Default 8.1 vortec and Allison Swap into 1984 Airstream 310

[Moodified13]

Install completed! It performed perfectly, 2400 rpm at 70mph, 190 degrees, trans at 100 degrees, ac works great, transmission shifts smoothly and downshifts properly. No leaks anywhere. It has tons of power, is 3 times as quiet as it was (almost as quiet as my 2007 f-150), and if I felt like it would easily do well over 100mph. I took it to 80 just to see how it would do and easily had at least another 50% pedal. At 70 it feels like it is hardly working. Overall I'm extatic, everything I wanted to accomplish with this swap was met and exceeded.

I drove it on the maiden run 100 miles to Texas. It got 9 mpg in some pretty good hills. I'm ecstatic with this. The 454 got 5 or 6 on a good day. I was able to talk on the phone and listen to the radio at a reasonable volume. It definitely doesn't lack for power and I have to be careful not to get it going too fast. I really enjoyed the drive. I'm pretty sure that if this power plant was available in 84 Airstream would have put this combo in them instead of the 454/475 combo. I am curious to see what it will get on the interstate without all the hills. I'm hoping for 10, but will not be disappointed if it does no better than 9.

Cruise worked great. Definitely didn't have to babysit it in the hills like the old vacumn system! The added torque is definitely noticeable on cruise. It never checks up and easily pulls hills on cruise with no driver input. Only the steepest hills make it want to downshift!

[Isuzusweet]

I have a turbo diesel so have no need for the swap but I'm sure a bunch of people here are looking at this thread and drooling, so I'm going to ask the all important question.

Excluding the donor vehicle which would be a variable, how much in total did this swap cost you in parts and labour? When I talking labour I'm talking man hours.

Knowing what steps you could save time, taking out the R&D time, troubleshooting etc, etc; how much labour would it take for you to do the next swap?

If a forum member was interested and supplied the donor OR you could supply the donor, would you be interested in possibly doing this very same conversion? If so, how much would you charge for the conversion?

Seriously, there are guys here that would seriously think about this.

While this may not be your profession, the manner in which you have accomplished this task is bloody professional in my book. I'd be the first to state that I'd trust your workmanship.

You have accomplished in three pages what other "professional shops" would have screwed up in 10 pages.

Cheers
Tony

[mayco]

What he said!

[crispyboy]

Very impressive!

[Isuzusweet]

Just in case any of you gasser boys are tempted........87,812 miles on the truck.

With the exchange rate the way it is...$3900.00 USD if you couldn't talk him down.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/m...ationFlag=true

Take your coach to Loiusianna, while they do the take out and getting of parts together, fly up to Calgary and take in the Calgary Stampede and then a nice drive down to Louisianna with the pick up for the swap. Lance, you up for this with your 345?

Cheers
Tony

[mehes]

Tempting, very tempting.

[Isuzusweet]

See what you've start Moodified13, customers are already lining up......and you thought I was kidding!

Maybe if you're unwilling to offer your services in Louisianna, offer a parts list and a kit, like plans for the forklift motor extraction pieces, complete wiring harness, instructions, tips, bandaids and Viagara.

Cheers
Tony

[Moodified13]

My buddy Trey and I have done 8 or so LS swaps (modern Chevrolet motors. 5.3, 6.0, 6.2 etc.). We are both gearheads and like building as much as driving. We did this one in 7 weeks from start to finish. With full time jobs, that is a lot of late nights! I will be glad to help anyone interested in doing this. I'll be glad to provide part numbers, vendors, or advice! We do occasionally take on work outside of our own projects, but it's not something we are actively pursuing.

This particular swap cost me around $10,000.00 before selling the donor and the old 454 and transmission. If you have never done a swap the little stuff adds up quick. Machine shop work, custom hoses, new radiator, new radiator hoses, electric fans, fluids, Abbott cable-x (speedometer converter).

I'd have to talk to my building partner on what we would do another one for, but I figure we have 600-700 man hours in this swap. Labor would be the most expensive part of the quote.

[Moodified13]

Took the airstream on another 100 mile run, I was following a buddy and set the cruise on 72. It got 7.7 mpg. I could never have dreamed to travel at that speed and get that kind of mileage before. The drivetrain has yet to hiccup and it's nice not to have to babysit the carburetor on startup. I have a ton more confidence in it than I did my oily 454. Also nice not to have to put a pan under it to catch the oil leaking out of the old engine.

[mayco]

Beautiful

[Isuzusweet]

[QUOTE=Moodified13;1929492]

Lance just loaded this photo on a computer key , drove to to the local Wallmart, blew it up poster size and has it laid out over his 454 under the doghouse. Now he just has to convince the boss.


Tony

[mehes]

How about a glass doghouse?

[Moodified13]

That would actually be a good idea. I've pulled it off at least a dozen times showing it off!

[choctawmel]

Originally Posted by Moodified13

I already had a gauge. The 475 ran cool! Hope the Allison will too!

As I'm doing my own T-1000/cummins swap I learned I have too much transmission cooler and needed a thermostat bypass. The Allison don't work right below 141 degrees.

[choctawmel]

After reading the whole thread, I'm kind-a feeling bad now: You did this in 7 weeks. My cummins/6-speed swap is going on 16 months!

But then I wasted too much time trying to get the 4L80e to work with the diesel before pulling the trigger on the Allison.

[Moodified13]

Don't feel bad! That is the fastest we have ever done one! It was a lot of late nights with 2 of us, sometimes three. We also have a lot of experience with swapping LS based motors so that definitely speeds things up! Something that keeps my projects going is I try to get something accomplished every day even if it's small. Also, we keep a punch list on a marker board that we mark off and add to as unforeseen items pop up. Lastly, I try to stay ahead of the parts we are going to need so I have them on hand when needed. Nothing will slow you down more than waiting on parts to arrive!

[mehes]

Any updates on this swap? Performance? Lessons learned? It really looks great. I'm still considering just such a project as I am sure many others are as well. It would be great to hear more.

[Moodified13]

I’ve put approximately, 8,000 miles on the 8.1/Allison since install. It has been absolutely flawless. I love how quiet it is and how cool it runs. One of my biggest concerns was keeping the engine and trans cool. The engine runs at 200 and the trans at 160. I love that I can now drive at a comfortable pace instead of holding traffic behind me for 6 miles. At 75 the engine is turning 2,500 rpm’s. Besides a couple of oil cooler lines that required tightening and an alternator that had to be replaced, it has required no other maintenance.

[Magnet18]

I just found this thread, and wow, well done!
That engine looks beautiful in there!


Previous owner of mine went with a rebuilt carbeurated 454 and Gear vendors. I get similar MPG/RPMs, but like you said, it's an expensive accessory behind a 40 year old drivetrain, and they're known to be prone to issues.

[DreamStreamr]

My 2006 8.1L/Allison has been flawless for 226,000 miles, 150,00 of those towing an RV all over North America. Gas mpg and oil consumption aren’t great but reliability and smoothness worth it.

Great thread, pictures, writing. Enjoyed reading about your swap.