Welcome back to Hank’s Cars and Coffee. This blog post will be the first of the series to include more detailed information that was not readily available in the video series itself. In Episode 5, the OM606 has finally arrived with an assortment of goodies. We got a first look at our new and seemingly perfect transmission adapter that will allow us to mate the OM606 to the Ford 4R70W that currently sits in my truck.
Transmissionadapters.com has kindly agreed to partner with me in this build by providing me with a 10% discount code to give out to anyone looking to make a purchase at transmissionadapters.com – So be sure to use code “HANK10” on ANY purchase with Transmission Adapters.
Once the engine was “gently lifted” out of the back of my Toyota, we got to give the engine a good look over to make sure there were no concerning signals, leaks, oil contaminations, or missing bolts. Needless to say (knock on wood), it seems like a pretty clean and kept engine.
Preparing for the Engine Install and Designing in CAD for the First Time
In the morning before I started filming this Episode 5, I took the time to sit while drinking my coffee and learn basic CAD.
The main reason for this is to find a solution for a Throttle Position Signal that can utilize the factory Ford TPS (Throttle Position Sensor). Luckily, this seemed fairly simple as the OM606 mechanical injection pump has a shaft that goes through the pump case, with one side that connects to the throttle cable and the other size sitting alone, held in by a C-clip and with a slit through the middle of the shaft.
That slit and the shaft just so happen to be almost the exact same size as the hole and teeth on the factory Ford TPS. I grabbed a random piece of mending plate and bent it to the approximate dimensions it needed to be and once tightened down, the TPS cycled flawlessly with the throttle lever.
Now that I knew the factory Ford TPS would work, I only needed a more permanent solution for the bracket to hold it in place. So, I took my measurements, made a cardboard cut-out and got to work learning CAD. And within a few hours, I had a rough design and had placed an order to have it 3D printed in Nylon 12 plastic and shipped to me for follow-up adjustments. Once complete, I fully intend to offer the Ford TPS to OM603/6 Bracket for sale.
Episode 5 saw us take a quick look through the engine where we checked intake ports, gaskets, fuel lines, bolts, and oil quality. After a few passes with the shop vac and the air compressor, this engine really showed itself as a solid choice for the build and I am very happy with how clean and kept everything seems.
Once I was finished looking over the engine for the first time, I hopped back to the truck bed to remove the plastic liner that has sat in the back of the truck for 30-years. In the video, you can see just how awesome it is to own a car in a Southern state that rarely sees snow or salt on the roads. The truck bed looked practically new other than some dirt and leaves hiding underneath with almost no rust at all other than a few small surface rust spots. Once the liner was out, I got under the truck to check the condition of the bed bolts in preparation for removing the bed in Episode 6.
In Episode 5 we will be attempting to remove the truck bed to gain access to the fuel system. At the same time, we will welcome one of my good friends to the build, who is going to show us how to weld up the cracks in the engine cradle and start fabricating the motor mounts.
If you’ve got questions about this swap, especially if you’re thinking of doing something similar, drop a comment or DM me at @hankejohnson or @hankscarsandcoffee on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. I’m trying to share every step in detail so that others can follow along—or learn from my mistakes.
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