My Cummins swap into the '93 Chev

[LucasEnglish]

Wanted to share with you what it took for us to swap a 94 12V auto into my '93 4x4 Chev. No one in the past has posted any good pics so I hope some of mine might help.

Some of the story.

My dad bought this truck new in '93 we soon started having probs at 20k we lost our 1st HG. Than I bought the truck form him a few year ago with 90k. I replace a few bad glow plugs and the HG blew again on me. So I did the HG again. The truck had never been able to pull much over 7k with out getting to hot on hills. I bought all cooling mods even new radator turned up the pump at bit. The turck was 10 times better now I could pull over 10k and it would not overheat still not totaly purfict but good enough. So after being on hear and other bords the 6.5 had me scared with the block and crank probs. To me it felt like my truck was a driving time bomb.

I bought my 12 V swap; Motor, tranny 47RH, intercooler and piping, radator, intake all for $2200. The motor had 180k it seems the 12v just start geting broke in at 500k smile.gif

I sold the 6.5 still runing for $1800 and still have the 4L80 which once it sells I will ahead of what I paid for the swap.

So she is up and runing good now with just the plate reground, 191D'v and a $200 HX40 I now hit the same hills with the about 20k combind and insted of slowing down to 25-30 mph I can cruse up them at over 60mph and I am not even harping on it doing that. I have some 370 injector that will be going in soon. So she should rip quite well. Even though my 12V has the 160 pump it looks like I should be close to 400WHP and almost 800ftlbs to the Rear wheels with just these mods.


Here is the link to my site with some pics.
http://www.englishracing.net/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core:ShowItem&g2_itemId=584&g2_GALLERYSID=d2c80d430fca9196c058417139f49596

If you guys have any questions please ask and I will answer them as best as I can and if you want any better pics I will try to get them up.

[LucasEnglish]

I chose to fab the Chev alt in ware the Dodge one goes. So my tach works great. The Dodge has the same T-case so we swaped the tail end of the case so my spedo works the same also. I did have a check eng light when I was done so I just pull the computer out and it is now gone:)

You can also have a alt shop add the tach wire to a Dodge alt and use a Mopar extearnl reg to contorll it. The stock Dodge alt regulator is in the computer.

[dslpwr]

I find that interesting. What problems did you have with power steering hose, speedometer, and a/c compressor fitting?

I have a 80 model one ton I was thinking about retrofiting a cummins engine. I have a 454 TBI and 4l80e to replace the 350 engine and 400 transmission, but the cummings should get twice the mileage.

Thanks

[LucasEnglish]

We swaped the tale shaft on the T-case which was the same form the Dodge to the Chevy so I could use the GM speed sensor.

The Cummins has the same break power stearing pump as my 6.5 did. The Cummins also has a vac pump because the Dodge has Vac breaks. The pressure hook up was a bolt on deal and I put a T in for the 2 returns since the Dodge resvor only has one return line. Some one told me the 1 ton Dodges have the breaks setup like my 6.5 so it would have to return lines into the resvor.

Some thing else is if you are not using the vac pump be sure to plug it off because it will make your motor seem like it has alot of blow buy. It will pump air into the motor.

[LucasEnglish]

The nice thing about the 47RH is it is fully mech trans so all you need is one power to the tranny and 2 switches one for lock up and the other for OD. The 4L80 needs a computer and most say the stand alone comp is the best way to go.

If you have to buy all the adpt for the 4l80 to Cummins it is around $1000. If you get the Dodge tranny bulit right from a place like DTT thay hold up quite well. Stock to stock the 4l80 win hands down but if you are going to make any real power it cost about the same to get eather one to hold up.

[jdmetcalf57]

How did you deal with the valve cover clearance with the hood?

[More Power]

The Cummins is a great engine, but the 6.5 can do the job.

The 6.5TD Power Project engine (http://www.thedieselpage.com/finale.htm) is coming up on seven years and 180,000 trouble-free miles. smile.gif

Still starts, runs and performs as well as ever. Not a bolt on the engine or fuel injection system has been touched during all this time. Sometime next year we'll probably be doing a 200,000 mile update... smile.gif

Jim

[G. Gearloose]

Ambitious but..20K? I think you just moved the tyme bomb from the front to the back. Not enough truck for your engine.

[Cowracer]

I would suggest making up a new fan shroud. by the looks of the one picture, your fan is buried 3-4 inches deep inside the shroud.

Cooling fans work as much on centrifugal flow as axial flow. The air need to be able to escape the fan radially, not just straight back. The ideal shroud should stop about halfway across the fan blades.

Tim

[LucasEnglish]

Thanks I will cut it back than. It will give me another chance to make it look better than the hack job it is now smile.gif

I have had over 20k combined the way it is now and have had no problems the fan kicks on and off fine and the temp gauge never gets over 190deg. So nice to have a real cooling system.

I know the 6.5 can make it but the odds are not on its side.

2 HG and 2 broken rocker cips and $1000 just so I could tow anything and you have to try like hell to make the same power as a stock D-max. These are plunty of reason to do the swap.

[patrick m.]

i thought for a few months i was going to end up with a Cummins. I had a wrecked 95 2500 Dodge on the wrecker yard, and it only takes a few months to get paper work from the state to sell abandoned vehicles. but at the last moment the lein holder retrieved it.

[LucasEnglish]

Did not see the hood post.

There is tones of room with the 3in body lift. I have heard some say thay can do it with out a body lift or cowl hood. Even if you could make it fit with out the body lift I feel it would make it hard to pull trannys and to work on. I feel making it easy to work on is very important.