I had to use to put the clear bra stuff on my headlights. I'll figure it out later. I'm going to order the right ones today from a different shop. In the meantime, I peeled off the old vinyl and left a ton of residue. I'll try and clean that up today with a combination of window cleaner, wd40, a razor, and some papertowels. What a pain in the a**.

96 Bronco 4bt Cummins

SAS decision making, wife isn't helping

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