The official 6bt conversion thread

[nevrenufhp]

Last I looked, the 3200rpm VE gov spring was $16 at PDR

[averagef250]

Spring cost me $6 from a local bosch distributor. Have fun Mike! Bring earplugs and a radio!

[mljjones67]

How did you find the bosch distributor? Is the spring the same in the 6bt??

[averagef250]

Yep, same as the early VE pump 6BT. Bosch guy is a friend of a friend.

[460 crew]

Dustin
Out of curiosity how different is a S547 from a S542 tranny, their supposed to look identical but what about a spline count mating to a 205 and gear ratios? The page said they were for 95 and newer trucks with small blocks so wondering if this could be an option or not.

Also would there be any benifit to running a Zf 6 speed if I found one 4 a deal, what would I need to make it work an adapter plate?

[averagef250]

I'm pretty sure the only difference between the 42 and 47 is the input shaft. The 47 started with the new body style and used a 1 3/8" input shaft like the 6 speed. The 47 is not very common and only found in the modular and diesel bellhousing pattern.

If you find a deal on the 6 speed it's a great tranny, I haven't figured out how to mate it with the 205 yet, working on it. Keep in mind if you find a non-small block bellhousing tranny you'll need to buy an $800 adapter to make it work.

The benefit to the 6 speed is a granny gear and it's a bunch stronger. The ZF 6 speed and ZF diesel 5 speed have almost the same ratios, the 6 speed just has a granny and different shift pattern.

[460 crew]

Ok I'm all mixed up now I wanted to make sure what spline count the 205 case has for sure. So I went down to my storage unit and brought one of them back home, pulled the adapter housing off and it it 31 spline counting the bumps or the dips doesn't matter I counted about 10x each. Does this mean we can use the earlier Zf 5 speed 4x4 app?

[mljjones67]

Hey Patrick isn't this going to be a fun swap??

[averagef250]

Yes it does, they are 31 spline, not 32. I was goofed up and thinking output splines.

[mljjones67]

Sweet that was easy.

[averagef250]

Got your vans yet Mike?

[mljjones67]

nope not yet. This coming weekend I hope!!!

[averagef250]

Gotcha.

[71PA_Highboy]

So I have been taking to Matt and Phillip (the guys Dustin bought his last motor from in Buffalo), and they we talking about using the 6BT turbo... which got me thinking...

Has anyone seen a boost gauge that would work well in the F500 gauge cluster? I have seen an air pressure gauge in a bus that looks good, but it is way too high...

TIA,

Eric

[averagef250]

What size is the gauge hole? I'm sure you can get a boost gauge from isspro or SW in the right size if it's a standard size gauge.

Matt seams like a pretty nice guy. He's willing to drive a bit further than he needs to drop the engine off at a shipping dock that'll save me a few hundred bucks for nothing.

Leaning towards the 6BT eh?