Cummins Powered Chevy

[DogDiesel]

She runs. smile.gif
Still tinkering with gages, but have it all figured out.
Have yet to have the heart to cut up the front end to install the cummins intercooler. Have it, but won't use it. Using one mounted near where 92-01 chevy intercoolers mount, and with the 2" body lift, there is a ton of space to mount an intercooler.
Wayne smile.gif
Road test went well. ;)

[ 08-03-2004, 03:48 PM: Message edited by: DogDiesel ]

[More Power]

Cool!

We'll have a new article available in the Member's Area in a few days showing a professional installation of a Dodge Cummins in a 1967 Ford 4x4 pickup.

MP

[DogDiesel]

She runs out great.

Everything works except ONE THING. I simply cannot find the connecter for the oil pressure switch. I saw it and marked it when I pulled and installed the cummins, and it is still there somewhere, but I have felt, reached, dug, groped and cannot locate it. With the harness right near the left rear head, space is limited and tight. Wish I could remember the color.
Fall-back plan will be to splice in at the wire into the dash and run a jumper to the switch or put the cummins sender in and use the dodge wire connecter (2 pin). Don't need the fuel pump.

I'm running a temporary intercooler. The turbo technology cooler I used with the 6.5TDA. have the dodge intercooler, doubtful to install it. Guess I'll eBay it and find another that suits my taste. Have towed, and temp setup is OK.

As for fan, I use a full-time Flexilite 418 with a modified 592 2" adapter. It was 3/4", and my fan center is 1", so I milled it out, dowelled it for centering and installed. You'd never know the fan was there for noise. Runs true. With the cummins, you'd not know a lot was there as far as noise goes. It is 3/4"+ from the radiator, and you can see it reach for the radiator as it pulls air. It is 18" and really flexible. Build my fan shroud next week.
Summary of mods:
Warpspeed 4" Dodge exhaust - modified front pipe.
K&N filter kit - modifed mount shroud and pipe.
Flexilite manual fan. See above.
Power steering Dodge 2 hose to chevy three hose (TEE).
Modified NIPPON-DENSO alternator to self-exciting one-wire and added "W" wire for tachometer, which works perfect, as the Dodge RPM pickup did not work.
GM Bell housing and flywheel. 12" flat face LUK clutch and PP.
Made mod mount for hydraulic actuator stud to bell housing (one hole missing on GM bell).
Engine & tranny shifted 2" rearward.
Shortened rear drive shaft 2"
Cab lift 2 " to close hood.
Notched one bolt mount for AC pump.
The rest is small stuff.

The Cummins makes more noise than the 300HP 6.5TDA, pulling power is about the same, but acceleration is a no-brainer, the 300HP 6.5 wins EZ. Empty or loaded. Holding speed on the hill, goes to Cummins. Getting lost speed back on the hill goes to the 300HP 6.5. We'll see about mileage. Have I opened a bucket of worms?

Post Edit. I recinde these above comments. After I fixed a collasped fuel hose problem, the Cummins pulls wonderful, and holds speeds like the 6.5 could not, so getting speed back is no issue. RPM and sporty feel goes to the 300HP 6.5 which pulls good too. Cummins mileage is slightly better.
Wayne

[ 08-26-2004, 04:35 AM: Message edited by: DogDiesel ]

[markrinker]

What is it that gives the Cummins the characteristic rattle? I have been in a few Dodge's that were so noisy you couldn't hear the radio over the idle.

[CareyWeber]

Originally posted by Mark Rinker:
What is it that gives the Cummins the characteristic rattle? I have been in a few Dodge's that were so noisy you couldn't hear the radio over the idle. DI vs IDI

[DogDiesel]

New found Power.
Hooked to my RV...and power to beyond 2000 RPM then was flat. Surge and dip on pulling power. These symptoms could not be felt running empty. Empty accellerates to nearly 3K fine. Calculated it must be collasped fuel line or a pinch.

Stopped at NAPA and bought 4 feet each of 5/16" and 3/8" fuel hose, the stiff kind. Replaced fuel lines from steel at electric pump forward. My God, she woke up!

I have pull power to 2700+ and RPM to 3K. Pulling on cruise is weird, because when it accellerates, it feels like it is floored then smoothes out.

In an above post I stated the 300HP 6.5 out accelarates the cummins. I recinde that comment. Preliminary finding.

Gears 2 & 3 go to the 6.5 due to more RPM but in 4th and 5th where torque rules. Bye-Bye. I got to 85 MPH (all speedo does) in less distance than the 6.5 ever could. And no smoke.

This conversion has been intense and a McGyver project from start, but with my towing needs, I'm on to something.

Oil pressure sender.
Dodge Cummins sender is a no-go. Apparently, this model used a charge light, because the two prongs on the sender were ground and neutral, with oil pressure they reversed. Have to stick with the GM sender and use the center prong. No luck in finding that oil-P/connecter wire. Know it is there, but it won't reveal itself.

Towing day-after-tomorrow 400 miles and back to pick up a Ford 4000 4WD tractor. Mileage should show itself.

Tow RV to MD this weekend.

Project on-going.

Wayne

[DieselDavy]

Wayne,
Great project. Can't wait to hear how the towing goes! Keep us posted!
Dave

[JeepSJ]

Dog - we need pics! Also, how about a write up about the project? I know where there is a 95 4 door dually with a worn out 454 - it is just begging for a diesel.

[DogDiesel]

Need help.
1993 Chevy Cummins conversion from 6.5TD.
Problem: Cannot find the oil pressure switch connecter. Was there when I installed the 5.9L but now it is a mystery. Can run my hand blindly behind tall Cummins head. Found three wires which do not go to anything else which come from the drivers side of firewall, but are solidly connected (or pinched) behind head.
Colors: 1. tan-yellow 2. orange 3. gray
Question: What are the colors for the three wires which go into the 6.5TD oil pressure/fuel pump SWITCH (behind drivers side 6.5 head)?

Wayne

[odee]

most of the chevys I have fooled with on the oil pressure wiring is a tan color. I'm glad that you have gotten some of the issues worked out on the swap.

[DogDiesel]

Well,
I know three wires go to the oil sender switch. One (center) is strictly for oil gage, and two outside are for ground and control for fuel pump. Might control oil pressure too.
must find a wire chart and find the colors.
Wayne

[DogDiesel]

Chevy Cummins MILEAGE UPDATE:
Trip towing trailer from Fayetteville, NC to Knoxville, TN, pickup Ford 4000 4WD tractor. (17.46 MPG)

Trip (one way) towing 13K RV (I-95) Fayetteville NC to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD (13.1 MPG)

Both trips (now that fuel hose collaspe problem mentioned in above post fixed) truck pulled on each speed chose on cruise control, with both loads--without any drop in speed on hills. If I started the hill at 55, it finished at that speed or higher, or if I started at 65 or 68 on cruise, it would finish at that speed or faster. Could accellerate on any hill. Could pull 70 or faster, the same.

Temperature was a constant 150. Could pull in a rest-stop and engine basically cool. Pyrometer never got over 550 (measured 10" down pipe) on any pull (same as 6.5L Banks setup). This is a little cooler exhaust temps than the 6.5L 300HP engine.

Boost max is 25-37 PSI. (I said 25-30 PSI earlier, but on a long hard pulls with load it stays at 35 or so)

Pulled off 245-16 Michelin tires and put on 265-16 Michelins.

Cummins runs pretty good.

Glad I put it in.

Wayne

[ 08-26-2004, 04:20 AM: Message edited by: DogDiesel ]

[JeepSJ]

We need pics.

Also, where did you go for motor mounts, trans adapters, etc... We need details!

[MTTwister]

"Well,
I know three wires go to the oil sender switch. One (center) is strictly for oil gage, and two outside are for ground and control for fuel pump. Might control oil pressure too.
must find a wire chart and find the colors."

Those are the 3 - Orange +12v, Grey power to the lift pump, and via the 'pump relay' on glow plug cycle., that leaves TAN for gauge, I'd guess.

Search 6.5 on OPS relay

http://forum.thedieselpage.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=006860

Great conversion - taking orders? smile.gif

[Blacktruck-1]

Hello DogDiesel. Nice conversion! I'm in the middle of a similar one--1989 GMC 1/2 ton with '90 6BT Cummins/TH 400. Any chance you could give me a line on the alternator one wire conversion kit. It looks like a pita to adapt the Dodge regulator to the chevy/GMC wiring. TIA.

Kirk

[DogDiesel]

Blacktruck,

I took my Nippon Denso "Dodge" 140 amp alternator to my local repair rebuild shop. He installed a very large chip right in the back, with wires which made the thing look like a SPIDER. Thats what he said when I walked in, "Oh you want a spider.."
One hot wire, one field, and she charges perfect. Gage stays between 13.6 - 14.3 no matter what.
Sorry for the delay, I've been traveling.
Wayne

[DogDiesel]

Fan pulley problem.
Returning from NJ on the 295 NJ turnpike, crossing the Delaware Bridge when tachometer (runs off alternator) quit and the coolant low warning light (plugs into radiator) came on. Pressed in the clutch, coasted up the Delaware bridge, and down into the right parking lot. Got out, and found my serpentine belt ate up and the fan pulley, made of aluminum just melted. The belt had knocked the wire off the radiator. Melted! I've never seen anything like it. The Flexilite fan is still mounted and bolts tight.

Cut the belt off, removed the fan and pulley and Turnpike assistance came over. Drove it accross what--a dozen lanes of traffic, and parked it in the tollgate parking lot. Lots of parking area lights.

Gave me a ride to the airport and I picked up a rental. Began looking for parts.

Problem: Since I took my pulley with me, or the donut of what is left, when I looked at the new OEM pulley ( in Lancaster PA) I realized my fan setup was not OEM. I already knew I had a NAPA belt that was not OEM. Ultimately, I drove back to Philidelphia to pick up a fan pulley bearing mount assembly, had a new OEM belt I had picked up in Aberdeen, Maryland, where my RV was parked, so the next day, I'm putting it back together. Everything went together like new. Engine temps stayed at 150 with no fan. You could touch the engine and the radiator was warm. Oil level clean and constant. I'm back in NC now.

I already had a Flexilite 418 fan, a solid full time unit, so with the new pulley and mount assembly, I needed a spacer mount assy for the fan setup. Called Flexilite 1-800-851-1510 and Bob the tech guy said Summit Racing has the Flexilite FLX 852 mount, for the reverse 30MM 1.5 thread mount, a steel unit. ($40.39) Ordered it and shipped to my house in NC. Bought six 6mm 1.0 thread screws and washers, mounted the pulley and drove to NC.

Have yet to mount the fan, but I'm optimistic it will all work. Has too, I tow my Gooseneck trailer back to MD for a NJ pickup of a Allis Chalmers HD-5G crawler for 8 tons of good parts.

Engine runs excellent. Mileage is about 18 empty with 4.10 gears. 70MPH is 2100 and I have yet to run it long above that. Loves 55-65. Best Cruise control I have ever had on any vehicle. I have cars follow me and set their cruise because I guess my cruise is constant and I open traffic so they can mindlessly drive.

Suspension handles the Cummins great, truck drives like it did with the 6.5L. I doesn't feel as "sporty" with the Cummins basically because I have less RPM. That 6.5 300HP will run circles around the cummins while it pulled good too. But this Cummins pulls any speed and gets down and pulls with the exhaust sounding like an 18 wheeler on hard pulls, the cruise holds with load. Grunts and keeps pulling. No matter the speed at hillstart, thats the speed you crest the pull with or faster. Damn nice.

Almost every day, I have someone ask me "what engine do you have under the hood. I know that ain't no Chevy or Duramax?" It gets a lot of smiles and makes for a conversation starter.

But the turbo whine and exhaust note when pulling is loud. I'm running the 4" WarpSpeed system, and it muffles little on hard pulls. A convertible corvette in the RH lane with two girlymen let me know it was loud, they put their figers in their ears, so I tapped the throttle and gave them a goodbye.

Thanks for the answers on Oil sender wires. Carey Weber sent me a wire diagram, and it matches the three mystery wires I found.

Guys, I have pictures, with intent to make a Chevy Cummins conversion website. Will layout details and notes.

Thanks.

Wayne

[jspringator]

I can't wait to see your website! Mine has 173,000 miles. I am trying to plan my repower in advance, knowing failure is likely to happen far away from home at a very bad time. My options are a 6.5 with a new AM general block, a Duramax, with or without Allison conversion, and a Cummins conversion, with a rebuilt Jet 4L80E. It looks like the Cummins conversion would be at least as easy as the Duramax, and substantially cheaper, due to the ready availibility of used Cummins engines. However, I will need a "cookbook" with parts listed for my year (99) so I could get a shop to do it. I know I will need a standalone computer for my transmission. Otherwise, can this successfully be done on a 99?

[Blacktruck-1]

Thanks for the "Spider" tip. Looking forward to the pictures and build info. These 'lil 5.9's got some grunt :D

Kirk

[DogDiesel]

The Flexilite fan mount adapter came in from Summit Racing (2 day delivery).
Bought 4 8mm 1.25 x 50mm bolts, some 5/16" flat washers and mounted the fan to the adapter.

Screw it on (reverse thread). Mounted. Done.
With this new smaller pulley, the fan speed is slightly faster. Sound does not supercede the 12 valve cummins.

Fit and function is clean and nice.

All the pulleys and mounting hardware are now OEM steel. Nice setup.

Wayne

[DogDiesel]

OK,
Have the oil pressure sender / gage and fuel pump hooked up. Oil pressure is identical to manual gage. 55-70 PSI

Didn't think I'd need the fuel pump, with the massive low-pressure pump on the Cummins. Wrong.
Hooked it up, and immediately a different driving truck. Smoother, quieter, and a wee bit more power. Less smoke.

Had to buy a new connecter head. I could see the wires, but the connecter got eat by the rear of the 5.9L Cummins.
DogDiesel happy. smile.gif
Wayne

[DogDiesel]

Since I have hooked up the electric fuel pump to trigger off oil pressure, the cummins is tamed.
Quieter, smoother, less noise.

When I moved everthing powerplant back 2", my shifter boot was not centered over hole. Had to bend shifter neck to align shifter. Also, since I raised the cab, the tranny insulator block would not stay there. Trimmed the hole at rear to accomodate setback shifter tower. Bought a package of rubber inter-link shop floor cushion which matches my floor cover color. Put 3" of rubber sheet insulation under tranny tunnel, filled the hole, and mounted my shift boot over. It is simply amazing the reduced noise level. My XM stereo required 14 volume setting at freeway speed to hear it. Now, 6 is audible. SIX!
I can carry a conversation in the cab.
Everything works perfect. No leaks, not even a weep. Oil pressure works perfect, charges perfect....

I have to drop my exhaust from the turbo, and remove 1/4" of metal where the pipe is too close to a cab seam. Vibration on decellaration.

Have AC to charge. Bought a Dodge Cummins AC line set off eBay cheap and will replace my lines, to fit the Nippon Denso AC pump. Will notch and drill mounting holes access in right frame.

Still running 6.5 intercooler with rigged pipes. Will put AC condensor behind radiator support and put in Cummins intercooler. Christmas break project. Probably little change in performance, but cosmetic change.

Have yet to install the rear bed 2" lift, as will have to modify fiver hitch. Want to install a hidden hitch, with drop in fiver and Rhino line bed, and Rhino 50 gallon tank.

As far as front independent suspension being too weak for Cummins. Cannot tell the difference.

Still tinkering, but buggs are one by one going away, and drive-abiltiy is constantly improving.

Empty mileage is now about 19. Which with the 265/16 oversize tires is good mileage.

Like the Mastercard commercial says, I can buy bolt on power for $$$, but to hear the 12V idle ---priceless... smile.gif

Wayne

[TimA]

hey dogdiesel
is that cummins a 12 valve or a 24 valve. If it is a 24 valve and if you want more power out of it put the biggest fuel injectors you can put into it while still using the same fuel lines you will be putting out about 400HP at the rear wheels

[DogDiesel]

It is a 12V.

Power is fine. I can pull more on a trailer than I can stop. I use it to tow, therfore have no dreams of running with the Mustangs and Corvettes.

Thanks

[CareyWeber]

I got to see Wayne's truck over the holidays it's a great swap he did a first class job on it. :D

Thanks for letting crawl all over your truck Wayne I really enjoyed looking at it. ;)

Carey

[MikeC]

DogDiesel,

Can you contact me at, mcooper @ medflight dot com? One of our mechanics here at Medflight is preparing to put a Cummins into his 454 Dually Chevy and would like to get pointers from you.

THANKS!!

Mike