Help with Truck ID
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Other Topics
Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
Forum Description: anything you want to talk about except politics
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=173532
Printed Date: 19 Jul 2025 at 9:12am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Help with Truck ID
Posted By: modirt
Subject: Help with Truck ID
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 8:56am
|
So truck in question is a derelict Dodge D600. I have the VIN number. How or where to you find out the details and specs, as to year, engine type, transmission, etc? VIN# D61FM5J014731 Not sure how one tells the difference between number 1 and letter I, or number 0 vs. letter O
|
Replies:
Posted By: Boss Man
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 9:56am
| If I remember right the dont use the letter o to save confusion, not sure about I. This might help. http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/Pages_HTML/DodgeVINdecoder.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/Pages_HTML/DodgeVINdecoder.html |
Posted By: allisbred
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 10:20am
| Sounds like 1975 2 1/2 ton 4 or 5 speed, 2 speed rear, most likely a 318 LA motor. Note; Several options of engines were available. Just my guess from what I remember. |
Posted By: iowallis
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 6:14pm
|
This is what I come up with. Somebody thought it might have a 318 small block. If the distributor is at the front of the engine and angled it is a big block and probably a 361 as listed.
|
Posted By: allisbred
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 6:51pm
| Very slick Iowallis! Not to hi-jack this thread, I have been trying to decode mine as well. “86504033” is the number if your coder works on older Dodge’s. |
Posted By: modirt
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 7:06pm
|
That matches what I looked at exactly. Main thing was wanting to know was the engine. Now trying to find out if a 361 will bolt up in place of a 318....with few or no mods.
|
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 7:08pm
|
“86504033” is the number if your coder works on older Dodge’s. allis........ is it a 6 cylinder pre 1963 ? the attached link above starts at 63 and yours seems to predate that ? ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 7:16pm
A/LA/HEMI PATTERN
B/RB PATTERN
------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: allisbred
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 7:21pm
|
You will need a bell housing, flywheel and clutch for the BB. You can use the same transmission. Not sure if you already have the 361, I would just go to a 440 if you want a BB. You can also do a 360 SB very easily just by having your flywheel rebalanced. Yes— mine is a ‘47 and have not found a full code breakdown. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 7:53pm
here is a start......... ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2020 at 7:56pm
|
click here ... 1947 dodge https://www.townwagon.com/3947registry/index.php" rel="nofollow - https://www.townwagon.com/3947registry/index.php ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: modirt
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2020 at 9:28am
Nope, don't have the 361. What I have is a 50 year old Deweze Hay Monster, which has the same power train components as a Dodge D600. Engine is a 318 Chrysler. The Dodge D600 I found is not running, and I was looking at it as a parts donor. In the short run, I'm needing to replace the rear tires and rims, which are currently 7.50 x 20 split rim widow makers and old, cracked, mis-matched tires that are on life support. The D600 I found has 8.25 x 20 rims and usable tires. Then would look at pulling and rebuilding the engine, and possibly transmission, as a spare if anything happens to the existing engine and part out the rest to pay for it all. Would be an easy choice if D600 had a 318....that would swap out without modifications, but doesn't. I'm guessing the modifications would go beyond the bell housing, clutch, etc, such that transmission might be moved aft.....meaning shorter drive shaft, and that would also mess up gear shift linkages, which was some pretty clever barnyard engineering. So probably need to pass on this particular D600. Good deal (I suggested $500 as is and that wasn't scoffed at) or not.
|
allisbred wrote:Posted By: modirt
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2020 at 9:38am
|
BTW, do any of you old Dodge guys know if a 361 runs hot? I once had an 89 GMC Suburban with 454 big block and it was notorious for running hot. Was told it lacked internal space for coolant. Use of the Hay Monster....with up to 1/2 hour to 45 minutes unloading at the barn running at idle speed lends itself to running hot. The 318 heats up, but large radiator and large radiator fan helps keep it temps down.
|
Posted By: allisbred
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2020 at 12:49pm
| So you are just looking for a small block to replace the 318 in the Hay Monster then or were you thinking about putting the 361 in there? I don’t think the 361 was a “great” motor from what I remember, friend has one in a charger and I think that is fine, 383 was an upgrade in my opinion though. Not sure if they ran hot unless there were other issues. |
Posted By: allisbred
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2020 at 12:54pm
| BTW— what 318 do you have, the LA or WB Canadian motor? |
Posted By: modirt
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2020 at 1:20pm
|
The Monster was a commercial made piece of farm equipment......all of it custom fabricated at the factory, except for the drive train parts....engine, tranny, axles, etc. which appear to have been purchased from Dodge and appear to be the same as what is shown for the base Dodge D600 of the era. Base engine then was the 318. Has an odd gear configuration, in that it has an NP540 one speed transmission, which should be a 5 speed, but only has 4 gears and a weird shift pattern. R-2-1 over a 4-3. Found that out by trial and error. 318 Engine in it now is not original, and was put in by the previous owner, who purchased it used. Serial number suggests it was either a racing engine or crate engine, but I suspect it is an LA. Engine starts and runs OK, does not use oil, has no issues I'm aware of, so replacement is not pending nor high on my priority. Still, if I could find a spare for a backup, might not be bad to have....considering this stuff is getting to be 50 years old. Monster sat under shade tree for about 5 years before I got it last summer. Was not running then, but we got it running fairly easily. Main parts I wanted off the D600 in short run were those rims and tires. Engine and tranny good to have as spares. I asked if owner would sell just the rims. Got a quick no on that. All or none of it. BTW, I have some Dodge truck literature from that era and the 318 was the base engine. The 361 was considered an upgrade, although if I'm reading it right, it actually shows less HP. Found something about it having more low end torque. Due to having everything so geared down.....low speed 1st gear and low speed rear end, in the field, Monster acts more like farm equipment. So has plenty of power even with the 318. Had been struggling on the road when geared up, but a tuneup would probably solve a lot of that.
|
Posted By: iowallis
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2020 at 2:59pm
|
If you have the 318 and want to replace it with a 318 (probably easiest solution) I would look for one that was used in agricultural applications. I think it would have the cam profile more suited to lower revs/higher torque applications. I think Case combines used the 318 for several years. Massey used Chrysler's inline 6 for many years and they may have used the 273/318 also. If you go to a big block (361/383/413/400/440) I would look for a 440 out of a motor home. Again, the cam would more for torque instead of horsepower as in a muscle car. Also Chrysler made 2 318s. One in the late 50s/mid 60s "poly" engine and the LA318 used in the late 60s into the 80s.
|
Posted By: modirt
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2020 at 4:50pm
|
Good call on the JI Case combine...... https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/31749899/1968-j-i-case-1660" rel="nofollow - https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/31749899/1968-j-i-case-1660 Would consider it sacrilege or desecration to dismantle and part out a perfectly good working model that nice......but I know of a bone yard or two that might have an old Case combine. The one I'm thinking of has an old one armed bandit......literally a guy with only one arm who rebuilt the carb for me off the existing 318, and also rebuilds truck, tractor and pulling engines. Amazing guy to visit with. They are out there. Until then, sounds like I better take care of the engine I have now! PS: First thing we did to get the engine running was to pull the carb and get a new kit in it. Carter BBD carb with no tag. Had to do a lot of looking, but finally found an exact match, kit was made for carbs that fit on some early 70's era Dodge trucks, marine, industrial engines and some RV's. And probably Case combines!
|
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2020 at 2:58am
| Mo...454's did run hot alot, only cuz they ussually didn't have enough external air flow around them to blow away the heat. you'll see alot of motorhomes that have been modified with extra air holes in the front, some added electric fans to blow on the engine. my motorhome has 2 electric fans that are temp controlled for on/off, i've never had a problem with that engine over heating. another thing i did do to a engine that ran hot, i bought a flexable fan, the kind they use on race cars and replaced the original radiator fan with that, it took care of the overheating on that engine. |