1956 S120 - BD 240

How many quarts of oil does the BD240 call for in a 1956 S120? Also what constitutes the High Altitude Package on this truck? I was told flat top pistons (what compression ratio if so), a rejetted carb, and HD air filter. Can anyone confirm? Thanks

http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm ... c/id/36853
This is one of the best resources for Old IHC specifications. I used their search and high altitude did not have anything.
If IHC were anything like Ford of those years, the high altitude option may have been slightly higher compression and better cooling. If you are hoping for more horsepower and torque, forget about it.
IHC did offer a turbocharger on some of the agriculture Diesel engines used at high altitude. There was an occasional pickup that slipped out of the factory with a Diesel. The information about these rare Diesel pickups is on the internet. Lots of luck trying to find it. I did not link it at the time and I have some very small regret.

A nice and relatively easy engine conversion is the Mercedes 300 turbo Diesel. this is easy to do if a person buys the complete car for all of the bits and pieces.

Crankcase refill capacity is 7 quarts. The high altitude engines had smaller main jets in the carb and higher compression pistons. Same pistons as LPG engines. Flat top pistons were used on early BDs. Later ones used the wedge head pistons. I would guess that the difference between standard and high altitude was in the distance between the pin and piston top, rather than in the shape. Increased cooling - larger radiator capacity and bigger fan - was an option on any of them, but I don't know that it was a part of the high altitude package. I haven't seen anything about a different air cleaner.

easy way to tell is flat top pistons is valve cover, if flat top then cover just has raised ribs side to side,

if domed then it's a tilt valve motor and cover has a raised bead front to back

Thank you for the information. It has the the valve cover with the raised ribs going from side to side. Another question, the oil pan has 220 stamped into the bottom, however, I have the original build sheet (found on the sunvisor) and it reads "BD240 Gas Engine". I'm relatively confident that it is the orgininal drivetrain in the truck. Did IH put these oil pans on the 240's?

Did IH put these oil pans on the 240's?

Yes, and 264/265s too.

Dean

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