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Turbo or supercharged L6 213 cu in Green Diamond


Guest sfd421

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Guest sfd421

Hi Guys,

Have a friend that has a1949 International KB1. We would like to keep the original engine because it has a fresh rebuild and runs strong. We need to run down the road at 60 rather than forty. We were thinking of installing a turbo or maybe a supercharger on the 6 cylinder. Does anyone know of a kit or resource to get us started? Thanks

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Hi, sounds like a great old truck. Just an idea, many of the old trucks have the rear end geared for heavy work and not speed. They can pull anything but top speed is limited. The 6 cylinder should run 60 easily if equiped with the proper gears in the rear end without any boost. Most any good mechanic should be able to determine your gear ratio and recommend a replacement set. Have fun with that truck!!!

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Hi, sounds like a great old truck. Just an idea, many of the old trucks have the rear end geared for heavy work and not speed. They can pull anything but top speed is limited. The 6 cylinder should run 60 easily if equiped with the proper gears in the rear end without any boost. Most any good mechanic should be able to determine your gear ratio and recommend a replacement set. Have fun with that truck!!!
Thanks for your reply Fleek. We switched out the rear end for a Ford with 3 55s but that didn't help. From what I'm reading, if we turbo or supercharge this old engine we will probably blow the lower end. Looking at a Chev 350 to see how it will fit and a 5 speed manual tranny.
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Another in-line 6 would be an easier swap, even a later model one from I-H. Seems like a shame you want to give up on the good rebuild. Certainly, a turbo would melt the pistons fast and super charger, if you could find one to fit, would blow the bottom end out like you said. Keep a look out for a better set of gears or maybe even an overdrive unit for it.

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Another in-line 6 would be an easier swap, even a later model one from I-H. Seems like a shame you want to give up on the good rebuild. Certainly, a turbo would melt the pistons fast and super charger, if you could find one to fit, would blow the bottom end out like you said. Keep a look out for a better set of gears or maybe even an overdrive unit for it.

Thanks Bleach. Maybe an overdrive might do the trick. I'll check it out!

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I'm surprised the truck won't do sixty. If they couldn't have built a truck that would go that fast in 1949 nobody would have bought them.

This suggests either the rear axle has an optional, super low ratio. Or, there is something wrong with the engine.

As you have addressed the axle ratio question that leaves the engine. Is the throttle opening all the way? Is the exhaust or intake restricted? Is the camshaft properly timed? Is the ignition working correctly? If everything is working right it should do 60 with no problem.

If you mean the engine will go 60, but sounds like it is about to blow up, that is a gearing or revving question. A 5 speed overdrive trans could be the answer. There are lots of them in junkyards, look for one from a van or pickup rather than a car because the shift lever will be in the right place.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Doing 60mph is not a problem it is the RPM that is the problem in most older engines. Find out what kind of RPM is safe for your engine first. I have a 1942 Chevy truck with 6.17 gears and the 235 babbit power at 35mph I was running about 2500 RPM's I installed an Spicer 5831 auxillary trans with 27% overdrive and now at 55mph I am running 2000 RPM's. Go with a overdrive trans would be my suggestion. Marv.

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  • 2 months later...
Guest brian j

Hi. Do not turbocharge your 213. They were originally made, as most of the IH sixes were to run at lower rpms with good torque for hauling loads. They are not speed monsters. If you try to make one go fast it'll break in ways you never thought possible.I could go into an explanation as to why, but it would take too much time. Yes, the roads were full of 40 MPH drivers in 1940..........as a matter of fact there weren't many highways back then. 40 was pretty fast on the gravel. If you want to go faster try a bigger IH engine like the 264 or 265 black diamond engines. They still aren't made for speed, but they have oodles of power/torque. So much torque you can place an IH overdrive trans behind them and go 70 all day. And they still get good mileage, unlike the monster 500 cubic inch sixes that IH made also , but get about 2 miles per gallon of gas fuel consumption. As far as i know, no IH engine was ever made to run much over 4000 rpm max,and many won't tolerate sustained 3500 rpm making them poor candidates for turbocharging.

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  • 3 months later...

Spot on analysis. Add a Brown-Lipe aux. trans with a .73 overdrive.

Model # 5831. Note, there are some Brownie models that only have a direct drive or a .85 overdrive. The 5831, 5831-A, and the 5831-E are the aux. box models w/ the .73 O/D. Be sure to mount the aux trans w/ a slight slant to prevent vibration.

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  • 8 years later...

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