minimum 4x4 engine size

[Midgets50]

Hi all,
Im trying to decide what motor to use in my truck i want to make it 4x4, but i dont need a massive 350 motor. i was wondering what the best combination would be to put in. gas or diesel either and im trying to balance performance with price. im on a budget.
Thanks in advance

[bilfman]

Well a 350 isnt massive and is will probably be the cheapest power for your $$, small block chevy parts are plentiful and can be as economical as any smaller engine. I think on performance/price it will be hard to beat a small block.

[Redcap]

A 350? Massive?! It is easily the most common GM motor and smallblock parts are cheap.

[86c20]

if you have larger tires and do some real off roading go with a diesel. i would rec a isuse or a cummins but the cummins is expensive. perkins are cheaper and good motors. personaly i like detroit 2 strokes 453t or if its a have ton a 353t ia good. little bet more odd but can be fond cheaper. if you go with gas a 350 is about the best all around motor. or of more turque is needed find a 454 out of a bus or c60.

[Midgets50]

sorry for my poor wording. i mean i didnt want to go with anything more massive than a 350 for fitting issues. and i would love to go the diesel route which diesel besides cummins is the best. Love cummins and duramax, but cant find them for a decent price and Duramax dont get the economy mileage that any of the other diesels get

[vectorit]

Cheap crawling, and time tested.
Straight six 292, SM-465, and 5.13 gears...

Then again I have been yanked out of some serious trouble by a 4 cylinder 22R Toyota.

[kenbob87]

I used to wheel with a TBI 4.3l v6 and it worked great for me had enough power to spin 33's pretty easily in low range and got decent milage on the highway that was with 4.10 gears... the engines are cheap to find most of the parts are the same as a 350 too other than the obvious intake & exhuast manifolds and internals... but then again even the pistons and rods are the same

[b454rat]

A big block will fit in like factory, cause they came that way. I had a couple trucks that I swapped to 454s, and dropped in easier than the small blocks came out. Me personally, I'd run a big block, I like having the power just a push of the pedal away. S-10s and Vega's should have small blocks....

[andrewmp6]

For a diesel the 6.2/6.5 will pretty much bolt right in anywhere a small block will fit.But you can't beat a 350 on price pre hp it is one of the cheapest v8s to make power with.2nd would be the ford 302.

[special-K]

I've never felt the need for a big block in a 4wd. Gears is where you get your torque. There are legendary 4wds that had very low horsepower. And,look at tractor HP ratings...really low. And 85hp tractor can do some serious pulling.
I agree a small block would be your cheapest most powerful bet. I have a 6.2 Jimmy and that thing has enough power to do what a 4wd does. It's 135hp.

[b454rat]

Diesels have a buttload of torque, really what you need in a truck/4wd. The 350 would be your best bet, can get some power out of it with not much effort or money. Or if you can find a 400, even better...

[Midgets50]

im starting to look through diesels now. what years do i need to look through for a good diesel that requires minimum wiring. if possible i want a motor that doesnt require a computer

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by Midgets50

im starting to look through diesels now. what years do i need to look through for a good diesel that requires minimum wiring. if possible i want a motor that doesnt require a computer

Most diesels that will fit into your truck are mechanical and require bare minimum wiring. 3-53/4-53 Detroits, 4BT/6BT Cummins...there are some smaller Cat motors that might fit.

[Zoomad75]

You really can't beat a small block Chevy for maximum ability to swap in and fit. Diesels are great for torque, but with that comes size and weight. 6.2/6.5's are big and heavy, lack the power of later diesels unless fitted with a turbo. Both have their own issues for reliability. Getting a duramax stuffed in there is going to be expensive and you'll have fun with the floor to clear an Allison trans (again more $$$'s) due to its size. Cummins engines aren't cheap even with the older 4bt or 6bt versions. You can use a trans adapter out of a GM p-chassis running a 4bt to mate them to a gm trans. Average price on a used 4bt is still 2g's for a runner with miles on it.

Besides the cost, you'll have to account for the weight with the suspension you plan on using. Going with a small block simplifies the whole process. The later chassis you have already has mounts for it. You can make up for some lack of power with a stock 350 (or smaller) but gearing it up at the axles. Higher numerical gears will get the truck rolling with less power than a diesel at an expense of overall top end speed.

One other option is going with a newer gen III/IV LS type small block. Pound for pound they make more power than the original small block. Go all the way with the fuel injection and you'll enjoy power and fuel economy. It's a higher tech way to go for sure.

[obijuan]

292/sm420/205.

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by obijuan

292/sm420/205.

The SM420 never had a NP205 attached. You must be thinking of the SM465.

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/sm420.htm

[obijuan]

Originally Posted by Redcap

The SM420 never had a NP205 attached. You must be thinking of the SM465.

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/sm420.htm

not necessarily impossible either.

[Midgets50]

great input everyone. im not planning on going mudding in this truck. just wanting to have something that can use the 4x4 for snow and whatever else the weather throws. and still have the power to pull something if needed. i wont be pulling anything to big

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by obijuan

not necessarily impossible either.

No, but why bother with the difficulty and expense?

[GSP7]

5.9 Cummins is a heavy motor 1100 lbs not including inter cooler etc

Sm block chevy is 575 lbs

I have a dodge ram cummins 4x4 and that motor is heavy allright

[Mikec10]

diesels for mudding suck, dont get a diesel if you want to mud, 5+klb truck sinks pretty easily in the mud.

[bignbad]

292/sm465/205 with 410 gears

[rcbildr]

The set up my girlfriend and I have been talking about for her 85 diesel burb is to rebuild a 6.2L diesel and install a turbo.

Back when I had the burb, I had an SM-465 behind the 6.2L and loved the set up....just put it in granny low and idle anywhere. Just before I gave her the Burb I swapped out the SM-465 for a TH-400...the heavy clutch would have really aggravated her bad ankle and hip.

[andrewmp6]

The 6.2 detroit diesel was used 82-93 in gm trucks vans.The 6.5 replaced it i think that one has a ecu but its a early one not a big headache to wire.Both of them will pretty much bolt right in tho.Have you thought about a cummins 4bt?Its a 3.9 4 cylinder basicly a 12 valve with 2 cylinders cut off it.They are a little slow stock but they are easy to mod to get more power and mpg.