This forum has always been a lot of help to me throughout my restoration process. I saw a lot of interest and replies to the cummins swap thread, so I will document my swap with info and pictures. I just bought the vehicle, a 1991 dodge intercooled Cummins 2WD. I will be using a rebuilt and beefed up 47RH tranny out of a 1994 Dodge for the lockup torque converter option as mine doesnt have it. .69 overdrive with the converter locked and 4.56 gears will yield 55 MPH at about 1800 RPMs (cummins sweet spot and aerodynamic sweet spot). Fuel mileage is my main concern. It will take a while to get the engine out of the truck. Should be mid to late january. Wish me luck. If anyone has suggestions on the best way to get the 454 out, that would be appreciated. I plan on coming straight out the front.
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1979 AIRSTREAM EXCELLA / DRIVER CONTROLLED AIRBAGS IN REAR / BUFFED / HEAT DISSIPATING WHITE PAINTED ROOF / 2500 WATT INVERTER / KUBOTA DIESEL 5.5KW GENSET / ((((CUMMINS)))) TURBO DIESEL / 14CM TURBO HOUSING WITH PACBRAKE EXHAUST BRAKE / 4" EXHAUST WITH 5" EXAHAUST TIP / 16 MPG
I did not see the original thread but just wanted to offer to make sure you have a beefy torque convertor with the correct stall speed for your diesel engine and gear ratio. (you probably already knew all of this)
Good Luck - sounds like a great swap!
This forum has always been a lot of help to me throughout my restoration process. I saw a lot of interest and replies to the cummins swap thread, so I will document my swap with info and pictures. I just bought the vehicle, a 1991 dodge intercooled Cummins 2WD. I will be using a rebuilt and beefed up 47RH tranny out of a 1994 Dodge for the lockup torque converter option as mine doesnt have it. .69 overdrive with the converter locked and 4.56 gears will yield 55 MPH at about 1800 RPMs (cummins sweet spot and aerodynamic sweet spot). Fuel mileage is my main concern. It will take a while to get the engine out of the truck. Should be mid to late january. Wish me luck. If anyone has suggestions on the best way to get the 454 out, that would be appreciated. I plan on coming straight out the front.
Well you certainly got MY attention .
Thats a upgrade we would love to do to our 454 powered 1984 310. Definitely document your swamp extensively and be ready for lots of questions .
Good luck and keep us posted!
Brad
__________________ "Wherever you go... there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
Air forums # 1674
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
1974 31' Excella 500 (future hauler for 2 Triumph race cars)
1974 20' Argosy Motorhome (future Excella 500 tow vehicle)
Yeah, I am going to splurge on the torque converter. Plenty of heavy duty versions out there, and the price is coming down. That seems to be one of the weak links with the dodge trannys.
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1979 AIRSTREAM EXCELLA / DRIVER CONTROLLED AIRBAGS IN REAR / BUFFED / HEAT DISSIPATING WHITE PAINTED ROOF / 2500 WATT INVERTER / KUBOTA DIESEL 5.5KW GENSET / ((((CUMMINS)))) TURBO DIESEL / 14CM TURBO HOUSING WITH PACBRAKE EXHAUST BRAKE / 4" EXHAUST WITH 5" EXAHAUST TIP / 16 MPG
Engine is out of the motorhome and out of the truck. Just got the tranny back from phoenix reman transmissions. ACD engines out of Salt Lake has motor mounts that advertise to work for this application. They bolt to the Cummins and drop right in to interface with the Chevy rubber mounts. Got a 220 amp alternator to push the 2500 watt inverter for the roof air. Should be installing the engine this weekend. Had to remove the head from the Cummins to get it in through the front.
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1979 AIRSTREAM EXCELLA / DRIVER CONTROLLED AIRBAGS IN REAR / BUFFED / HEAT DISSIPATING WHITE PAINTED ROOF / 2500 WATT INVERTER / KUBOTA DIESEL 5.5KW GENSET / ((((CUMMINS)))) TURBO DIESEL / 14CM TURBO HOUSING WITH PACBRAKE EXHAUST BRAKE / 4" EXHAUST WITH 5" EXAHAUST TIP / 16 MPG
This is the most interesting project I've seen on here for some time. Sounds like a well thought out solution. I can't wait to read and see more!
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2002 Toyota Tundra Why is it Levee's built by volunteers with sand bags hold better than Levee's built as directed by the Corps of Engineers with millions of taxpayer dollars?
We Have a 68 Ford F111 4W that I took the straight 6 out of and replaced it with a 93 Ford Bronco 5 liter. I used the wiring, engine, gas tank, fuel lines, etc. With the straight 6 I got 11 miles to the gallon at 55. With the swap I get 22 mpg at 55. Great upgrade. We now have over 20,000 miles on this rig and are very pleased.
Why do I mentioned the above? We also have a 1948 Cadillac Sedanette. I'd like to convert it to diesel and run it on home made Bio fuel. Anybody have ideas on a doner vehicle for this project?
Why do I mentioned the above? We also have a 1948 Cadillac Sedanette. I'd like to convert it to diesel and run it on home made Bio fuel. Anybody have ideas on a doner vehicle for this project?
This should open a can of worms.
Don
Ok, you have a very desirable, collectable car you want to switch to diesel. Obviously you are crazy, but you are here so it’s a given. How about a John Deere? As far as I know they have never been mounted in anything but farm and construction equipment, but that just adds to the challenge. Their 6 cylinders with the Bosch pumps do have incredible throttle response and the quality of their crankshafts is unbelievable.
We Have a 68 Ford F111 4W that I took the straight 6 out of and replaced it with a 93 Ford Bronco 5 liter. I used the wiring, engine, gas tank, fuel lines, etc. With the straight 6 I got 11 miles to the gallon at 55. With the swap I get 22 mpg at 55. Great upgrade. We now have over 20,000 miles on this rig and are very pleased.
Why do I mentioned the above? We also have a 1948 Cadillac Sedanette. I'd like to convert it to diesel and run it on home made Bio fuel. Anybody have ideas on a doner vehicle for this project?
This should open a can of worms.
Don
Don,
I'd still consider using a truck power train. The Caddy is not a lightweight by any stretch of the imagination and with the heavy frame it is a good candidate for a swap of this nature.
The only challenge I can really see is finding an acceptable donor for a price that makes it worthwhile doing. However, don't let cost get in the way has seemed to be my motto through life. If this were me I'd try to stay with a GM product but a Cummings would work just fine as well. The engine bay is big enough to accommodate a good sized engine.
I don't remember what the wheel base is on your car but I know there was a period of time when folks were using early eighties full size Oldmobiles and cutting the body off but leaving the floor pan and firewall, then doing the same to a 50 Merc and swapping the body on. I think the only thing that was required from a wheel base perspective there was to move the rear end back 2" or something like that. S10 frames were also being used for various vintage cars (52 Chev BelAir is one I know of) that gave them all the latest in suspension technology and providing a good foundation for an engine swap.
I do remember a '55 BelAir hardtop showing up at a car show in the late 80's that had a diesel installed. There seemed no half way with the audience, they either loved the idea or hated it, but the owner was pleased as heck with it and that is pretty much all that counts. It was really well done but it had one of the very noisy diesel engines in it which made for a noisy interior. If I remember correctly his one big issue was cooling and it took quite a bit of effort to come up with the right solution that still looked good in that regard, but technology has advanced so much in the past 20 years that this should not be an issue now.
Yes, there are some who would wince at a car of this type/vintage being converted to diesel but you own it, you are the one driving it, and it is yours to do with as you please. You of course will be required to post a ton of pictures you realize.
Barry
__________________ Barry & Donna Life is short - so's the door on an Flying Cloud (ouch) 1951 Flying Cloud 21' 1957 Pontiac Safari 2dr wagon TV
Why do I mentioned the above? We also have a 1948 Cadillac Sedanette. I'd like to convert it to diesel and run it on home made Bio fuel. Anybody have ideas on a doner vehicle for this project?Don
Man, I wonder if that new Isuzu v8 diesel that GM is using in their pick-ups would fit in there. Really is a nice motor. Here is another one way out in the woods. We have the VW Jedda Diesel and that engine has incredible power. Lot smaller too. The Jedda weighs nearly 4000 lbs loaded and gets 40+ mpg.
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AKA THE GUNNER There is no "I" in the word "team," but there are four in "Platitude Quoting Idiot!"
AS a former torque converter rebuilder the suggestion of getting a low stall heavy duty torque converter is a must do item.
The second item is to make sure that your gas tank is completely dry before you put in diesel. Deisel engines do not do well with gas.
Regards from Russell in sunmny and cool Tucson Az.
Yes, I've purchased an upgraded torque converter that would have come in the 94 dodge cummins 2500, so obviously the stall will be correct. As far as getting the gas out of there, of course, but I will say that a little gas wont hurt. I even know of folks who run a little gas through their diesels to clean injectors, and it doesnt appear to hurt anything. Would I do it? No. There are products out there that are made for this.
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1979 AIRSTREAM EXCELLA / DRIVER CONTROLLED AIRBAGS IN REAR / BUFFED / HEAT DISSIPATING WHITE PAINTED ROOF / 2500 WATT INVERTER / KUBOTA DIESEL 5.5KW GENSET / ((((CUMMINS)))) TURBO DIESEL / 14CM TURBO HOUSING WITH PACBRAKE EXHAUST BRAKE / 4" EXHAUST WITH 5" EXAHAUST TIP / 16 MPG
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Just bought my cummins donor vehicle
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has seemed to be my motto through life. If this were me I'd try to stay with a GM product but a Cummings would work just fine as well. The engine bay is big enough to accommodate a good sized engine.
Hi All,
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