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Old 05-24-2023, 06:07 PM   #1
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convert t444e to 12v cummins 6bt?

has anyone done this? what adapters plates do i use? i have an 1997 intern ational 4700.

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Old 05-25-2023, 07:19 AM   #2
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but why? im sure you can fit a 5.9 in but you'll have to make your own stuff for it.. its a similar size to a DT360 so you may be able to use engine mounts and such for a DT360..(likely with mods) you will have to cut your firewall out and fit a doghouse as the V8 444E doesnt go as far back as an I6. new driveshafts will be required as the trans will go further back.. you'll be on your own as far as fitting accessories and a shroud for the Fan..



if power is the issue just put an Orion on your 444E if its the single box, otherwise PowerHungry I believe has a hydra that will fit the 3 box and give you plenty of Go..
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Old 05-25-2023, 10:45 AM   #3
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I too have to wonder why? Unless the 444 is dead and you have a good 5.9, it seems to be trading one basic engine for another, instead of taking a step up to lets say the 466
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Old 05-25-2023, 10:53 AM   #4
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I too have to wonder why? Unless the 444 is dead and you have a good 5.9, it seems to be trading one basic engine for another, instead of taking a step up to lets say the 466

to get rid of electronics (if thats his goal) then an NGD P-pumped 466 is what I would go with!
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Old 05-25-2023, 09:18 PM   #5
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I'm not a big fan of the 7.3 T444e either, but I concur, repowering an international chassis to Cummins is probably going to be more work than it's worth. If you're going to repower I would assume (not a mechanic here at all haha) going to a 7.6 would be significantly easier in terms of parts availability... And at that rate why not just start with a bus with that platform??

When I was searching for my bus I briefly contemplated buying one with the 6.0 vt365 (an engine I have plenty of bad experience with) and repowering it to a dt466e. I was quickly talked out of that plan of action by my real mechanic friend and a few people on this forum.
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Old 05-25-2023, 09:32 PM   #6
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why all the 444 hate? whats wrong with it? I been driving mine for close to 7 years... ive upped the power a bit.. but it runs great and moves the bus down the road nicely..
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Old 05-25-2023, 09:38 PM   #7
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why all the 444 hate? whats wrong with it? I been driving mine for close to 7 years... ive upped the power a bit.. but it runs great and moves the bus down the road nicely..
For me, a combo of bad experience and preference of my mechanic friend that rubbed off on me. I had a full size 2001 international amtran school bus converted to party bus that had the 7.3. Underpowered for that large of bus carrying a full load of intoxicated adults, in my opinion. It was significantly noisier compared to my other 7.6s. Biggest issue was the awful international chassis design that required lifting the engine off the mounts just to reseal the leaking oil pan.

That being said, it was miles and miles better than the 6.0 vt365 I had and let's not even mention that cursed maxxforce dt haha. So third favorite, behind my 7.6s and the one 1997 Cummins 6bt I had
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Old 05-26-2023, 08:48 AM   #8
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no doubt the 466 is miles and miles better..(if no other reason than wet-sleeve design).. esp in its NGD mechanical P pump form..



but ill take a 444E over a 6BT anyday..



in fact ill take a DTA360 any day over a 6BT..



the 6BT is fine engine but its not wet sleeve and seems underpowered to me in everything ive driven it in except a dodge ram and a short bus.. at least on the 444E I can just plug a computer in and have an instant 50-70 more HP than most of the stock 444E's out there...
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Old 05-26-2023, 09:07 AM   #9
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That 6bt was also way underpowered in a 40 ft bus, but she purred like a kitten and was so easy to maintain.

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no doubt the 466 is miles and
miles better..(if no other reason than wet-sleeve design).. esp in its NGD mechanical P pump form..



but ill take a 444E over a 6BT anyday..



in fact ill take a DTA360 any day over a 6BT..



the 6BT is fine engine but its not wet sleeve and seems underpowered to me in everything ive driven it in except a dodge ram and a short bus.. at least on the 444E I can just plug a computer in and have an instant 50-70 more HP than most of the stock 444E's out there...
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Old 05-26-2023, 04:17 PM   #10
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Is the 444E a wet sleeve engine? I did not think so.


as far as the cummins 6bt I have had two of them and had plenty of power. I regularly went up to 26,000 lbs and they did well. Easy enough to turn up the power to. Now transmissions have been a problem .... at least in the pickups.


But overall the 444E or the 6bt seem to be about the same durability and are not wet sleeve engines. Pickup truck engines. Nothing "wrong" with them but I would change if I had to, to a larger meduim duty engine
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Old 05-26-2023, 04:22 PM   #11
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Is the 444E a wet sleeve engine? I did not think so.


as far as the cummins 6bt I have had two of them and had plenty of power. I regularly went up to 26,000 lbs and they did well. Easy enough to turn up the power to. Now transmissions have been a problem .... at least in the pickups.


But overall the 444E or the 6bt seem to be about the same durability and are not wet sleeve engines. Pickup truck engines. Nothing "wrong" with them but I would change if I had to, to a larger meduim duty engine

the 444E is not a wet sleeve engine.. and neither is the 5.9.. seems like a brainless upgrade.. now going like i said to a 466 NGD P pump.. now THATS an upgrade.. esp since to go from a 444E to a 5.9 you still have to do all the work of cutting out the firewall and fitting a doghouse and re-doing driveshafts, probably transmission lines (if auto) as well too.. id do it for a real upgrade..
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